"You don't care."

Paul and I try not to talk about upcoming trips and/or vacations in front of Clark. But we failed this week to keep that resolve. Clark does not understand next week, next month, next year and will continue to talk about “it”, whatever “it” is. Paul and I have meetings in Rexburg in a couple of months but Clark thinks it is soon, like this week, despite what we tell him. He really wants to go with us and has set out to prove to us how much he would like to go. Last night we both received a foot message and a love note with a place to mark “yes”. Today our bedroom was vacuumed, thoroughly, and dusted. He has told me he will be happy and smiles to show me. Paul and I have both received a dollar bill which is proof that he will pay his way if we will only let him go. “No, Clark, you cannot go.” we tell him. “You don’t care.” is what he pulls out when things are not looking very hopeful for him. I must admit, my heart is touched. He is trying his best to figure out a way for us to say yes. When I was young and wanted an ice cream cone I would show my sweetest side so that my parents would say yes. When I was a senior in high school I tried my best to convince BYU that I deserved a leadership scholarship by listing everything (small, large, boring, exciting, trivial) I had been involved in during my high school years. Sometimes our attempts to get something are rewarded. Clark will continue to try to convince us that he should go and we will get weary of his constant pleadings but, who knows, maybe his attempts will pay off sometime this year when we go again for more meetings.