The 24th

Josh struck a deal with the fireworks wizard. A box of fireworks in exchange for the right to put his blow-ups on the lawn of the law office. Ryan thought we should hang a sign on the wizard that said, "Felshaw." I agree.


HERE is a snippet of a pioneer song the girls sang in Sacrament meeting, at Nana's and at Grandma's house.  They worked hard on it, so it was fun to have a couple of chances to sing it for people.

As the family celebrated the 24th at Grandma and Grandpa's house, we started talking about our courtships.  Grandma jumped up and went to retrieve a big bag full of letters the boys had sent and received on their missions.  The sweetest letter was one from Ryan to Scott that said, "I'm going to prom with that hot girl in our ward, Jennie.  I can't believe she would go out with me, let alone call me her boyfriend!"  Awwww!  Golda went from being bored by the same old stories to being intrigued by the letters I had written to Scott.  It was bittersweet to revisit that time, the two years that Scott was in California on his mission and I was in college in Indiana, trying to find my way.  I wrote him at least once a week, even after I sent him the fateful "Dear John" letter.  It was a painful time in many ways, and I am still relieved to have made it through!  So many things could have gone wrong for us on the long road from high school sweethearts to engagement.  Actually, a lot of things did go wrong.  In retrospect, I wouldn't dare change a thing because all the detours and heartbreak eventually led to what I have now, which is a life that I love and the blessing of living it with Scott. 

We joke sometimes that our future children were watching us from heaven during our college years saying, "NOOOO!  Come ON, Mom!  You're supposed to end up with Scott Dopp!"  And for Scott, "Dad, tell her how you feel!  Hurry, before it's too late!" If that's the case, those little spirits must have gotten through somehow.  Jeremy reminded us that when he left on his mission (three and a half years after Scott got back from his), a renewed relationship between Scott and me wasn't even a possibility, since we had gone our separate ways.  We somehow remained friends after breaking each others' hearts, though, and when Jeremy got home, we were married.  I can only think of three decisions in my life that I knew were right:  moving back to Utah after college (instead of attending violin making school in Chicago or pursuing violin performance in Prague), marrying Scott,  and then not taking a job I had been offered at a violin shop on Staten Island after we got married.  I don't know why I have been so blessed when there were times I did everything wrong, both intentionally and through sheer stupidity, but I am so thankful to have the honor of carrying on my ancestors' legacy with Scott and all these sweet little children who must have been rooting for our success all along.  Thanks, kids.  You did it!