The Mergenthaler Family

 Letters from the Nest https://open.substack.com/pub/lettersfromthenest/p/jack-of-all-trades?r=48qui&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web There are a few people in my life who seem to excel in nearly any activity they pursue. They’re able to discourse on a variety of subjects, repair appliances, schedule and keep appointments, write sonnets, balance budgets, play instruments, speak languages, construct cabinetry, plumb pipes, and navigate without GPS. You get the gist. Do you know people like that? Your Grandpa was like that--at least when it came to anything in the science or engineering categories. He was both curious and independent and found satisfaction in planning and executing projects that improved life for his family. He was what some would call a Jack of all Trades. Do you know this descriptive phrase--Jack of all trades? Scholars think it originated in 16th-century England and was intended as a complimentary term for someone skilled in many crafts. After some time, h...

 Letters from the Nest https://open.substack.com/pub/lettersfromthenest/p/how-do-you-get-out-of-bed-in-the?r=48qui&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web How do you get yourself out of bed in the morning? Most of you would answer, You do it. That’s all. You get out of bed. It doesn’t seem like it should be a question. For others, it IS a question, and one that you must address at least once a day. This is how I do it. I start with some validating self-talk. “It’s morning. So many opportunities! You got this!” You know, things like that. Sometimes I wake up with song lyrics in my head, and I sing those: “I believe I can fly.” (Space Jam, anyone?) My validating phrases and songs are usually out loud, but they can stay in my head when my energy is especially low or when your dad is still sleeping. The motivational monologue continues as I roll to the side, shift my legs off the bed, let gravity pull me into a slide until my feet hit the floor, and I make my legs rigid enough to stan...

'Tis the season for family togetherness, and boy, do I love my family even though sometimes they're a lot and sometimes I'm a lot. Our trip to Arizona for the week of Thanksgiving was much anticipated (and dreaded by some). Overall, it turned out to be a decent trip with some lovely bonuses. We travelled to Washington DC Sunday night in order to catch an earlyish direct flight to Phoenix Monday morning. Unfortunately, Gavin and Rick were just recovering from colds, and the airplane pressure exacerbated Gavin's brewing ear infections. We got him an appointment at a (not-so) quick-care clinic, and after some shenanigans with pharmacy stuff and insurance, he had some antibiotics to treat a double ear infection. Gavin's ear pain did not prevent him from getting in the pool at the house we rented. The kids and Uncle Danny played in the water the first day, but after that first exposure, they didn't feel the need to make swimming a daily occurance. The rest of us pref...

Also at Letters from the Nest: https://open.substack.com/pub/lettersfromthenest/p/crying-over-laundry?r=48qui&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web Dear Children, One evening a few weeks ago, we invited two young women into our home to meet our family. They were full-time missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and had been recently reassigned to be the first female missionaries to serve in our congregation for many years. I am always impressed with young full-time missionaries. Their goodness and honesty through struggles is inspiring. They are doing difficult work under difficult circumstances. These two young women were telling us about their awful first Preparation Day (P-Day) in the area. P-Days, for missionaries, are meant to be the one day each week, as a “day off’ from full-time proselyting to buy groceries, wash clothes, participate in wholesome recreational activities, and call their families. P-Days are a break in the daily grind that can s...

 I spoke in our stake conference last week. My assignment was given based on my last Letters From the Nest Post, so I revised it to be a 5-minute talk. I think I did a better job at organizing my thoughts since I had that 5-minute limit. I'll also add some pics from life lately. I keep meaning to write an actual family update, but haven't gotten to it yet. Given Altoona Stake Conference on November 16, 2025 Sometimes our children ask me to help them clean their rooms. When they do, I know they’re not just asking me to help them put things away-- they’re asking me to help them declutter, so their spaces are easier to manage. We begin by procuring two containers--one for trash and one for donations. We will go through their room, addressing one item at a time. I’ll hold an article of clothing or toy up and ask, “Can we say goodbye to this?” If the item is a keeper, they’re tasked with putting that item away in a place that contributes to that item’s usefulness. If they’re ready t...

 Also found at: https://open.substack.com/pub/lettersfromthenest/p/fond-farewell?r=48qui&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web When you ask me to help you clean your room, I know we’re in for a project because you’re not just asking me to help put things away; you’re asking me to help you get rid of things so your space is easier to manage. When I have the time and energy, I love this job. To prepare for the decluttering, we will get two trash bags--one for actual garbage and one to hold donations. Then, one item at a time, I will ask, “Can we say goodbye to this?” If the answer is no, then we find a good place to keep the item so that it can be useful to you. If the answer is yes, we evaluate the possible usefulness of the item for somebody else. The garbage bag almost always fills up faster than the donation bag, unless we’re mostly going through clothing. Does this sound very Marie Kondo to you? Honestly, you younger kids won’t know what I’m talking about, but a quick interne...

Also found at Letters from the Nest:   https://open.substack.com/pub/lettersfromthenest/p/that-sinking-feeling?r=48qui&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web Dear Nestlings, I hope you don’t mind a little stream-of-consciousness letter today. I don’t know if I have anything specific to share, so let’s see what floats to the surface. It’s a bright fall Friday morning. These last few weeks in central Pennsylvania have been lovely, sunny, and warm. I know winter is coming, so I try to be outside as much as possible to take advantage of the sun before it hibernates. I just completed the forty-minute round trip to drive one of you to the high school. You know who you are, but maybe in a few years, when you read this, you won’t know because every one of you has missed the bus sometimes and has endured lectures about planning better and showing your respect for my work by not requiring forty minutes of my life for your convenience. Anyway, everybody is at school and work except...