letter postmarked 8/2/13

Family! (and whoever else reads this)
Hey!  I'll say hi to Mom and Dad first because they always seem to sneak a peak before everyone else...Hey!  Man I miss all of you so much.  I know I say that all the time but I really do.  You guys are the most important people in my life and I honestly couldn't (and don't want to) imagine where I'd be in life without you.  I'm pretty sure in the premortal life we just grouped up with all our best friends and then God sent us down together.  I'M SO HAPPY WE'RE ALL TOGETHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
How are all of you?!  I feel like we never get to talk as much as we should which is why you should Dear Elder me!  Sometimes I wish I could just call you out of the blue and let you know just how much I love each and every one of you, but at the same time I think separation and distance brings a special realization of feelings you couldn't feel any other way.  But man, I really, really miss you guys.  I meet people who I talk with every day who end up always hearing about you guys.  I can't even tell you how many times I've shown some random person on the bus next to me our picture together and then follow it up by explaining that we can be together with our families forever if that's something we want and work for.  We're going to have the biggest party ever up in Heaven huh?  Dad will cook countless briskets for all the Heavenly Host and it'll be a blast.
How is life going for everyone?  As funny as it sounds, I'm waiting for someone to call out, "Family time!  Attendance required!" or walk out to the kitchen to find a fresh bowl of Lizzy-made popcorn that I can steal.  For some reason I have problems sleeping at night a couple of times a week and I end up just sitting in my window sill in the middle of beautiful Riga 4 stories up at around 12o'clock and every time I can't help but wonder what you're all doing.  It amazes me that I'm so far away and can see the night sky hours before you do.  It's like you guys still have the opportunity to make that day truly great and memorable.  I hope you all are using the time you have together in the right way.  What I'd give to go on the walk down the street with the dogs and everyone.  Buzzy would be trying to have Kota and Aspen pull him with that ancient pair of roller blades, Alex and Dad would be cuddling like always (wierdos), Lizzy and Mom would be talking about some sissy flowers or something like that, while Nate and I are trying to shoot signs with our beloved BB guns with a background of chastising and jokes coming from Court and Erin.  Goodness I can't wait to do that again!  Don't get me wrong, again, I don't want to be anywhere in the world more than Riga, Latvia right now but I do think about where I came from and what I'm going back to (waaaaaayyyyy down the line) because I feel like I owe that to myself.  If we recognize the beauty of the hike up the mountain, the hard climbs and eventual summit is always going to be better.  We could just focus on that one single view off the well travelled path and admire countless things, but at the same time, if we can recognize what helped us get there and where we came from, the view now becomes a panorama and a personal story we'll remember for the rest of our lives. 
Life here is still as great as ever and I'm loving and learning more and more every time I wake up for the next day.  I'm creating friendships here that will last a lifetime and I can't wait to bring you all back here and show you so many incredible people and places.  Missions are THE best thing you could ever do besides raise a family like ours with a relationship with a spouse like that of what we see Mom and Dad have.  Missions are so great!  Write me and let me know what I can do for you and please tell me how you are doing.  I still want to be in the loop.  Buzzy-I'll still kick your trash at COD so don't get any ideas.  Lizzy and Alex-NO BOYFRIENDS  Nate-go shave that nasty ferret off your face.  Court-quit hogging all the bathroom time in the morning.  Erin-HI!  How are you?  Dad-keep working out girl scout.  I'll still be able to take you.  Mommy-Love you Mom :)  You're the best.
-Elder Connor Webb