Wednesday, May 31, 2006
true joy
The laughter of one's child from another room, flowers coming up through the soil where you planted a seed, the cool of the evening after the heat of the day, a front porch swing, a smile from someone as you enter a room, a day well spent, a son who brings the garbage can in without being asked, an old DVD player hanging from a front porch post, a husband who helps clear the table and works hard all day, a daughter who is finally home for dinner. these are true joys. these are real. I love my life.
trip
just some hints, not trying to force you to come... :)
sometimes it's easier to just call Travelocity and ask what days are available.
also, remember I'll pay for a ticket, and you have one frequent flyer, so you only need 2.
and we can split more if need be. or just send us the boys......hee hee
too bad Jarek isn't a bit older. someday we can!
sometimes it's easier to just call Travelocity and ask what days are available.
also, remember I'll pay for a ticket, and you have one frequent flyer, so you only need 2.
and we can split more if need be. or just send us the boys......hee hee
too bad Jarek isn't a bit older. someday we can!
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
One step forward two steps back
Just when it seems like the kids are making progress, something pulls them back down again. It was a frustrating day at PT today. Over the last few months Jarek had been making progress with his posture and muscle strength. He seemed to be almost to the top of the hill in one area, and ready to tackle the next. Today, Suzanne (his PT) came out a little early with a concerned and somewhat baffled look on her face. My heart fluttered as I had a feeling bad news was going to follow. She said that Jarek is losing ground. He isn't progressing and seems to be going backwards now from what she has been seeing from him the past few weeks. I asked what we could do, and she seemed very frustrated as well and didn't really have an answer. She said that this could be happening due to a couple of factors. #1, Jarek could be growing. That would be a good thing. What happens when he grows is all the muscles and things they have been working on get thrown out of whack. So we will measure him on our wall where we have been tracking his growth. If it isn't that he is growing, she thought it might be because he is overly tired. (which could be the case today since he went to bed very late and had to get up at 6:20 this morning to go with me to get the van's oil changed). And if it isn't that, she really doesn't know what it is, or what to do. So she gave me some more stretches and exercises to do with him, and we will see if he does any better next week.
I am worried. It is scary being a mother. It is so difficult to see someone you love struggle so much with something that comes so naturally to most other people. I know Jarek is a very special boy, but knowing that doesn't make it any easier on the heart of a mother having to watch his struggles. He was talking to me the other day and crying, telling me about how frustrated he gets in school sometimes because he can't keep up with the other kids physically. And how his feelings were hurt very bad by this one girl who insists on calling him "midget". It broke my heart to see him so upset. He knows that he has a hard time physically and thinks that is why the other kids won't play with him. He says they just run away and he can't keep up. It tears me up inside to not be able to fix everything for him. I know this is one of his trials, and I can only give him encouragement and a safe place where he knows he is loved, but that doesn't really make it any easier.
I guess one step forward is better than no steps forward. We will continue to work with him, and pray for him. I guess I can't have miracles every day. I am just thankful that his cardiology appointment gave us good news. We will keep working with him, and giving him all the support we can. I just thought I would share that with everyone. Thanks for listening.
I am worried. It is scary being a mother. It is so difficult to see someone you love struggle so much with something that comes so naturally to most other people. I know Jarek is a very special boy, but knowing that doesn't make it any easier on the heart of a mother having to watch his struggles. He was talking to me the other day and crying, telling me about how frustrated he gets in school sometimes because he can't keep up with the other kids physically. And how his feelings were hurt very bad by this one girl who insists on calling him "midget". It broke my heart to see him so upset. He knows that he has a hard time physically and thinks that is why the other kids won't play with him. He says they just run away and he can't keep up. It tears me up inside to not be able to fix everything for him. I know this is one of his trials, and I can only give him encouragement and a safe place where he knows he is loved, but that doesn't really make it any easier.
I guess one step forward is better than no steps forward. We will continue to work with him, and pray for him. I guess I can't have miracles every day. I am just thankful that his cardiology appointment gave us good news. We will keep working with him, and giving him all the support we can. I just thought I would share that with everyone. Thanks for listening.
Correction for Kathy
Sorry Kathy,
I thought you did have a myspace profile. I remember Jacob complaining about lag on the computer at your place when he and Tom are playing games because you were on myspace... I guess it could have been something else he was complaining about though.
I thought you did have a myspace profile. I remember Jacob complaining about lag on the computer at your place when he and Tom are playing games because you were on myspace... I guess it could have been something else he was complaining about though.
A Cube is a Lonely Place
Here I am in my cube again all alone. However, today a new visitor showed up at my door. It is an 8 by 10 framed picture of (one of my) beautiful daughters! Kathy. I think I will get a lot of responses from fellow workers about this one. I am sure they will not accept the explanation that this is a daughter. Oh well.
Anyway, having nothing better to do, I looked around, and like an accountant began counting the number of pictures I have and of who. I thought the resulting tally was most interesting. Here it is:
Myself 2
Karen 3
Bret 2
Tevia 1
Jarek 2
Malik 0
Jacob 4
Cari 0
Kathy 5
Tommy 5
Jacob W. 0
Twenty four all told! That is it. That is all there is. If there is a competition, looks like Kathy and Tommy won. So if any of you would like to add to my lonely space for like a birthday gift or whatever, I would not complain.
Anyway, having nothing better to do, I looked around, and like an accountant began counting the number of pictures I have and of who. I thought the resulting tally was most interesting. Here it is:
Myself 2
Karen 3
Bret 2
Tevia 1
Jarek 2
Malik 0
Jacob 4
Cari 0
Kathy 5
Tommy 5
Jacob W. 0
Twenty four all told! That is it. That is all there is. If there is a competition, looks like Kathy and Tommy won. So if any of you would like to add to my lonely space for like a birthday gift or whatever, I would not complain.
Love Dad.
BTW, my favorite is an 8 by 10 of Karen taken just before we were married. That one is nice! It is prominently displayed so that all who come this way catch a glimpse of her smile.
Monday, May 29, 2006
serious
I have tried to blog so many times in the last week. You see, I never quite make it to the publish post button. I read all the blogs and comments but am too frustrated to post my response. They have too much emotion in them for me. It is hard to explain. You are all such incredible writers, especially you Kathy! But I love to read them. If any of you wrote a book, I think it would become a best seller over night.
Sunday, May 28, 2006
First time, first hand witness
Now, dad, if you read this i dont want you to be affended, ashamed or upset. The experience that i went through 2 weeks ago really impacted my life and i would like to blog it just because to me it was a big thing for me.
Here's my story...
About two weeks ago, on a tuesday morning, when mom was in arizona, i woke up just like every school day to go to seminary. and if mom hasnt told you guys, i havent missed a day of seminary all year. i fell in love with it and i have to say, im actually sad its over. anyways back to my story. As i was getting ready to go, and i had about 5 min left, i heard a strange banging noise coming from daddy's room. It didnt take me one second to wonder what that noise was. I knew immediately, and a fear over took my whole body. i realized im a bigger chicken than i thought.
Tommy came upstairs too because the banging proceeded to get louder and found me and asked "Thats not you?" I shook my head and it didnt take him more than one second either to know what was going on. Dad was low.
Now, ive heard dad get low before, and i might have even seen acouple glances of him when he's been low but i have never actually had to deal with it before. i usualy would stay in my room and pray, cry and hope that everything would be fine. But this time mom wasnt home, i was the oldest, i felt in charge and i was so nervous. Opening his door was one of the scariest parts. I took a deep breath and knew that the man i was about to see was not going to be my normal father. he was going to be different and someone who might not even know who i was.
We opened the door and there dad was, banging on his clock. He could not get the alarm to shut off. He started yelling now and told us how he could not shut off the clock. It was crazy to see how he really didnt know how to turn it off. I calmly walked over and shut the alarm off. He was baffled for a minute and then started screaming even louder. TURN OFF THE CLOCK! I told him i had just turned it off but he didnt seem to be satisfied. He still kept banging it and yelling to turn it off. I felt like i was speaking to a child. I patiently just kept saying its off. Then he began to throw things. He smashed almost all of his cds on the wall and the plastic pieces went everywhere. I was so scared. He looked so confused, so mean, and so lost. Finally i just unplugged the clock and asked him what i could do. I asked him if he wanted a juice box and he just started yelling. I dont remember all the things he said but eventually he yelled at me and tommy to get out. Being the older sibling i kind of took command. i told tommy to take dinho and david to seminary and that i would stay and call 911. Tommy didnt argue and said let me get some things out of my room first. Thats when the tears came. I started crying and shaking, i really wasnt sure what i should do. It was the first time in my life that i have ever pleaded to the lord like i did that morning. In gigantic tears i fell on my knees in the middle of my room and asked Heavenly Father to give me strength to know what to do and to help dad be okay. I was still shaking and teary when i came downstairs but i did gain some control back and was able to call 911.
I dont know if any of you have had to dial these numbers for real on a phone before but its a lot bigger thing than i thought it would be. Maybe I am just a dramatic story person but it was like i was watching myself in a movie. I couldnt believe that this was real and that i wasnt just calling them as some joke. My voice was so shaky as the guy on the other line asked me questions. He was so calm though and very nice. Afterwards i called mom, tevia answered the phone, sorry tevs, i didnt even think how it was about 3 in the morning there, and told her what happened. She helped calm me down but i was still so shaken up. The image of the cds crashing against the wall kept replaying in my head.
It didnt take long for the paramedics to get there. They were all so nice and i pointed upstairs and to the closed door to the room that he was in. I didnt go up with them though. I sat at the kitchen table and cried. I had never seen daddy like that and i didnt know how scary it would be. I really give mom so much credit for going thought it again and again. How inadequate it makes you feel.
Anyways a police offcier finally came downstairs and asked me some questions and then told me the paramedic needed me to answer some of his questions upstairs too. I was so scared to face dad again and i thought he would be soo mad at me for calling 911. I entered his room and took a seat next to him on the edge of his bed, gave him a smile and then answered all the questions for him since he couldnt really answer them himself. Finally they told me i could go and Dad told me to go too. I thought maybe i should stay but then i have to admit i really just wanted to go. It was probably bad of me and im sorry dad but i left.
This experience made me learn alot of things and even though it scared the heck out of me im kind of thankful that i got to go through it. I was also mad at dad at first because he really scared me and i hated to see him like that but after acouple days my anger faded and i realized it was not his fault that he had this disease. I am sorry that you have to go through that dad and i want you to know that i love you. This has also helped me learn how strong my mom is, even stronger than i thought, and how helpful the Lord is. This is something i will never forget and i just wanted to share it with you.
Here's my story...
About two weeks ago, on a tuesday morning, when mom was in arizona, i woke up just like every school day to go to seminary. and if mom hasnt told you guys, i havent missed a day of seminary all year. i fell in love with it and i have to say, im actually sad its over. anyways back to my story. As i was getting ready to go, and i had about 5 min left, i heard a strange banging noise coming from daddy's room. It didnt take me one second to wonder what that noise was. I knew immediately, and a fear over took my whole body. i realized im a bigger chicken than i thought.
Tommy came upstairs too because the banging proceeded to get louder and found me and asked "Thats not you?" I shook my head and it didnt take him more than one second either to know what was going on. Dad was low.
Now, ive heard dad get low before, and i might have even seen acouple glances of him when he's been low but i have never actually had to deal with it before. i usualy would stay in my room and pray, cry and hope that everything would be fine. But this time mom wasnt home, i was the oldest, i felt in charge and i was so nervous. Opening his door was one of the scariest parts. I took a deep breath and knew that the man i was about to see was not going to be my normal father. he was going to be different and someone who might not even know who i was.
We opened the door and there dad was, banging on his clock. He could not get the alarm to shut off. He started yelling now and told us how he could not shut off the clock. It was crazy to see how he really didnt know how to turn it off. I calmly walked over and shut the alarm off. He was baffled for a minute and then started screaming even louder. TURN OFF THE CLOCK! I told him i had just turned it off but he didnt seem to be satisfied. He still kept banging it and yelling to turn it off. I felt like i was speaking to a child. I patiently just kept saying its off. Then he began to throw things. He smashed almost all of his cds on the wall and the plastic pieces went everywhere. I was so scared. He looked so confused, so mean, and so lost. Finally i just unplugged the clock and asked him what i could do. I asked him if he wanted a juice box and he just started yelling. I dont remember all the things he said but eventually he yelled at me and tommy to get out. Being the older sibling i kind of took command. i told tommy to take dinho and david to seminary and that i would stay and call 911. Tommy didnt argue and said let me get some things out of my room first. Thats when the tears came. I started crying and shaking, i really wasnt sure what i should do. It was the first time in my life that i have ever pleaded to the lord like i did that morning. In gigantic tears i fell on my knees in the middle of my room and asked Heavenly Father to give me strength to know what to do and to help dad be okay. I was still shaking and teary when i came downstairs but i did gain some control back and was able to call 911.
I dont know if any of you have had to dial these numbers for real on a phone before but its a lot bigger thing than i thought it would be. Maybe I am just a dramatic story person but it was like i was watching myself in a movie. I couldnt believe that this was real and that i wasnt just calling them as some joke. My voice was so shaky as the guy on the other line asked me questions. He was so calm though and very nice. Afterwards i called mom, tevia answered the phone, sorry tevs, i didnt even think how it was about 3 in the morning there, and told her what happened. She helped calm me down but i was still so shaken up. The image of the cds crashing against the wall kept replaying in my head.
It didnt take long for the paramedics to get there. They were all so nice and i pointed upstairs and to the closed door to the room that he was in. I didnt go up with them though. I sat at the kitchen table and cried. I had never seen daddy like that and i didnt know how scary it would be. I really give mom so much credit for going thought it again and again. How inadequate it makes you feel.
Anyways a police offcier finally came downstairs and asked me some questions and then told me the paramedic needed me to answer some of his questions upstairs too. I was so scared to face dad again and i thought he would be soo mad at me for calling 911. I entered his room and took a seat next to him on the edge of his bed, gave him a smile and then answered all the questions for him since he couldnt really answer them himself. Finally they told me i could go and Dad told me to go too. I thought maybe i should stay but then i have to admit i really just wanted to go. It was probably bad of me and im sorry dad but i left.
This experience made me learn alot of things and even though it scared the heck out of me im kind of thankful that i got to go through it. I was also mad at dad at first because he really scared me and i hated to see him like that but after acouple days my anger faded and i realized it was not his fault that he had this disease. I am sorry that you have to go through that dad and i want you to know that i love you. This has also helped me learn how strong my mom is, even stronger than i thought, and how helpful the Lord is. This is something i will never forget and i just wanted to share it with you.
Saturday, May 27, 2006
sandwich generation
I am feeling stressed and not sure if I should leave my family for another week and help my mom, or stay and help my family. dad's blood sugar seems to be so up and down lately, I think it is time he looked seriously into getting the pump again. plus he is having his dizzy episodes 3 times a day. Kathy has prom next week, her big graduation party the next, and graduation the next. I feel very torn. my mom says not to miss her special days, but then who can go? Kathy, my sis, can't go for a whole month. well, I don't need to burden you and I'm not even really asking advice. just sharing my thoughts today. please do send her your best wishes, and pray for her. thanks.
Friday, May 26, 2006
Untitled...
I have been extremely busy and I have missed you all. Although my contact with you is merely via this blog, it is great to hear how each of you are doing in life, whether through good times or bad, I really feel like I'm a part of this family. So thank you.
However, that is not my intention for writing this evening. Unfortunately what brings me to All That is Wall is something much more disturbing... for lack of a better word. Most of you do not know the history behind this story so I will give a quick summary simply to help you understand why the events of these past few weeks have been so emotional for me.
I had a very serious relationship with a girl named Bethanny when I was in high school. I was in love with her. She and I shared many things with each other and even had plans to marry rather than me serve a mission. She and I decided I needed to serve a mission and she was going to wait. I left unworthily to serve in Ecuador. A year into my mission I realized I needed to become 100% worthy to be a profitable servant, and almost more importantly, I knew both Bethanny and I would have to become worthy for each other if our marriage was to be sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise. I chose to talk to my mission president and he had no choice but to send me home.
The morning I arrived home from Ecuador I called Bethanny, simply to inform her of my return, and why I had come home, and that I was determined to return and finish an honorable full time mission, no matter what. She was very upset that I had returned and hung up on me. Two days later she called me back, apologized and said she understood. She said she was willing to wait for me and wanted to do things the right way as well. I have never spoken to her since. ... ... ... Two months later, I heard from a friend of mine that Bethanny had gotten engaged to someone else. My heart was broken. I became physically ill. I couldn't eat, sleep, or function.
During that same time Bret and Tevia were living in Scottsdale. Tevia had spent many hours on the phone with me and convinced me that it would be best if I left Lakeside and came and lived with her and Bret. I remain eternally grateful for them during that time in my life and ever since then. They helped me keep my focus and I was able to return to complete the final year of my missionary service 16 months later in the Spanish speaking Fort Worth mission.
Years have passed since then.
Most of you know that, like Kathy, I have a myspace profile. I don't use it to try and find new friends, nor do I look to find people to add to my profile and especially I do not date (anymore) people from myspace. However, two or so weeks ago I got one of the biggest shocks of my life; Jennifer, Bethanny's younger sister, found my profile and sent me a request to be added to her friend's list. The request sat in my que for a number of days as I thought back over the last 6 plus years of my life that I have lived without her (Bethanny) in it, yet being reminded almost every day in one form or another of Bethanny and what might have been. You see, when I lost Bethanny, I lost more than just her. I was very close friends with her entire family. She is the oldest of five children (three girls and two boys) and I was friends with each of them. Now one of them found me. I spent a lot of time debating whether I should accept Jennifer's request or delete it from my que and try to go on with my life as before.
Something got the better of me... curiosity more than anything... and I decided to at least look at Jennifer's profile, perhaps there would be a picture of Bethanny. No, there wasn't. However, there were pictures of her kids. All I could think when I saw them was, "those should have been mine children." I don't know if any of you ever have, or ever will have, such a thought, but it is one of profound impact. I quickly closed the browser and struggled for the next few days to get the idea out of my mind. Needless to say, I failed. But perhaps all for the better, because what came of it was a lesson I needed to learn.
The more I thought about the request Jennifer had sent me the more I realized I was being childish and immature by not responding. I knew I would have to if I were ever going to fully come to terms with the last few years (almost a decade) of my life. I accepted the request to be added to her friend's list.
The next day she messaged me and thanked me for accepting her as a friend. She also asked me (conversationally) what I've been up to for the last 5 or 6 years since she and I had last spoken. The following is my response to her followed by her response back to me: ** Just so you're not SO lost, Robert is the youngest sibling, Krystine is the next, then Jennifer, (Trev is Jennifer's husband), then Greg, then Bethanny is the oldest.
***Actually... we're coming up on seven years now... but who's counting? :)
So, you really expect me to sum up my last 6 years in a single email?... I dunno about that... you may just have to wait for the book like everyone else!... my life is WAY too interesting to give stories out for free!! jk!
In short... I've done a LOT of traveling, a LOT of working and a LOT of living... and I think maybe a little growing up... but, meh... who really tracks that stuff anyway?
I'm SUPER busy with work right now and these past few months, plus I'm taking summer classes as well, so this has to stay short... but it's good to hear from you and I'm glad you're enjoying married life!
Say "hola" to Big Trev for me, and I'll talk to you later!
~Jacob ***
***hey!
thanks for the update in a nutshell. it was good to hear back from you. pretty crazy to think that i'm married to trev huh?! glad to hear you are living life to it's fullest and enjoying yourself. as for trev and i we just work our butts off every day. he's done with school and working at a volvo dealership in sandy as a mechanic. i work at a doctors office but in about 3 weeks i'm leaving that to be a nanny for a newborn baby. we've been married for almost 3 years and no kids yet. we want kids but haven't been lucky enough to get one yet. we like it up here in utah, it's a nice break from the phoenix heat. as for the fam (just in case you wanted to know)....bethany is in st. george with her new hubby of 5 months and her 2 kids (maddie 3 1/2 and roman 17 months). greg is doing.....nothing, nothing at all. as far as i know he still lives at home and currently isn't working. krystine is in prescott with her little girl brookie (2 years) and robert just finished his junior year of high school. that's us in a nutshell....gotta run but hope to hear back from ya!
jen and trev ***
For so many years I've hurt over losing that family; for losing Bethanny. For so many years I thought I wanted her to hurt as I did. I though I would have some comfort in knowing things didn't work out for her, and she would "pay" for leaving someone who loved her so much. For so many years I was wrong.
After reading the email from her sister I felt sick. I felt as though I wanted to rush out, find Bethanny and give her a hug... but I didn't know why... I still don't know why. I don't blame myself in the slightest for whatever she has been through these past years, but I find I still care for her. I'm pretty sure I always will. I still don't think I will ever talk to her again, I don't think it would help either of us. But I am deeply saddened by seeing she has not had the fairy tale life she and I once dreamed of having together. I see now that I would be more happy in seeing her happy and strong in the gospel now (even if it is not with me) than seeing her testimony shaken and her life incomplete.
Life
In reality, I'm sure I have yet to experience even the tip of it all.
However, that is not my intention for writing this evening. Unfortunately what brings me to All That is Wall is something much more disturbing... for lack of a better word. Most of you do not know the history behind this story so I will give a quick summary simply to help you understand why the events of these past few weeks have been so emotional for me.
I had a very serious relationship with a girl named Bethanny when I was in high school. I was in love with her. She and I shared many things with each other and even had plans to marry rather than me serve a mission. She and I decided I needed to serve a mission and she was going to wait. I left unworthily to serve in Ecuador. A year into my mission I realized I needed to become 100% worthy to be a profitable servant, and almost more importantly, I knew both Bethanny and I would have to become worthy for each other if our marriage was to be sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise. I chose to talk to my mission president and he had no choice but to send me home.
The morning I arrived home from Ecuador I called Bethanny, simply to inform her of my return, and why I had come home, and that I was determined to return and finish an honorable full time mission, no matter what. She was very upset that I had returned and hung up on me. Two days later she called me back, apologized and said she understood. She said she was willing to wait for me and wanted to do things the right way as well. I have never spoken to her since. ... ... ... Two months later, I heard from a friend of mine that Bethanny had gotten engaged to someone else. My heart was broken. I became physically ill. I couldn't eat, sleep, or function.
During that same time Bret and Tevia were living in Scottsdale. Tevia had spent many hours on the phone with me and convinced me that it would be best if I left Lakeside and came and lived with her and Bret. I remain eternally grateful for them during that time in my life and ever since then. They helped me keep my focus and I was able to return to complete the final year of my missionary service 16 months later in the Spanish speaking Fort Worth mission.
Years have passed since then.
Most of you know that, like Kathy, I have a myspace profile. I don't use it to try and find new friends, nor do I look to find people to add to my profile and especially I do not date (anymore) people from myspace. However, two or so weeks ago I got one of the biggest shocks of my life; Jennifer, Bethanny's younger sister, found my profile and sent me a request to be added to her friend's list. The request sat in my que for a number of days as I thought back over the last 6 plus years of my life that I have lived without her (Bethanny) in it, yet being reminded almost every day in one form or another of Bethanny and what might have been. You see, when I lost Bethanny, I lost more than just her. I was very close friends with her entire family. She is the oldest of five children (three girls and two boys) and I was friends with each of them. Now one of them found me. I spent a lot of time debating whether I should accept Jennifer's request or delete it from my que and try to go on with my life as before.
Something got the better of me... curiosity more than anything... and I decided to at least look at Jennifer's profile, perhaps there would be a picture of Bethanny. No, there wasn't. However, there were pictures of her kids. All I could think when I saw them was, "those should have been mine children." I don't know if any of you ever have, or ever will have, such a thought, but it is one of profound impact. I quickly closed the browser and struggled for the next few days to get the idea out of my mind. Needless to say, I failed. But perhaps all for the better, because what came of it was a lesson I needed to learn.
The more I thought about the request Jennifer had sent me the more I realized I was being childish and immature by not responding. I knew I would have to if I were ever going to fully come to terms with the last few years (almost a decade) of my life. I accepted the request to be added to her friend's list.
The next day she messaged me and thanked me for accepting her as a friend. She also asked me (conversationally) what I've been up to for the last 5 or 6 years since she and I had last spoken. The following is my response to her followed by her response back to me: ** Just so you're not SO lost, Robert is the youngest sibling, Krystine is the next, then Jennifer, (Trev is Jennifer's husband), then Greg, then Bethanny is the oldest.
***Actually... we're coming up on seven years now... but who's counting? :)
So, you really expect me to sum up my last 6 years in a single email?... I dunno about that... you may just have to wait for the book like everyone else!... my life is WAY too interesting to give stories out for free!! jk!
In short... I've done a LOT of traveling, a LOT of working and a LOT of living... and I think maybe a little growing up... but, meh... who really tracks that stuff anyway?
I'm SUPER busy with work right now and these past few months, plus I'm taking summer classes as well, so this has to stay short... but it's good to hear from you and I'm glad you're enjoying married life!
Say "hola" to Big Trev for me, and I'll talk to you later!
~Jacob ***
***hey!
thanks for the update in a nutshell. it was good to hear back from you. pretty crazy to think that i'm married to trev huh?! glad to hear you are living life to it's fullest and enjoying yourself. as for trev and i we just work our butts off every day. he's done with school and working at a volvo dealership in sandy as a mechanic. i work at a doctors office but in about 3 weeks i'm leaving that to be a nanny for a newborn baby. we've been married for almost 3 years and no kids yet. we want kids but haven't been lucky enough to get one yet. we like it up here in utah, it's a nice break from the phoenix heat. as for the fam (just in case you wanted to know)....bethany is in st. george with her new hubby of 5 months and her 2 kids (maddie 3 1/2 and roman 17 months). greg is doing.....nothing, nothing at all. as far as i know he still lives at home and currently isn't working. krystine is in prescott with her little girl brookie (2 years) and robert just finished his junior year of high school. that's us in a nutshell....gotta run but hope to hear back from ya!
jen and trev ***
For so many years I've hurt over losing that family; for losing Bethanny. For so many years I thought I wanted her to hurt as I did. I though I would have some comfort in knowing things didn't work out for her, and she would "pay" for leaving someone who loved her so much. For so many years I was wrong.
After reading the email from her sister I felt sick. I felt as though I wanted to rush out, find Bethanny and give her a hug... but I didn't know why... I still don't know why. I don't blame myself in the slightest for whatever she has been through these past years, but I find I still care for her. I'm pretty sure I always will. I still don't think I will ever talk to her again, I don't think it would help either of us. But I am deeply saddened by seeing she has not had the fairy tale life she and I once dreamed of having together. I see now that I would be more happy in seeing her happy and strong in the gospel now (even if it is not with me) than seeing her testimony shaken and her life incomplete.
Life
In reality, I'm sure I have yet to experience even the tip of it all.
Alone on Friday Night
Friday nights are pretty boring when you are alone - and married. So I am sitting here listening to Shakira (Hips Don't Lie!) and getting over the Suns losing tonight. It was a long day at work. An interesting thing happened that shows how strange life is. I had been planning on going to Iceland with a client this month, but in the end the client asked me to send one of my employees and I gave in and gave her this awesome opportunity (it also made sense as she has daily contact with the assignees in that country). She was excited to go. Upon return she was visibly upset. Our client contact has had a history of drinking in excess, and it appears that he was back in form in Iceland. Due to this fact, he said - and perhaps did, though I am not sure - some inappropriate things to my employee. Now I have to meet with HR to document the issue and then we are going to approach our client about it. Talk about a bad situation. I feel so bad for this guy as I know he has a great heart. And in a moment of weakness he could have hurt a great employee, jeopardized his career, and taken a relationship with Prudential that has been rock solid and put it at jeopardy. I was very annoyed. And none of this would have happened had I gone to Iceland (well, I doubt I would have experienced or felt disrespected - maybe embarrassed by him - but nothing else). I also feel bad for my employee. She is fantastic and hopefully nothing terrible happened.
So was it a bad decision to not go? Should I have been selfish and gone myself? Who knows, but it certainly is an interesting question. In the end, who knows if I could have gone as I need to get a new passport since I accidentally washed and dried my passport after our Mexico trip. It is still intact, but I believe I need to replace it.
Switching gears, on the way home from work a woman approached me as I was filling my car with gas. She said she needed some gas and had no money. I had no cash (never do) and told her so, and then she went on to ask other drivers. She looked very disheveled. As I went to get my receipt I kept thinking maybe I should pay for some with my credit card. When the receipt didn't come out and said to go inside, I saw that as a sign that I should. So as I collected my receipt I asked the lady to put $10 on the pump her car was at. As I walked out I told her I had put the money on her pump. She gave me the most grateful look and said, "God bless you." And He did.
So was it a bad decision to not go? Should I have been selfish and gone myself? Who knows, but it certainly is an interesting question. In the end, who knows if I could have gone as I need to get a new passport since I accidentally washed and dried my passport after our Mexico trip. It is still intact, but I believe I need to replace it.
Switching gears, on the way home from work a woman approached me as I was filling my car with gas. She said she needed some gas and had no money. I had no cash (never do) and told her so, and then she went on to ask other drivers. She looked very disheveled. As I went to get my receipt I kept thinking maybe I should pay for some with my credit card. When the receipt didn't come out and said to go inside, I saw that as a sign that I should. So as I collected my receipt I asked the lady to put $10 on the pump her car was at. As I walked out I told her I had put the money on her pump. She gave me the most grateful look and said, "God bless you." And He did.
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Fingertoes
I know this is going to sound like a weird blog, but let me tell ya, I am so glad I was born with freakishly long toes. Especially while I am pregnant!! I can pick up so many things without ever having to bend over, and that really saves my back!! It is a wonderful talent that I wouldn't exchange for a million bucks!!! It has really come in handy today as I have been cleaning the house.
Just thought I would share my strange talent.
Just thought I would share my strange talent.
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Fathers and Sons - 2006
As I drove up to the I-17 in our new minivan with 2 kids in the back watching Hoodwinked on their portable DVD player I thought back on the many fathers and sons outings I have been on. And I realized that it seems impossible that I could possibly be this old - old enough to bring two of my own kids to one of these gatherings. But I was - driving a minivan with two kids in tow.
We stopped at Taco Bell where I gave the kids a 5 minute challenge to eat as fast as they could. We each ordered one thing and surprisingly the kids met the challenge. We arrived a Wolf Creek which is just outside of Prescott, AZ which is about 90 miles North of Phoenix. Jarek was quick to verify there would be no wolves present. We quickly set up our tent. It was around 7:00 and the sun was just going down. Tevia was back at home making jewelry and enjoying life without a bunch of boys (if you don't include the little one inside of her).
By 8:00 the boys asked if they could go to bed. I told them no (such a mean father!) and made them stay up and roast marshmallows and listen to the priesthood presentation. We had brought some toasted coconut marshmallows (thanks Tevia and Jarek) which were a hit among the boys and adults. Most had never even seen them.
I put the boys down around 9 and then stayed up talking to the guys. At midnight I entered the tent, and like most camping trips lately, laid there worrying if my kids are too cold and thinking of other things until about 4 in the morning. At that point I finallly fell asleep to be awoken by the sun which rises around 5:30 AM here. I had brought our aero bed, which was quite comfortable, even with all three of us on it. We stayed in the tent until I heard them making breakfast and then we slipped out the tent. We even stayed in our same clothes, much to Tevia's chagrin.
The boys had a great time climbing on the rocks and hiking around camp - experiencing a little more freedom than they normally get. They did great. We then set up a zip line for the boys and I was shocked and proud when Jarek said he wanted to go. He got two turns and then Malik said he wanted to go. It was so fun seeing them do something exciting. They loved it and sat on the big rocks and watched the other boys go until it was about time to break camp. We headed back around 10 and got back to Phoenix just in time for lunch.
Though the time was short (we were really only away from home for 18 hours or so), the time with the boys was wonderful. It was refreshing to see my boys with such good manners and receive compliments from other parents. It was also a joy to have them mention how much they love me and how much fun they were having. I learn so much from my boys. They teach me about courage and love and growing. I often forget that I am still growing - and still experience some of the things they feel like fear, wanting to be accepted, and anticipation. Children give us such a wonderful view of life. I am not sure why I have been so blessed to have these two young men, but I feel that even if I worked every minute for the rest of my life in the service of my God, I would still not deserve them.
So as I drove home yesterday I couldn't help but think that I am the most blessed man in the world. I have the woman of my dreams as my eternal companion. A woman I can talk with and be open with and love and enjoy. I also have the greatest children I have ever met and they love me. They make me want to be a better person. And I have a great family in NY and Utah - who love me and I actually like to be around. What greater gifts could a man desire? In my patriarchal blessing there is one line that has often surprised me. It states that I will be blessed with many things that people would consider luxuries in life. Certainly I can say that from a temporal view this is true - I have been very blessed. But from a personal and family perspective, I have been given the most precious gift of all.
We stopped at Taco Bell where I gave the kids a 5 minute challenge to eat as fast as they could. We each ordered one thing and surprisingly the kids met the challenge. We arrived a Wolf Creek which is just outside of Prescott, AZ which is about 90 miles North of Phoenix. Jarek was quick to verify there would be no wolves present. We quickly set up our tent. It was around 7:00 and the sun was just going down. Tevia was back at home making jewelry and enjoying life without a bunch of boys (if you don't include the little one inside of her).
By 8:00 the boys asked if they could go to bed. I told them no (such a mean father!) and made them stay up and roast marshmallows and listen to the priesthood presentation. We had brought some toasted coconut marshmallows (thanks Tevia and Jarek) which were a hit among the boys and adults. Most had never even seen them.
I put the boys down around 9 and then stayed up talking to the guys. At midnight I entered the tent, and like most camping trips lately, laid there worrying if my kids are too cold and thinking of other things until about 4 in the morning. At that point I finallly fell asleep to be awoken by the sun which rises around 5:30 AM here. I had brought our aero bed, which was quite comfortable, even with all three of us on it. We stayed in the tent until I heard them making breakfast and then we slipped out the tent. We even stayed in our same clothes, much to Tevia's chagrin.
The boys had a great time climbing on the rocks and hiking around camp - experiencing a little more freedom than they normally get. They did great. We then set up a zip line for the boys and I was shocked and proud when Jarek said he wanted to go. He got two turns and then Malik said he wanted to go. It was so fun seeing them do something exciting. They loved it and sat on the big rocks and watched the other boys go until it was about time to break camp. We headed back around 10 and got back to Phoenix just in time for lunch.
Though the time was short (we were really only away from home for 18 hours or so), the time with the boys was wonderful. It was refreshing to see my boys with such good manners and receive compliments from other parents. It was also a joy to have them mention how much they love me and how much fun they were having. I learn so much from my boys. They teach me about courage and love and growing. I often forget that I am still growing - and still experience some of the things they feel like fear, wanting to be accepted, and anticipation. Children give us such a wonderful view of life. I am not sure why I have been so blessed to have these two young men, but I feel that even if I worked every minute for the rest of my life in the service of my God, I would still not deserve them.
So as I drove home yesterday I couldn't help but think that I am the most blessed man in the world. I have the woman of my dreams as my eternal companion. A woman I can talk with and be open with and love and enjoy. I also have the greatest children I have ever met and they love me. They make me want to be a better person. And I have a great family in NY and Utah - who love me and I actually like to be around. What greater gifts could a man desire? In my patriarchal blessing there is one line that has often surprised me. It states that I will be blessed with many things that people would consider luxuries in life. Certainly I can say that from a temporal view this is true - I have been very blessed. But from a personal and family perspective, I have been given the most precious gift of all.
Saturday, May 20, 2006
Friday, May 19, 2006
Monday, May 15, 2006
2nd Ultrasound
Okay, so we had a second ultrasound today. This being because they wanted to look at the baby's heart now that he is bigger. Everything looks good. I took Jarek and Malik with me and they loved seeing the baby again. We learned that the baby is now 1 lb 3 oz. They both then asked how much more the baby had to grow and how much they weighed when they were born. It was very cute.
The baby was not very cooperative this time. He was very wiggly and kept punching me. It looked funny on the monitor. The technician did another look at the sex, and she still thinks this kiddo is a boy. It is just so funny because with both Jarek and Malik it was SO evident. This time it was pretty hard for me to tell, but the technician seemed very confidant that what she was looking at was boy parts. The baby was very uncooperative though and kept trying to turn and keep his legs closed. At one point the technician was laughing because she said the baby's leg was up by his head so it looked like he was kissing his shin. The boys laughed at that and thought it was funny.
It looks like things are good still. The heart looked strong and everything looked like it was in the right place. It is amazing how just four weeks makes a difference in the baby's growth. Everything just looked so much bigger and clearer. I am amazed that we have the technology to look in at our babies in-utero. Amazing!!!!
Now I am still trying to find a name for this little guy. I am sure something suitable will present itself to me at some point. Otherwise he may just end up going by baby. Malik did suggest George today though. Jarek said "NO".
Better go.
Me
The baby was not very cooperative this time. He was very wiggly and kept punching me. It looked funny on the monitor. The technician did another look at the sex, and she still thinks this kiddo is a boy. It is just so funny because with both Jarek and Malik it was SO evident. This time it was pretty hard for me to tell, but the technician seemed very confidant that what she was looking at was boy parts. The baby was very uncooperative though and kept trying to turn and keep his legs closed. At one point the technician was laughing because she said the baby's leg was up by his head so it looked like he was kissing his shin. The boys laughed at that and thought it was funny.
It looks like things are good still. The heart looked strong and everything looked like it was in the right place. It is amazing how just four weeks makes a difference in the baby's growth. Everything just looked so much bigger and clearer. I am amazed that we have the technology to look in at our babies in-utero. Amazing!!!!
Now I am still trying to find a name for this little guy. I am sure something suitable will present itself to me at some point. Otherwise he may just end up going by baby. Malik did suggest George today though. Jarek said "NO".
Better go.
Me
vacations
well, after all the family nights, questions, and time we spent trying to plan a vacation this year, I feel like somehow we didn't get the job done. dad woke up this morning saying we don't really have a 'vacation' planned. Kathy complained all day yesterday cause she won't get to see the boys this summer. All Tom wants is to be with Jacob and Bret. Tevia has her little vacation issues. I feel responsible somehow; like a mother always does I guess. I feel like we have a ton of vacations this year. it sure is hard to please everyone. we are going to retalk the cedar point thing tonight. if we move it up a week, we may suggest Bret fly out with Jarek to give Tevia a break, Cari doesn't really want to come and won't have any days off, so we can run Jacob out for his birthday gift. otherwise, we may switch and go somewhere else. I think the San Diego thing for next year sounds good! it may be hard to pick a week we can all go. Tevia, is the weather good there anytime of year? like is it too hot to go in the middle of the summer? the good news is we do get to see each other in August and November. at least some of us. and the other good news is that we love to be together!
Sunday, May 14, 2006
Our Trip to Playa
On April 26, 1996 Tevia Marie Webb was kind enough to marry me over the altar in the House of the Lord in Mesa, Arizona. This year marks the 10th anniversary of that life-changing moment, and I wanted to do something special to comemorate it. In the end we decided to go to Mexico - a place south of Cancun, Mexico and just south of Playa del Carmen. We ended up getting an all inclusive resort called the Palladium Colonial.
We were fortunate enough to have my mother come out to watch the kids during our trip. It was even better having Jacob and Cari (and Cari's sister Nicole) visit as well. Thanks for working on the fences by the way! Great job.
Tevia and I flew out on Thursday morning, May 11. We packed light with just carry-ons as to avoid losing baggage. The flights to Dallas and then Cancun were uneventful. Upon arrival in Cancun we were reminded of how nice dry heat is. It was very humid. We headed out of the airport to meet our shuttle to our resort. On the way out Tevia was distracted by a guy who wanted to talk to us. In an effort to be nice we stopped and wasted a good 30 minutes getting a sales pitch, but we eventually got on our way.
Our shuttle was shared with a few other people. We would be stopping at two resorts prior to ours (which is one of the furthest south resorts on the peninsula). We had tried to avoid Cancun as we imagined it being very "touristy" and I pictured it full of white trash drunkards. Our shuttle didn't do much to break my stereotype as the people going to the first resort were already drunk (we just got off the plane!) and looked like they were ready to party. They were very nice, though, so I don't want it to seem like they were awful people.
After about an hour and a half we landed at our resort. On the trip we noticed a lot of the hurricane damage from last hurricane season. It was pretty bad especially further north by Cancun. Our resort was beautiful. We had stuck to our budget but were really looking for something great. I must say that the first evening there even exceeded my expectations. It was gorgeous. The lobby was amazing and there were bridges through the jungle and the perpetual breeze (which would stick around the whole time) brought some relief from the heat and humidity.
That night we walked around and went down to the beach, which was beautiful white sand. The beach at night was deserted (it would be every night) and we enjoyed some time in the breeze. I enjoyed being there with my wife of ten years and felt very blessed and humble to be there. We went to sleep in our little cabana which was just yards away from the beach. The room was awesome and had a bathroom with a shower outside which I loved.
Friday we spent most of the time at the beach. The sand was so white and fine, due to the reef which was visible. It wasn't very crowded. We went kayaking that first day, which Tevia loved. Most of the day was spent relaxing and enjoying each other. Our resort was set up so you could snorkel just on our beach. I grabbed my snorkel stuff and went out for an hour and a half among the reef looking at beautiful fish and a wonderful reef. I loved it. Though I did forget that your back is exposed to the sun while snorkeling, so I got a little red. We had dinner that evening at the Brazilian restaurant, which really wasn't very Brazilian. That was one of the only disappointments of the whole trip.
Saturday we rented a car (Tevia's idea) and went down to Tulum in the morning. Tulum is an old ruins city on the coast. It was a walled city on the beach and had some amazing architecture and a beautiful beach. Afterwards we looked at the street vendors and Tevia bought a double hammock. We were able to get it for nearly half the price they offered thanks to Tevia's good looks and some Spanish. I was able to use my Spanish a lot. It wasn't necessary, but it certainly gave us an advantage at many points. It was a lot of fun.
That afternoon we drove up to Playa del Carmen which is fast becoming a tourist town like Cancun. The beach is public and there is a ferry that goes out to Cozumel. The beach was nice but was regular "yellow" sand. We were glad our resort had the nice white sand. We walked the beach and went down "avenida 5a" which is their Fifth Avenue. We bought a few trinkets, but most of the prices were too high as they were more for tourists.
That evening, and I could be confusing this with Sunday evening, Tevia and I went on one of our many walks along the beach. We found a hammock on the beach and laid on it for a couple of hours talking about life and laughing. Tevia had the giggles and made up a new nickname for me: Butt Whistle Wall. This was probably my favorite part of the trip.
Sunday was another relaxing day. Beaches and walks. That evening we walked along the whole shore of the resort, which was probably near two miles. This was also beautiful as the southern side of the resort had less beach and more rocks. They had a salt water pool that had water from the ocean in it - so there were actually fish in it. Tevia wouldn't like that. In fact, the beach in front of our room had a lot of large, white angel fish in it. If you took some food out (which you could get from the bar at the beach which served food 24 hours) the fish would go crazy and swim all around you. I tried to get Tevia to come out and take a picture. She did but then freaked out as it was too much for her. I loved it.
Monday Tevia wanted to work on her tan so we spent a lot of time on the beach. I must say that this trip was very similar to our honeymoon and fifth anniversary where we spent most of the time relaxing and with each other. Not much touristy stuff here. It was ideal. Monday night we went to the Mexican restaurant which was okay. The food at the resort is all included (in fact, so is the alcohol), and they had buffets around the resort where you could eat. They then had a few sit down restaurants where you had to make reservations (we chose Brazilian and Mexican). The food was okay as I am not a fan of buffet food. Most of the food was European (the resort was more for Europeans - not as American as some of the northern resorts). This ended up being good because we were not tempted to eat a lot and hence gain a lot of weight. Though I did drink many pina coladas (virgen of course).
Tuesday was our day to come home. By this time I was thinking in Spanish and English was getting difficult. Our trip home was uneventful besides a huge line at the Cancun airport. But we made our flights and got home late that evening.
The one thing I left out was a warning from some of our friends about the Playa del Carmen area. They told us that many people go topless in this area. We were prepared for this and certainly I wasn't worried or anything. The funny thing is that for the first two days we were there we did not see one topless person. We eventually just assumed we weren't going to see anything. The third day changed that. I ran into one woman walking the beach who was topless. After that it was like a trend. More and more people took off their bikini tops. I learned a couple of things from this experience. One: most breasts actually don't look all that great without a nice supportive article of clothing. Two: the novelty wears off quickly. After the first day it didn't even seem all that odd. In the end, I think bikinis are much more sexy. I told Tevia that I'm not really a breast guy, but more of a "butt" guy. The odd thing is that with all of the topless people, we only saw one thong the whole time. I guess I was out of luck. :-)
We were fortunate enough to have my mother come out to watch the kids during our trip. It was even better having Jacob and Cari (and Cari's sister Nicole) visit as well. Thanks for working on the fences by the way! Great job.
Tevia and I flew out on Thursday morning, May 11. We packed light with just carry-ons as to avoid losing baggage. The flights to Dallas and then Cancun were uneventful. Upon arrival in Cancun we were reminded of how nice dry heat is. It was very humid. We headed out of the airport to meet our shuttle to our resort. On the way out Tevia was distracted by a guy who wanted to talk to us. In an effort to be nice we stopped and wasted a good 30 minutes getting a sales pitch, but we eventually got on our way.
Our shuttle was shared with a few other people. We would be stopping at two resorts prior to ours (which is one of the furthest south resorts on the peninsula). We had tried to avoid Cancun as we imagined it being very "touristy" and I pictured it full of white trash drunkards. Our shuttle didn't do much to break my stereotype as the people going to the first resort were already drunk (we just got off the plane!) and looked like they were ready to party. They were very nice, though, so I don't want it to seem like they were awful people.
After about an hour and a half we landed at our resort. On the trip we noticed a lot of the hurricane damage from last hurricane season. It was pretty bad especially further north by Cancun. Our resort was beautiful. We had stuck to our budget but were really looking for something great. I must say that the first evening there even exceeded my expectations. It was gorgeous. The lobby was amazing and there were bridges through the jungle and the perpetual breeze (which would stick around the whole time) brought some relief from the heat and humidity.
That night we walked around and went down to the beach, which was beautiful white sand. The beach at night was deserted (it would be every night) and we enjoyed some time in the breeze. I enjoyed being there with my wife of ten years and felt very blessed and humble to be there. We went to sleep in our little cabana which was just yards away from the beach. The room was awesome and had a bathroom with a shower outside which I loved.
Friday we spent most of the time at the beach. The sand was so white and fine, due to the reef which was visible. It wasn't very crowded. We went kayaking that first day, which Tevia loved. Most of the day was spent relaxing and enjoying each other. Our resort was set up so you could snorkel just on our beach. I grabbed my snorkel stuff and went out for an hour and a half among the reef looking at beautiful fish and a wonderful reef. I loved it. Though I did forget that your back is exposed to the sun while snorkeling, so I got a little red. We had dinner that evening at the Brazilian restaurant, which really wasn't very Brazilian. That was one of the only disappointments of the whole trip.
Saturday we rented a car (Tevia's idea) and went down to Tulum in the morning. Tulum is an old ruins city on the coast. It was a walled city on the beach and had some amazing architecture and a beautiful beach. Afterwards we looked at the street vendors and Tevia bought a double hammock. We were able to get it for nearly half the price they offered thanks to Tevia's good looks and some Spanish. I was able to use my Spanish a lot. It wasn't necessary, but it certainly gave us an advantage at many points. It was a lot of fun.
That afternoon we drove up to Playa del Carmen which is fast becoming a tourist town like Cancun. The beach is public and there is a ferry that goes out to Cozumel. The beach was nice but was regular "yellow" sand. We were glad our resort had the nice white sand. We walked the beach and went down "avenida 5a" which is their Fifth Avenue. We bought a few trinkets, but most of the prices were too high as they were more for tourists.
That evening, and I could be confusing this with Sunday evening, Tevia and I went on one of our many walks along the beach. We found a hammock on the beach and laid on it for a couple of hours talking about life and laughing. Tevia had the giggles and made up a new nickname for me: Butt Whistle Wall. This was probably my favorite part of the trip.
Sunday was another relaxing day. Beaches and walks. That evening we walked along the whole shore of the resort, which was probably near two miles. This was also beautiful as the southern side of the resort had less beach and more rocks. They had a salt water pool that had water from the ocean in it - so there were actually fish in it. Tevia wouldn't like that. In fact, the beach in front of our room had a lot of large, white angel fish in it. If you took some food out (which you could get from the bar at the beach which served food 24 hours) the fish would go crazy and swim all around you. I tried to get Tevia to come out and take a picture. She did but then freaked out as it was too much for her. I loved it.
Monday Tevia wanted to work on her tan so we spent a lot of time on the beach. I must say that this trip was very similar to our honeymoon and fifth anniversary where we spent most of the time relaxing and with each other. Not much touristy stuff here. It was ideal. Monday night we went to the Mexican restaurant which was okay. The food at the resort is all included (in fact, so is the alcohol), and they had buffets around the resort where you could eat. They then had a few sit down restaurants where you had to make reservations (we chose Brazilian and Mexican). The food was okay as I am not a fan of buffet food. Most of the food was European (the resort was more for Europeans - not as American as some of the northern resorts). This ended up being good because we were not tempted to eat a lot and hence gain a lot of weight. Though I did drink many pina coladas (virgen of course).
Tuesday was our day to come home. By this time I was thinking in Spanish and English was getting difficult. Our trip home was uneventful besides a huge line at the Cancun airport. But we made our flights and got home late that evening.
The one thing I left out was a warning from some of our friends about the Playa del Carmen area. They told us that many people go topless in this area. We were prepared for this and certainly I wasn't worried or anything. The funny thing is that for the first two days we were there we did not see one topless person. We eventually just assumed we weren't going to see anything. The third day changed that. I ran into one woman walking the beach who was topless. After that it was like a trend. More and more people took off their bikini tops. I learned a couple of things from this experience. One: most breasts actually don't look all that great without a nice supportive article of clothing. Two: the novelty wears off quickly. After the first day it didn't even seem all that odd. In the end, I think bikinis are much more sexy. I told Tevia that I'm not really a breast guy, but more of a "butt" guy. The odd thing is that with all of the topless people, we only saw one thong the whole time. I guess I was out of luck. :-)
mother's day
I have to write and let you all know what a blessing it has been to me to be a mother, especially to the 4 wonderful kids I have! and, I was additionally blessed to have been able to grandmother all last week to 2 of the best kids in the world. It was awesome. and, again, another blessing came out of it. I got to see Cari doing some real mothering also, as she helped me with Jarek and Malik. Cari, you will be a wonderful mother. and Tevia, you are doing great! you have great skills and your kids are obedient, kind, and tender, yet independent. they are calling me to dinner, though I had more to say. later!
Friday, May 12, 2006
I feel like I've been away for so long... probably because I have been. I haven't been able to read, respond to, or write any blogs for quite a while. Here's what's been going on....
I'm still working full time which has been SO hectic lately! As part of my job I am the one who sets up new hires with everything they need... from cell phone to networking their computer to our printers etc, to hooking them up with any office supplies they need/want. Over the past month or so we've had four new hires. Additional to having to set up these four new hires, I've had to rearrange and move other employees around to accommodate everyone in our undersized office. We have definitely outgrown our office and we're still at least a year and a half from building/moving into our new office. Everyone has been on edge complaining about having to move around and they think that if they complain to me it'll fix something. Worst of all... cell phones. I HATE CINGULAR SO MUCH!!! Over the past two weeks I have spent at LEAST 15 hours on the phone with Cingular reps who lie, give me the run around and have lost two of our orders. I honestly don't think I could ever give the situation justice... but they are complete idiots over there. I just have to get that out... although I know there is NO way anyone can understand what it's like unless you've lived through this one.
Also, I am taking classes right now. I have class everyday right after work till 9pm. It keeps me busy.
Then on top of all that, I find my release in my playing on my two soccer teams and getting in a round of golf on Saturdays. I need a vacation from life..... Fortunately, I have a couple of those coming up!
I'm still working full time which has been SO hectic lately! As part of my job I am the one who sets up new hires with everything they need... from cell phone to networking their computer to our printers etc, to hooking them up with any office supplies they need/want. Over the past month or so we've had four new hires. Additional to having to set up these four new hires, I've had to rearrange and move other employees around to accommodate everyone in our undersized office. We have definitely outgrown our office and we're still at least a year and a half from building/moving into our new office. Everyone has been on edge complaining about having to move around and they think that if they complain to me it'll fix something. Worst of all... cell phones. I HATE CINGULAR SO MUCH!!! Over the past two weeks I have spent at LEAST 15 hours on the phone with Cingular reps who lie, give me the run around and have lost two of our orders. I honestly don't think I could ever give the situation justice... but they are complete idiots over there. I just have to get that out... although I know there is NO way anyone can understand what it's like unless you've lived through this one.
Also, I am taking classes right now. I have class everyday right after work till 9pm. It keeps me busy.
Then on top of all that, I find my release in my playing on my two soccer teams and getting in a round of golf on Saturdays. I need a vacation from life..... Fortunately, I have a couple of those coming up!
Monday, May 08, 2006
The Belated Official news
Though I think everyone has already heard, here's the official announcement:
After a couple months of searching for post-graduation employment, I've been hired with a local Utah company called TaxHawk to be a tax specialist, or in other words, to put tax forms into logical programming format without actually having to program anything. It's pretty cool. It's good money and health benefits, so we're really happy with it. I start on June 5th, so I've got a couple of weeks to relax and do the sorts of things that just don't happen during school, oh, like cleaning our very dirty and old carpet. That and being able to sleep in a go running a couple times a week are the things I'm looking forward to most.
And of course, playing lots and lots of World of Warcraft. :-) Hehe...
After a couple months of searching for post-graduation employment, I've been hired with a local Utah company called TaxHawk to be a tax specialist, or in other words, to put tax forms into logical programming format without actually having to program anything. It's pretty cool. It's good money and health benefits, so we're really happy with it. I start on June 5th, so I've got a couple of weeks to relax and do the sorts of things that just don't happen during school, oh, like cleaning our very dirty and old carpet. That and being able to sleep in a go running a couple times a week are the things I'm looking forward to most.
And of course, playing lots and lots of World of Warcraft. :-) Hehe...
Sunday, May 07, 2006
sunday evening in AZ
the boys and I played games, had spaghetti, talked, did dishes, and now they are playing doctor. not to worry - while cleaning up the kitchen, Jarek found a medicine little giver thingy and decided to drink his milk through it. then they went to water, and fed it to each other, deciding it was medicine and they were sick. so I had time to blog and check my email. it is quiet with Jacob, Cari, and Malik gone. well, they are ready for me again, so I am off to play,.
apology
There was a testimony in the ward here in AZ that caught my eye and touched my heart. an older man lost his mother recently. he was missing her and giving her credits, and he said, " I cannot ever remember my mother saying a bad thing about anyone in her whole life." well, this reminded me of a talk I heard in our Stake Conference. they said that everyone's name should be sacred in our homes. I know my children can't say that about me or dad. we should have kept our feelings much more quiet about certain people we disagreed with. I apologize for this. it was wrong, and I should have been more careful about what was said about people in our homes. from now on, I will try to add that to our list of how to make our home a sacred and blessed place to be. if we can't say anything nice about someone, we won't say anything at all. I know dad is behind me in this because we discussed it after conference. I don't need accolades after I die, but I do need to continue to improve, repent, and become more Christlike. everyone is trying their best in this life, from trying to be a good bishop to raising kids to teaching Sunday school lessons. who are we to say they aren't doing it right? let us be kind and careful, for there are motes in our own eyes a plenty.
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