Tonight I opened up my Ipod Touch that Mel got me for Christmas. I want to make sure it's humming by Hawaii, so I loaded up music and videos and was playing with it. It's sharp. Loving it.
I downloaded a movie a long time ago for the kids called Little G's Halloween. It's about a little ghost who goes trick or treating, only to be completely ignored at each house. He's a little ghost, and is carrying a white clothe - kind of like Maddie's blankey. So I pulled it up and showed it to Maddie, just for fun.
She watched it intently, and then left. She went down to tell Mel about it, and as she does she starts crying. Mel comes up and asks what movie she saw, so we sat down to watch it - the three of us. And she starts weeping again, really emotional. But it's a new emotion, one that I haven't seen come out that strongly before in Maddie. It's compassion. She was absolutely saddened to see that little ghost get turned away from house to house and receive no candy. It broke her heart, and so she cried and cried about it.
It made us both happy to see her so caring, so compassionate. It was sweet. She has a tender heart, and does watch out for little things. So it's only natural that she would have those feelings. To see them come so alive was really wonderful as a Dad.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
My Christmas memories
At this time of year I often think of one of some Christmas pasts. Here are a couple that take me back to a different time and place.
One happened when I was little, I don't really know how old - probably 9 or 10. We were dirt poor as usual, and were the beneficiaries of other people's hand-me-downs and other odds and ends for the most part.
This year was different. My Grandma Kennedy sent a bunch of gifts this year - something she had never done before, or after. I think she must have come into some money or something. Anyway, there were a lot of gifts for me, and my favorite was the G.I. Joe Hovercraft. That toy brought me more joy and I played with it more than any other toy ever. I would say that it, and Snake Eyes, were my favorite toys as a kid. And Grandma Kennedy made that happen. Honestly, I don't have many other memories of her...but that was a great, magical Christmas.
Another one that makes me giggle was my favorite Christmas on my mission. I was serving in Kingston at the time, and although the people were very sweet to us, we didn't eat at members houses very often. Christmas time was very different. One woman, a very rich Chinese member, invited about 8 sets of us Elders to her house. What a feast we had. Her husband, a professional chef, prepared us the perfect looking steaks. They were meaty and nice cuts - Filet Mignon or better. But they were pepper steak, and hot as anything. Inedible. It was disappointing because we were all looking forward to them, but because they were so spicy none of us could eat it. Even the toughest guys couldn't do it. He was very disappointed, and we all felt horrible to leave those steaks on the table. Then she brought out for each of us a box. In it were the exact same thing - a jar of peanut butter, cookies, candies...all from the U.S., all from home. We were in heaven that night. None of us could afford these goodies on our own, and she bought them for all of us. It was such a special night for us, and memorable.
A couple of days later was Christmas, and we had a number of people invite us over for dinner. We thanked them all, but said that we already had plans. A number of people said, "Come over for dessert, or come over for appetizers, or come over to visit." So we had multiple places to go that Christmas. First, we went to Christmas dinner. It was a full on feast! We gourged, and with full bellies, headed to the next family. They surprised us with another full meal - we thanked them, but said we had already eaten. I think they thought we were teasing. They were borderline offended, and us, being Ambassadors of Jesus, sat down for dinner #2. Our final appointment that day was a single woman who was not very well to do. Instead of simply stopping by for a visit, she too had a meal for us. We considered our options. We could purge ourselves, but where? We could pass, but risk offending her. Knowing that neither option would work, we sat down for meal #3. Three huge meals in a couple of hours - we were sooooo sick. My companion had finished his plate, and went to the bathroom - maybe to purge himself, I don't know. But while he was gone, we loaded his plate with food with a huge second helping. When he returned, he realized his error. Being a good missionary, he finished it - but I think he almost lost it. It was funny, and one of my favorite Christmas memories.
One happened when I was little, I don't really know how old - probably 9 or 10. We were dirt poor as usual, and were the beneficiaries of other people's hand-me-downs and other odds and ends for the most part.
This year was different. My Grandma Kennedy sent a bunch of gifts this year - something she had never done before, or after. I think she must have come into some money or something. Anyway, there were a lot of gifts for me, and my favorite was the G.I. Joe Hovercraft. That toy brought me more joy and I played with it more than any other toy ever. I would say that it, and Snake Eyes, were my favorite toys as a kid. And Grandma Kennedy made that happen. Honestly, I don't have many other memories of her...but that was a great, magical Christmas.
Another one that makes me giggle was my favorite Christmas on my mission. I was serving in Kingston at the time, and although the people were very sweet to us, we didn't eat at members houses very often. Christmas time was very different. One woman, a very rich Chinese member, invited about 8 sets of us Elders to her house. What a feast we had. Her husband, a professional chef, prepared us the perfect looking steaks. They were meaty and nice cuts - Filet Mignon or better. But they were pepper steak, and hot as anything. Inedible. It was disappointing because we were all looking forward to them, but because they were so spicy none of us could eat it. Even the toughest guys couldn't do it. He was very disappointed, and we all felt horrible to leave those steaks on the table. Then she brought out for each of us a box. In it were the exact same thing - a jar of peanut butter, cookies, candies...all from the U.S., all from home. We were in heaven that night. None of us could afford these goodies on our own, and she bought them for all of us. It was such a special night for us, and memorable.
A couple of days later was Christmas, and we had a number of people invite us over for dinner. We thanked them all, but said that we already had plans. A number of people said, "Come over for dessert, or come over for appetizers, or come over to visit." So we had multiple places to go that Christmas. First, we went to Christmas dinner. It was a full on feast! We gourged, and with full bellies, headed to the next family. They surprised us with another full meal - we thanked them, but said we had already eaten. I think they thought we were teasing. They were borderline offended, and us, being Ambassadors of Jesus, sat down for dinner #2. Our final appointment that day was a single woman who was not very well to do. Instead of simply stopping by for a visit, she too had a meal for us. We considered our options. We could purge ourselves, but where? We could pass, but risk offending her. Knowing that neither option would work, we sat down for meal #3. Three huge meals in a couple of hours - we were sooooo sick. My companion had finished his plate, and went to the bathroom - maybe to purge himself, I don't know. But while he was gone, we loaded his plate with food with a huge second helping. When he returned, he realized his error. Being a good missionary, he finished it - but I think he almost lost it. It was funny, and one of my favorite Christmas memories.
My tithing blessing...
Melanie's my tithing blessing. She is such a great example to me of tithing, and has always faithfully paid it on behalf of our family. I don't even have to think about it...it's done, like clockwork, every month with faithfulness and consistency. I'm not saying that I wouldn't pay - but I will say that I have developed a stronger testimony of tithing because of her example. As our income grows, and those tithing checks grow with them, not once has she not considered paying a full, honest tithe.
As we approach tithing settlement, I'm really grateful for this.
As we approach tithing settlement, I'm really grateful for this.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Big Milestone
It dawned on me that this last move to Sammamish was monumental for one big reason - no Elders Quorum! Every move for the last 13 years has involved some level of EQ support. This time, we bit the bullet and hired some dudes from Eastern Europe to do the work. As I stood there, telling them what to do and where to put stuff, I felt very happy that it wasn't the Quorum doing the work. Usually I will do a majority of the work, taking on the big stuff or hustling faster so that people know see that I'm willing to bust my own hump. I always worry that enough people will come, and worry along the way that someone will get hurt or leave me right in the middle of the move. Plus, I kind of hate asking people for help. So this time I really enjoyed standing there and watching those guys working their butts off instead of me. And, to be honest, I don't think I could have done it this time. I'm too old to be schlepping stuff around.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
I can do it myself...
Anytime I offer to help Maddie, she says "I can do it myself." They are her most used, and likely favorite, words. I like her spirit of independence, and indeed, she can do a lot by herself. It just takes some getting used to, transitioning from helping her do a lot of things to helping her do less and less. Not a bad thing, just a new thing.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Paris, Days 4-7
(I will update this with pics when I get home)
Published from Paris, France, 17/10/2009
Wow, what a whirlwind trip. I think Mel and I have finally admitted that we're "Energizer Bunny" tourists. We keep going, and going, and going...Today, we feel like our feet are bloody stumps and that we've been on the Bataan Death March or something. But it's all been worth it. For two and 1/2 days we've walked or taken taxis, subways, and boats across the City of Light, and have really enjoyed our brief but packed stay.
Mel is the perfect tour guide and traveling companion - lot's of laughing and good times. I think our bodies are broken, but our spirits energized a little.
And we've seen it all. Here's the recap.
Day4
I spent most of day 4 working, but was happy to take a cab to meet Mel at the Musee D'Orsay. She's right, it's spectacular. We saw hundreds of priceless, stunning artwork from our favorite art periods. Really liked how it was laid out as well, especially after the Louvre.
We went to dinner that night at a little hole in a wall in the Latin Quarter, and yeah, it was ok.
We thought it would be fun from here to head over to Notre Dame. We saw a movie that they were running about the building of it, and it was kind of funny to see a movie projector in an ancient cathedral. You couldn't see much, so we left and planned to come back in the day.
Day 5
Imagine that, we decided to walk up the Eiffel Tower. Big mistake for a couple of reasons. For one, it was tiring. Two floors up I was feeling the burn, and we had another dozen to go. We walked up to the first platform and agreed that we could see everything from there that you could see from the top, and that it wasn't worth it to go any further. Plus, honestly Mel was pretty scared of walking up that thing, and I wasn't much better.
We walked from the Eiffel tower through neighborhoods to Napoleon's Tomb. Along the way we stopped at a Patessierie, and had the best treats - Mel had an Almond Crossaint and I had a Religous. We also had Ham and Cheese on baguettes, which were good as well. Loved walking through really high end neighborhoods and hearing the kids in the schools and seeing them running through the parks. Enjoyed sitting on the streets eating under the shadow of the Eiffel Tower.
Napolean's Tomb was cool - made me want to learn more about him. I commented that it was awfully big for such a little dude, but that's mostly a joke about him physically and not the size of his ego. In general the scale and beauty of everything was simply beyond my ability to describe. It was all simply elegant and beautiful.
We briefly explored the Hotel Invaldes - a hospital for injured soldiers. Looked at some old WWII stuff about Nazis, and wondered how the poor people of Europe made it through that war.
Next we took the metro to Monmarte. Took the Funicular to Sacre Couer; of course Melanie put the "Fun" in our Funicular ride. The guy next to me smelled. Took a brief tour of Sacre Couer, and enjoyed the views of the city. Walked through the touristy area, and it was "eh". But then we got lost on the way down and saw some cool clock and paper shops. Saw kids coming home from school, called the girls from the street and were briefly sad cause Maddie was crying.
Finally we found Moulin Rouge - yeah, not that impressive. I saw the lamp from Christmas Story - long legs, sexy stockings - in one of the stores nearby. Kind of tells you what kind of area it was - kind of sleazy and gaudy.
We went to our hotel, and then ventured out to Arena's Lutece - an ancient Roman Arena where gladiators would fight to the death. We waked up and down for about 40 mins trying to find this place, and stumbled on it by the Grace of God. On Friday nights, it now acts as a soccer field for old and young. I tried to loosen one of the rocks to take home (it was a cheap souvenir, and old), but couldn't get it out.
Went to dinner on the street off Saint Michel - had Beef Burgundy and Mel had a steak. I'm sure we had crepes or something as well.
Day 6
Enjoyed a Jamboni (it's Jambon, but I called it Jamboni) Omelet and hot chocolate at the local cafe. Melanie ate a Jamboni sandwich and apricot pastry (they don't serve Quiche for breakfast, but they do serve sandwiches).
Today's first stop - Pantheon. Saw the final resting place of all of France's most important people. Reminded that even the smartest, most important people die. Melanie tried to lock me in a tomb. Spent a few minutes trying to interpret the signs...I dont think we learned alot.
Went to the Musee Cluny - saw 1,000s of years of history in in 1 hour. Saw cool unicorn tapestries (each one represents a sense), and ancient Roman bathes. Saw sculptures from the original Notre Dame facade.
Notre Dame - toured the inside. Very cool - reminded me of the cool Dwarf halls from Lord of the Rings. Saw the beautiful stained glass and rows of candles and such. Cool to look at, but didn't feel the spirit at all in that place.
Couldn't go in L'Opera, so we looked from the outside. I wondered if they ever performed Phantom in there.
Galeries Lafayette - shopped for cute kids clothes for the girls. Got Abby and Maddie cute European style dresses and a coat, plus pens with feathers and some puffy stickers. And bought Abby a cute hat too. Marched over to the grocery store where we picked up another couple of pastries, some chocolate bars for friends and family, and some Pate for Gigi.
Raced through Madeleine shopping area trying to find Paris' oldest toy store. Couldn't find it, so we stopped and ate one of the pastries.
Marched to the Place de la Concorde - saw the obelisk that Napoleon brought back from Egypt, and the plaza where the infamous guillitone was. Ever since reading about the French Revolution and having nightmares about the Guillotine, it was interesting to see where it all was and to imagine what it might have looked like back then. They considered it a fast, humane way to die but I can't think of many other ways I wouldn't want to go.
Walked to Champs Elyses from Concorde. Stopped at Laduree for the worlds best Macarons (not coconut but a type of elegant cookie) and a delicious Relgious (like a creme puff but with yummy chocolate creme pudding inside). The place was elegant, yes, efficient, no.
Took a cab to Cafe Rouquet. At this point, there was no price I wasn't willing to pay to not walk. We sipped Hot Chocolate in the cafe, looking out to the street and the activities. Off to the side was a dude doing fancy stuff with his umbrella for fun.
Came back here to Hotel Saint Jacques. Let the swelling in our feet subside - watched the only English TV channel for an hour, and headed out for Gyros down the busy tourist lane.
Raced to boat ride from Pont Neuf on the Seine. Barely made it. Enjoyed sitting for an hour - the most I think we've rested except for sleeping. Saw everything again, this time from the water. Admired this beautiful city, but we're both ready to go home.
A brief note about the food.
We've eaten our way through this city as well...had some good food and some not so good food. Enjoyed pastries at every turn, more than a couple of crepes, the best chocolates I've ever had, and fancy desserts. But the dinners were just so-so. The salad dressing tastes like fish vinegrette. Turns out that Melanie likes Foie Gras; me, not so much. I do enjoy hot goat cheese on salad though.
Today we broke down and had Big Macs. We were hungry and tired of French food. Those Macs tasted so good.
My favorite and only crepe we bought here was been Nutella and coconut. Yum.
The pastries and bread are stunning works of art. If I were here I would be HUGE from eating them - they're everywhere, and I never had anything bad to eat from one of them.
The Hot Chocolate is yum as well - tastes like Gigi's recipe from Christmas.
Hotel Saint Jacques
Loved the location of this hotel, most of the Latin Quarter was super accessible and lots of cool things to see and do. The room looks like it was from the 1800's - I think that's when this bed was made (kind of teasing). The doorframe is super small, and the key is one of those old school ones. You leave the key with the attendant when you leave, and he gives it to you when you arrive back. The downsides? Well, it's super loud from the street and we continually hear little scooters going by. Also, we can hear our neighbors, and they presumable can hear us. Last night it sounded like they were coming in our room - maybe they were. Finally, we think the place is haunted. It has to be, it's too old. However, it's so loud that there's no way we would hear anything spooky such as creaking of doors or chains. That's par for the course here.
Conclusion
I'm so glad we were able to do this. We had a great time, and although the timing wasn't what we would plan, it was simply a beautiful time to visit. Just a little rain, not too cold, and not crazy crowds of people. I don't think there's much more we would need to do, so we probably won't be back till the girls are ready.
Viva La France
Published from Paris, France, 17/10/2009
Wow, what a whirlwind trip. I think Mel and I have finally admitted that we're "Energizer Bunny" tourists. We keep going, and going, and going...Today, we feel like our feet are bloody stumps and that we've been on the Bataan Death March or something. But it's all been worth it. For two and 1/2 days we've walked or taken taxis, subways, and boats across the City of Light, and have really enjoyed our brief but packed stay.
Mel is the perfect tour guide and traveling companion - lot's of laughing and good times. I think our bodies are broken, but our spirits energized a little.
And we've seen it all. Here's the recap.
Day4
I spent most of day 4 working, but was happy to take a cab to meet Mel at the Musee D'Orsay. She's right, it's spectacular. We saw hundreds of priceless, stunning artwork from our favorite art periods. Really liked how it was laid out as well, especially after the Louvre.
We went to dinner that night at a little hole in a wall in the Latin Quarter, and yeah, it was ok.
We thought it would be fun from here to head over to Notre Dame. We saw a movie that they were running about the building of it, and it was kind of funny to see a movie projector in an ancient cathedral. You couldn't see much, so we left and planned to come back in the day.
Day 5
Imagine that, we decided to walk up the Eiffel Tower. Big mistake for a couple of reasons. For one, it was tiring. Two floors up I was feeling the burn, and we had another dozen to go. We walked up to the first platform and agreed that we could see everything from there that you could see from the top, and that it wasn't worth it to go any further. Plus, honestly Mel was pretty scared of walking up that thing, and I wasn't much better.
We walked from the Eiffel tower through neighborhoods to Napoleon's Tomb. Along the way we stopped at a Patessierie, and had the best treats - Mel had an Almond Crossaint and I had a Religous. We also had Ham and Cheese on baguettes, which were good as well. Loved walking through really high end neighborhoods and hearing the kids in the schools and seeing them running through the parks. Enjoyed sitting on the streets eating under the shadow of the Eiffel Tower.
Napolean's Tomb was cool - made me want to learn more about him. I commented that it was awfully big for such a little dude, but that's mostly a joke about him physically and not the size of his ego. In general the scale and beauty of everything was simply beyond my ability to describe. It was all simply elegant and beautiful.
We briefly explored the Hotel Invaldes - a hospital for injured soldiers. Looked at some old WWII stuff about Nazis, and wondered how the poor people of Europe made it through that war.
Next we took the metro to Monmarte. Took the Funicular to Sacre Couer; of course Melanie put the "Fun" in our Funicular ride. The guy next to me smelled. Took a brief tour of Sacre Couer, and enjoyed the views of the city. Walked through the touristy area, and it was "eh". But then we got lost on the way down and saw some cool clock and paper shops. Saw kids coming home from school, called the girls from the street and were briefly sad cause Maddie was crying.
Finally we found Moulin Rouge - yeah, not that impressive. I saw the lamp from Christmas Story - long legs, sexy stockings - in one of the stores nearby. Kind of tells you what kind of area it was - kind of sleazy and gaudy.
We went to our hotel, and then ventured out to Arena's Lutece - an ancient Roman Arena where gladiators would fight to the death. We waked up and down for about 40 mins trying to find this place, and stumbled on it by the Grace of God. On Friday nights, it now acts as a soccer field for old and young. I tried to loosen one of the rocks to take home (it was a cheap souvenir, and old), but couldn't get it out.
Went to dinner on the street off Saint Michel - had Beef Burgundy and Mel had a steak. I'm sure we had crepes or something as well.
Day 6
Enjoyed a Jamboni (it's Jambon, but I called it Jamboni) Omelet and hot chocolate at the local cafe. Melanie ate a Jamboni sandwich and apricot pastry (they don't serve Quiche for breakfast, but they do serve sandwiches).
Today's first stop - Pantheon. Saw the final resting place of all of France's most important people. Reminded that even the smartest, most important people die. Melanie tried to lock me in a tomb. Spent a few minutes trying to interpret the signs...I dont think we learned alot.
Went to the Musee Cluny - saw 1,000s of years of history in in 1 hour. Saw cool unicorn tapestries (each one represents a sense), and ancient Roman bathes. Saw sculptures from the original Notre Dame facade.
Notre Dame - toured the inside. Very cool - reminded me of the cool Dwarf halls from Lord of the Rings. Saw the beautiful stained glass and rows of candles and such. Cool to look at, but didn't feel the spirit at all in that place.
Couldn't go in L'Opera, so we looked from the outside. I wondered if they ever performed Phantom in there.
Galeries Lafayette - shopped for cute kids clothes for the girls. Got Abby and Maddie cute European style dresses and a coat, plus pens with feathers and some puffy stickers. And bought Abby a cute hat too. Marched over to the grocery store where we picked up another couple of pastries, some chocolate bars for friends and family, and some Pate for Gigi.
Raced through Madeleine shopping area trying to find Paris' oldest toy store. Couldn't find it, so we stopped and ate one of the pastries.
Marched to the Place de la Concorde - saw the obelisk that Napoleon brought back from Egypt, and the plaza where the infamous guillitone was. Ever since reading about the French Revolution and having nightmares about the Guillotine, it was interesting to see where it all was and to imagine what it might have looked like back then. They considered it a fast, humane way to die but I can't think of many other ways I wouldn't want to go.
Walked to Champs Elyses from Concorde. Stopped at Laduree for the worlds best Macarons (not coconut but a type of elegant cookie) and a delicious Relgious (like a creme puff but with yummy chocolate creme pudding inside). The place was elegant, yes, efficient, no.
Took a cab to Cafe Rouquet. At this point, there was no price I wasn't willing to pay to not walk. We sipped Hot Chocolate in the cafe, looking out to the street and the activities. Off to the side was a dude doing fancy stuff with his umbrella for fun.
Came back here to Hotel Saint Jacques. Let the swelling in our feet subside - watched the only English TV channel for an hour, and headed out for Gyros down the busy tourist lane.
Raced to boat ride from Pont Neuf on the Seine. Barely made it. Enjoyed sitting for an hour - the most I think we've rested except for sleeping. Saw everything again, this time from the water. Admired this beautiful city, but we're both ready to go home.
A brief note about the food.
We've eaten our way through this city as well...had some good food and some not so good food. Enjoyed pastries at every turn, more than a couple of crepes, the best chocolates I've ever had, and fancy desserts. But the dinners were just so-so. The salad dressing tastes like fish vinegrette. Turns out that Melanie likes Foie Gras; me, not so much. I do enjoy hot goat cheese on salad though.
Today we broke down and had Big Macs. We were hungry and tired of French food. Those Macs tasted so good.
My favorite and only crepe we bought here was been Nutella and coconut. Yum.
The pastries and bread are stunning works of art. If I were here I would be HUGE from eating them - they're everywhere, and I never had anything bad to eat from one of them.
The Hot Chocolate is yum as well - tastes like Gigi's recipe from Christmas.
Hotel Saint Jacques
Loved the location of this hotel, most of the Latin Quarter was super accessible and lots of cool things to see and do. The room looks like it was from the 1800's - I think that's when this bed was made (kind of teasing). The doorframe is super small, and the key is one of those old school ones. You leave the key with the attendant when you leave, and he gives it to you when you arrive back. The downsides? Well, it's super loud from the street and we continually hear little scooters going by. Also, we can hear our neighbors, and they presumable can hear us. Last night it sounded like they were coming in our room - maybe they were. Finally, we think the place is haunted. It has to be, it's too old. However, it's so loud that there's no way we would hear anything spooky such as creaking of doors or chains. That's par for the course here.
Conclusion
I'm so glad we were able to do this. We had a great time, and although the timing wasn't what we would plan, it was simply a beautiful time to visit. Just a little rain, not too cold, and not crazy crowds of people. I don't think there's much more we would need to do, so we probably won't be back till the girls are ready.
Viva La France
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Paris, Day 3
Look, this trip has been mostly work to this point. Which is fine, because that's why I came. But I've really wanted to start getting into being in Paris. So tonight I was fortunate enough to go out with my friends Vanessa, Tarick, and Cedric. We went to a restaurant off the beaten path, but one that Vanessa really loved and which she thought I would like as well.
The place must have been 200 years old or something...really old feel to it. Had a great atmosphere to it, lots of locals just doing the French thing - wine, laughter, food. They eat so late, but really savor each moment and morsel. Something to be learned there.
The food was quite interesting. First, appetizers. They brought out the yummiest bread ever, just perfect crunch and texture. They ordered a cheese and meats tray, which ended up having a lot of yummy and interesting food. I don't know all that I ate, but some of it tasted like organs. The sausage was super fatty, which I guess is good. The meats were salty but savory, and the cheese was melt-in-your-mouth good.
For dinner they suggested I order a dish with white beans, meat, some veggies. I don't know if I loved it, but I will say this...I felt like I was in an authentic kitchen somewhere in the middle of France. It just tasted like home - like a big bowl your mom might give you on a cold night. I ate as much as I could, which wasn't much, and enjoyed the fact that there were huge bones and stuff in it. Very authentic.
Dessert was simply divine. They ordered a medley of dishes, and the chocolate was maybe the best I've had. The apple pie had a light and flaky crust, but super rich apples with spices and sugar. The chocolate cake...well, it was warm and soft and rich. The creme brulee was good as well, but compared to the others, child's play.
My friends were interesting and engaging. I really appreciated their speaking in Engligh. Sure, it would have been rude to not include me at all, but they went out of the way to ensure I had a good time, that I learned about their culture, and that we enjoyed the company. They also made sure that I got home safely via a taxi, which was nice.
I saw the Eiffel tower, and look forward to going up it. We ate near the Parthenon, which is where national heros are buried and where I actually want to go. They drove me past the Louvre, and a bunch of other buildings that I couldn't pronounce but which simply looked majestic.
Tonight was a great night. I took some photos of the restaurant, and will post them when I get home so I remember this night for a long time.
The place must have been 200 years old or something...really old feel to it. Had a great atmosphere to it, lots of locals just doing the French thing - wine, laughter, food. They eat so late, but really savor each moment and morsel. Something to be learned there.
The food was quite interesting. First, appetizers. They brought out the yummiest bread ever, just perfect crunch and texture. They ordered a cheese and meats tray, which ended up having a lot of yummy and interesting food. I don't know all that I ate, but some of it tasted like organs. The sausage was super fatty, which I guess is good. The meats were salty but savory, and the cheese was melt-in-your-mouth good.
For dinner they suggested I order a dish with white beans, meat, some veggies. I don't know if I loved it, but I will say this...I felt like I was in an authentic kitchen somewhere in the middle of France. It just tasted like home - like a big bowl your mom might give you on a cold night. I ate as much as I could, which wasn't much, and enjoyed the fact that there were huge bones and stuff in it. Very authentic.
Dessert was simply divine. They ordered a medley of dishes, and the chocolate was maybe the best I've had. The apple pie had a light and flaky crust, but super rich apples with spices and sugar. The chocolate cake...well, it was warm and soft and rich. The creme brulee was good as well, but compared to the others, child's play.
My friends were interesting and engaging. I really appreciated their speaking in Engligh. Sure, it would have been rude to not include me at all, but they went out of the way to ensure I had a good time, that I learned about their culture, and that we enjoyed the company. They also made sure that I got home safely via a taxi, which was nice.
I saw the Eiffel tower, and look forward to going up it. We ate near the Parthenon, which is where national heros are buried and where I actually want to go. They drove me past the Louvre, and a bunch of other buildings that I couldn't pronounce but which simply looked majestic.
Tonight was a great night. I took some photos of the restaurant, and will post them when I get home so I remember this night for a long time.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Glee
One of my new favorite TV shows this year is Glee. The pilot really rocked, and it's been tough for the season to compete. But the music and performances are really super, and there are enough funny moments to keep me going.
During the pilot the Glee cast performed "Don't Stop Believin". It was one of the best moments of TV for me in a long time - super catchy and fun, especially given the context.
I showed the girls the performance, and they loved it too and we've all been listening to it since. In fact, Maddie totally cranks that song and sings. We've done duets to it, and when we play it in the car she totally sings the girl part and I sing the boy part. It's super funny to hear her singing the words "Just a small town girl, livin in a lonely world, she took the midnight train going anywhere."
During the pilot the Glee cast performed "Don't Stop Believin". It was one of the best moments of TV for me in a long time - super catchy and fun, especially given the context.
I showed the girls the performance, and they loved it too and we've all been listening to it since. In fact, Maddie totally cranks that song and sings. We've done duets to it, and when we play it in the car she totally sings the girl part and I sing the boy part. It's super funny to hear her singing the words "Just a small town girl, livin in a lonely world, she took the midnight train going anywhere."
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Paris, Day 1
I arrived in Paris today after a grueling 10 hour flight (over the North Pole). Soren, my manager, said not to take a rest but to hit the streets and get to bed early - it's the only way to combat jet lag. So I heeded his wise cousel and had my first day in Paris.
I arrived at my hotel room, dropped off my stuff, packed my man purse and jumped on the metro. I was nervous to be doing this on my own. I'm not adventerous, or well travelled internationally. And other than a brief, 1 year stint with French in High School I really really don't know French at all (in fact, the only thing I remember about that class is my French name - Xavier!). Plus, traveling by yourself is a real stinker - even if I had a buddy to hang with it would have been better. All that aside, I conquered a fear today by heading out myself, and that's a good thing.
My destination was the Louvre. That place was freakin' amazing. I've never seen such a museum, and the size, scale, and grandeur blew my mind. I saw all of the biggies - Mona Lisa, Venus Di Milo, the Egyptian antiquities, the Greek and Roman statutes. I think it's comforting to see the past, because it helps us see our place in something bigger. And going through that museum was like taking a walk through time. Really, really cool.
I messed up on one of my train stops and ended at the Arc De Triumph which was cool. From there I looked down the Champs Elysse and a glimpse of the Eiffle Tower. Oh, and I saw a Mime (I wanted to kick him in the Chotch, but I restrained myself and just watched) and was hit up by a teenager from Bosnia for money (sorry girl, but all I had was 50 Euros, which is like $100 US dollars, and I couldn't part with it. And by the way, you were mean - asking me if I spoke English, watching me get excited to talk with someone, and then all you're doing is asking me for money...shame on you!).
All in all, I felt like I had a good start to my Paris adventure.
I arrived at my hotel room, dropped off my stuff, packed my man purse and jumped on the metro. I was nervous to be doing this on my own. I'm not adventerous, or well travelled internationally. And other than a brief, 1 year stint with French in High School I really really don't know French at all (in fact, the only thing I remember about that class is my French name - Xavier!). Plus, traveling by yourself is a real stinker - even if I had a buddy to hang with it would have been better. All that aside, I conquered a fear today by heading out myself, and that's a good thing.
My destination was the Louvre. That place was freakin' amazing. I've never seen such a museum, and the size, scale, and grandeur blew my mind. I saw all of the biggies - Mona Lisa, Venus Di Milo, the Egyptian antiquities, the Greek and Roman statutes. I think it's comforting to see the past, because it helps us see our place in something bigger. And going through that museum was like taking a walk through time. Really, really cool.
I messed up on one of my train stops and ended at the Arc De Triumph which was cool. From there I looked down the Champs Elysse and a glimpse of the Eiffle Tower. Oh, and I saw a Mime (I wanted to kick him in the Chotch, but I restrained myself and just watched) and was hit up by a teenager from Bosnia for money (sorry girl, but all I had was 50 Euros, which is like $100 US dollars, and I couldn't part with it. And by the way, you were mean - asking me if I spoke English, watching me get excited to talk with someone, and then all you're doing is asking me for money...shame on you!).
All in all, I felt like I had a good start to my Paris adventure.
Friday, October 9, 2009
While laying in bed...
I decided to sleep in a little today, a gift to myself. I have no meetings, it's Friday, I'm leaving for Paris tomorrow, and I have been working my butt off lately.While lying there, I listened to my family getting ready. I love to hear the hustle and bustle, and even with my eyes closed I can visualize what everyone's doing.
As I listened to Maddie I realized two things.
1) She talks about every 20 seconds. She's always talking, asking questions, interacting, making stuff up, being creative. She's a huge talker and has a serious gift of gab. And honestly she has a lot to say for being so small. She's very excited about her world, and that's really really fun to witness.
2) She laughs a lot. That makes me happy, because it means she's got a great sense of humor - a must have in this world. It's also one of the things that I like about myself (that is, that little things make me giggle). I try to take a lighter look at the world, and I really hope she is able to maintain a great, silly, up beat outlook on life too.
Thanks Maddie, for reminding me that there's a lot to laugh at and many reasons for us to be happy.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Family vacation
Had a really nice time with the family this last week as we spent a week in Orlando. I love spending time with my girls, and really enjoyed playing with them and spending good quality time together. Swimming, playing, shopping, laughing - really good time.
Some highlights:
Spending time with Mel. We both work a lot of hours, and it was nice to not think about work and to spend some nice time with Mel. She loves vacations, and plans them so nicely. And for me it was really really great to spend time with the love of my life.
Abby and Peter got to fight Darth Vader in the Jedi Academy - they both gave him a good fight, and didn't go to the dark side! Maddie said she wanted to fight him too, but called him Dark Gator.
We love swimming in the OKW pool, and Maddie is making real strides being comfortable in the water. She's still very scared, but is getting a little braver. We also had fun with a new game called "Don't wake the gator" - where I close my eyes and listen for Abby to splash and then try and tag her.
It was great seeing Jake and his family too. Although I only got to spend a few days with them, it was awesome to see how Cody, Ella, Sam, Peter, and Kipp were growing and developing. It makes me so happy to know that all of my siblings have really really great families who are just really great people. I really enjoyed trick or treating with Cody through the Magic Kingdom, going around and around at each stop to get as much candy as possible.
Sleeping. I got to work late every night, and slept in the morning. It's fun for me to stay up late, and wake up late and a vacation where I'm getting up too early or going to bed at a set time just doesn't feel right.
Some highlights:
Spending time with Mel. We both work a lot of hours, and it was nice to not think about work and to spend some nice time with Mel. She loves vacations, and plans them so nicely. And for me it was really really great to spend time with the love of my life.
Abby and Peter got to fight Darth Vader in the Jedi Academy - they both gave him a good fight, and didn't go to the dark side! Maddie said she wanted to fight him too, but called him Dark Gator.
We love swimming in the OKW pool, and Maddie is making real strides being comfortable in the water. She's still very scared, but is getting a little braver. We also had fun with a new game called "Don't wake the gator" - where I close my eyes and listen for Abby to splash and then try and tag her.
It was great seeing Jake and his family too. Although I only got to spend a few days with them, it was awesome to see how Cody, Ella, Sam, Peter, and Kipp were growing and developing. It makes me so happy to know that all of my siblings have really really great families who are just really great people. I really enjoyed trick or treating with Cody through the Magic Kingdom, going around and around at each stop to get as much candy as possible.
Sleeping. I got to work late every night, and slept in the morning. It's fun for me to stay up late, and wake up late and a vacation where I'm getting up too early or going to bed at a set time just doesn't feel right.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Musings
Today I met with my VP to share the plans around a marketing campaign I'm building. He's a super sharp, super direct fellow who likes to drill deeply on anything and who can take the conversation anywhere. So the advice that we were given was "be prepared and know your stuff". True to form, he spent the first hour talking business and marketing strategy - no slides, no charts - just pure understanding of the business from every angle. It all flowed easily - the man knows our business, and sitting there he pushed me and my partner in ways that were terribly uncomfortable, but insightful.
It reminds me that MS is a great place to work for a number of reasons, but as I approach my first year anniversary I think it's amazing how much I've grown and how being around really REALLY smart people helps to sharpen you. If and when I leave, I don't imagine there will be any challenges that I can't solve or work through. That doesn't mean that I know everything - far from it. But I do think that I have more confidence to attack problems, collaborate, and get things done. When you're pushed and pulled and asked continually to do new and different things enough, you realize that you're up to the challenge. That's one of the great things that will come from this experience. It's hard, and frustrating, and challenging. And so many times I wish I were in a simple job doing simple things. But if this is the right place for me, and I think it is, then at the end of this adventure I'm going to be wicked sharp. Looking forward to that!
It reminds me that MS is a great place to work for a number of reasons, but as I approach my first year anniversary I think it's amazing how much I've grown and how being around really REALLY smart people helps to sharpen you. If and when I leave, I don't imagine there will be any challenges that I can't solve or work through. That doesn't mean that I know everything - far from it. But I do think that I have more confidence to attack problems, collaborate, and get things done. When you're pushed and pulled and asked continually to do new and different things enough, you realize that you're up to the challenge. That's one of the great things that will come from this experience. It's hard, and frustrating, and challenging. And so many times I wish I were in a simple job doing simple things. But if this is the right place for me, and I think it is, then at the end of this adventure I'm going to be wicked sharp. Looking forward to that!
Monday, September 7, 2009
The creativity of a 7 year old
I wanted to post this fun video of a laptop that Abby built herself. When I came home from work one night she had this cool paper laptop that was really well thought out and creative. Here's the video. I was very proud of Abby for being so creative on this.
Born to dance
Tonight I was listening to some fun music on the computer (Pop Goes the World, by Men Without Hats to be exact). Maddie was standing there next to me, listening quite intently to the fun sounds and beats, when she said:
"This music is making my body dance".
The girl's a dancer, let me just say that. Her two favorite songs to dance to are 1) Taylor Swift's "Love Story" and 2) Spotlight from the Twilight soundtrack. We put those songs on (or any, really) and she just dances and dances and dances. She is quite the little dancer, with her moves totally in synch with the music. It's adorable, and funny to watch her so into it.
Maddie is an amazing girl who simply loves to sing and dance. She constantly makes up her own songs - I can't always understand the words, but I hear "Jesus", "Holy Spirit" and other words spread throughout. But she puts so much emotion and emphasis into her performances, it's impossible to not just sit there amazed. I wonder where she gets it...neither Melanie or I are terribly dramatic or musical. But she's just programmed that way.
Speaking of, I have an old Christmas CD in my car and she asks me to play "Where are you Christmas" from the Grinch movie. And the cool thing is that she knows the words, and sings the right notes. Maybe that's what we'll send out as video Christmas card.
Anyway, that's what this post is about - to celebrate a 3 year old who loves music and performance. I love to watch every little thing she does with pure joy and amazement. That's the joy of being a Dad.
"This music is making my body dance".
The girl's a dancer, let me just say that. Her two favorite songs to dance to are 1) Taylor Swift's "Love Story" and 2) Spotlight from the Twilight soundtrack. We put those songs on (or any, really) and she just dances and dances and dances. She is quite the little dancer, with her moves totally in synch with the music. It's adorable, and funny to watch her so into it.
Maddie is an amazing girl who simply loves to sing and dance. She constantly makes up her own songs - I can't always understand the words, but I hear "Jesus", "Holy Spirit" and other words spread throughout. But she puts so much emotion and emphasis into her performances, it's impossible to not just sit there amazed. I wonder where she gets it...neither Melanie or I are terribly dramatic or musical. But she's just programmed that way.
Speaking of, I have an old Christmas CD in my car and she asks me to play "Where are you Christmas" from the Grinch movie. And the cool thing is that she knows the words, and sings the right notes. Maybe that's what we'll send out as video Christmas card.
Anyway, that's what this post is about - to celebrate a 3 year old who loves music and performance. I love to watch every little thing she does with pure joy and amazement. That's the joy of being a Dad.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
A summer walk...
Tonight we went on a nice long summer night walk. There are a bunch of blackberries along the walk, so we brought a bowl and picked and picked and picked. Mel, Abby, and I got a lot of pricks from the thorns but were able to gather a whole big bowl so that Mel can hopefully make some jelly sometime soon. Maddie sat in her stroller the whole time eating "literally" the fruits of our labors (except for teh time I took her to tinkle behind the stumps). As the CSO (Chief Safety Officer) of the family I kept one eye out for the bears - you never know when one might mistake Abby for a little jack rabbit.
As we walked home, the sliver of the moon was so pretty between the trees. Maddie said "the moon looks so pretty...but it looks like a piece fell off". Very cute, as always.
As we walked home, the sliver of the moon was so pretty between the trees. Maddie said "the moon looks so pretty...but it looks like a piece fell off". Very cute, as always.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
I gave this talk on Sunday
The title of my talk today is Waiting Patiently on the Lord.
My daughter Maddie is a tremendously sweet, smart, creative girl. But like most 3 year olds, she lacks patience. Many evenings she might say “I want to go to the park.” I must be very careful how I respond, because if I say “sure, we can go to the park” she will immediately interpret that to mean we can go to the park now. And if I say “we’ll go in a few minutes” she will say “I want to go now”. And she’ll say it again and again until I can’t take it anymore. She’s very persistent, but not very patient.
Part of her lack of patience is that she really loves to play and really wants to go to the park. It’s a good desire, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But the other part is that she doesn’t have a good sense of time, so if I say “we’ll go in a few minutes” that doesn’t mean as much to her. She wants it NOW.
In the eternal scheme of things I think sometimes we must seem like 3 year olds to Heavenly Father. We look up to him and ask:
When will I get married?
When will I get a job?
When will I have a family?
When will my health improve?
When will my children return to the Church?
These are all righteous desires. But they all have the component of time associated with them, and it’s in the waiting that we become frustrated. And it’s this reason that we need patience so much - because sometimes God’s answer to us is “wait.”
Elder Neal A. Maxwell said “Patience is tied very closely to faith in our Heavenly Father. Actually, when we are unduly impatient, we are suggesting that we know what is best—better than does God. Or, at least, we are asserting that our timetable is better than His”.
Patience is closely related to many Christ-like attributes, but especially to hope and faith – because sometimes we are required to wait for the promised blessings of the Lord to be fulfilled. President Monson said, “Life is full of difficulties, some minor and others of a more serious nature. There seems to be an unending supply of challenges for one and all. Our problem is that we expect instantaneous solutions to such challenges forgetting that frequently the heavenly virtue of patience is required”.
I know that I’ve questioned Heavenly Father and his timing before, when my patience was tried and tested. Let me share one personal example.
When Melanie and I were first married, we looked forward to having children. That’s a righteous blessing, and our patriarchal blessings told us we would have children. So we had faith. And we waited. But year after year, nothing but frustration and hopelessness as we wondered what God’s plan was for us and our family. We were frustrated when people would say things to us or ask us when we were going to have kids. Of the many challenges that our family has undergone, I think this test challenged our faith and patience in God’s plan more than any other thing.
More than 7 years ago, during this time of great frustration and test of patience we were having a particularly troubling stretch. My sweet wife Melanie was diagnosed with cancer, and underwent a series of treatments. Shortly after her second surgery we received a surprising call. Through the blessing of LDS Family Services we were selected to adopt a beautiful little girl. In the middle of this tremendously difficult time, the blessing that we had hoped and waited for was finally about to come to pass. The timing couldn’t have been worse, or better. A few weeks later, and in the most unexpected way and time, our little Abby came into our home.
If we had it our way, and on our timeline, it’s possible that Abby might never have come to our home. A million things had to happen to us, and to others, to orchestrate that miracle. I think it’s safe to assume that had we been able to have children when we wanted to, we never ever would have had Abby. It wouldn’t have been part of the plan. That experience really helped us understand that God has a plan, and that when we are patient we will be blessed more than we could ever know.
I think each of you have had many similar experiences. The characters have changed, and the challenges are different. Some are bigger, others smaller. But each of us will face challenges or mortality. And when we patiently endure, we will be redeemed.
In God’s eyes, he sees us on an eternal journey. This leg, called mortality, is important, but it’s part of a long eternal journey. And when we patiently and faithfully endure the trials of mortality, we grow closer and closer to becoming more like our Father.
C.S. Lewis put it in a way that I love. He asked us to imagine that you are a living house. We invite God into our life, and ask him to rebuild that house. But like most things, this takes time and is harder than we thought it would be. At first, perhaps, we understand what He is doing. He is fixing the plumbing and repairing the roof – things you knew needed to have done and so we’re not surprised. But then He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts too much, and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is He up to?
The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of — throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself. And he is patient in this pursuit. God is easy to please, but hard to satisfy and he will continue to work on us, here and there, patiently building little perfect beings.
Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said this: “[The Lord] gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion which polish you for your everlasting benefit. To get you from where you are to where He wants you to be requires a lot of stretching, and that generally entails discomfort and pain.”
With patience we gain a better perspective. We realize that time is something that is only measured to man, not to God. We understand that the difficulties and challenges that we undergo in this life are only a small thing, and that if we endure it well we will be exalter.
Martin Luther King Jr. once said “unearned suffering is redemptive”. I think part of what that means is that when we go through challenges, when we patiently endure suffering, we are changed. Our faith is tested, but not broken. And patience is the attribute that makes that possible.
Patience is a lost virtue in today’s society. We demand things immediately, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. So much is so easily gained, that we forget that every good thing that ever comes does so line upon line, precept on precept. My prayer today is that we will each step back and patiently wait on the Lord’s blessings. One thing is sure…it will certainly be worth it.
My daughter Maddie is a tremendously sweet, smart, creative girl. But like most 3 year olds, she lacks patience. Many evenings she might say “I want to go to the park.” I must be very careful how I respond, because if I say “sure, we can go to the park” she will immediately interpret that to mean we can go to the park now. And if I say “we’ll go in a few minutes” she will say “I want to go now”. And she’ll say it again and again until I can’t take it anymore. She’s very persistent, but not very patient.
Part of her lack of patience is that she really loves to play and really wants to go to the park. It’s a good desire, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But the other part is that she doesn’t have a good sense of time, so if I say “we’ll go in a few minutes” that doesn’t mean as much to her. She wants it NOW.
In the eternal scheme of things I think sometimes we must seem like 3 year olds to Heavenly Father. We look up to him and ask:
When will I get married?
When will I get a job?
When will I have a family?
When will my health improve?
When will my children return to the Church?
These are all righteous desires. But they all have the component of time associated with them, and it’s in the waiting that we become frustrated. And it’s this reason that we need patience so much - because sometimes God’s answer to us is “wait.”
Elder Neal A. Maxwell said “Patience is tied very closely to faith in our Heavenly Father. Actually, when we are unduly impatient, we are suggesting that we know what is best—better than does God. Or, at least, we are asserting that our timetable is better than His”.
Patience is closely related to many Christ-like attributes, but especially to hope and faith – because sometimes we are required to wait for the promised blessings of the Lord to be fulfilled. President Monson said, “Life is full of difficulties, some minor and others of a more serious nature. There seems to be an unending supply of challenges for one and all. Our problem is that we expect instantaneous solutions to such challenges forgetting that frequently the heavenly virtue of patience is required”.
I know that I’ve questioned Heavenly Father and his timing before, when my patience was tried and tested. Let me share one personal example.
When Melanie and I were first married, we looked forward to having children. That’s a righteous blessing, and our patriarchal blessings told us we would have children. So we had faith. And we waited. But year after year, nothing but frustration and hopelessness as we wondered what God’s plan was for us and our family. We were frustrated when people would say things to us or ask us when we were going to have kids. Of the many challenges that our family has undergone, I think this test challenged our faith and patience in God’s plan more than any other thing.
More than 7 years ago, during this time of great frustration and test of patience we were having a particularly troubling stretch. My sweet wife Melanie was diagnosed with cancer, and underwent a series of treatments. Shortly after her second surgery we received a surprising call. Through the blessing of LDS Family Services we were selected to adopt a beautiful little girl. In the middle of this tremendously difficult time, the blessing that we had hoped and waited for was finally about to come to pass. The timing couldn’t have been worse, or better. A few weeks later, and in the most unexpected way and time, our little Abby came into our home.
If we had it our way, and on our timeline, it’s possible that Abby might never have come to our home. A million things had to happen to us, and to others, to orchestrate that miracle. I think it’s safe to assume that had we been able to have children when we wanted to, we never ever would have had Abby. It wouldn’t have been part of the plan. That experience really helped us understand that God has a plan, and that when we are patient we will be blessed more than we could ever know.
I think each of you have had many similar experiences. The characters have changed, and the challenges are different. Some are bigger, others smaller. But each of us will face challenges or mortality. And when we patiently endure, we will be redeemed.
In God’s eyes, he sees us on an eternal journey. This leg, called mortality, is important, but it’s part of a long eternal journey. And when we patiently and faithfully endure the trials of mortality, we grow closer and closer to becoming more like our Father.
C.S. Lewis put it in a way that I love. He asked us to imagine that you are a living house. We invite God into our life, and ask him to rebuild that house. But like most things, this takes time and is harder than we thought it would be. At first, perhaps, we understand what He is doing. He is fixing the plumbing and repairing the roof – things you knew needed to have done and so we’re not surprised. But then He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts too much, and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is He up to?
The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of — throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself. And he is patient in this pursuit. God is easy to please, but hard to satisfy and he will continue to work on us, here and there, patiently building little perfect beings.
Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said this: “[The Lord] gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion which polish you for your everlasting benefit. To get you from where you are to where He wants you to be requires a lot of stretching, and that generally entails discomfort and pain.”
With patience we gain a better perspective. We realize that time is something that is only measured to man, not to God. We understand that the difficulties and challenges that we undergo in this life are only a small thing, and that if we endure it well we will be exalter.
Martin Luther King Jr. once said “unearned suffering is redemptive”. I think part of what that means is that when we go through challenges, when we patiently endure suffering, we are changed. Our faith is tested, but not broken. And patience is the attribute that makes that possible.
Patience is a lost virtue in today’s society. We demand things immediately, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. So much is so easily gained, that we forget that every good thing that ever comes does so line upon line, precept on precept. My prayer today is that we will each step back and patiently wait on the Lord’s blessings. One thing is sure…it will certainly be worth it.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Yes, I play Barbies...
So yesterday was just a perfect summer day here in Seattle. The girls were outside playing Barbies, and I was inside for some reason until it dawned on me...I should go play with them. So for about an hour we played Barbies outside on the grass. It was so fun!
The King and Queen sent our little rag tag team to hunt for the "Book of Magic". So we found a little square piece of wood and drew lines on it so it looked a book and hid it in a bush. And we found some little pieces of flower that were yellow and made them into the campfire. We made sleeping bags out of leaves, and Abby made little a backpack out of little strings. Maddie picked some little strawberries and we cooked them over the fire. We just laughed, and talked, and created stuff, and were creative. It was so much fun.
Lately I've really wanted to do something fun and creative. I've been writing down the good stories that I tell the girls, and maybe I'll publish a little book outside of the one I'm currently working on. Maybe a complition of little stories for the girls. Maybe something more. I think in general it's good to do something totally different for your brain, and since I'm no good at music or art, I think I might have found a hobby. Stayed tuned!
The King and Queen sent our little rag tag team to hunt for the "Book of Magic". So we found a little square piece of wood and drew lines on it so it looked a book and hid it in a bush. And we found some little pieces of flower that were yellow and made them into the campfire. We made sleeping bags out of leaves, and Abby made little a backpack out of little strings. Maddie picked some little strawberries and we cooked them over the fire. We just laughed, and talked, and created stuff, and were creative. It was so much fun.
Lately I've really wanted to do something fun and creative. I've been writing down the good stories that I tell the girls, and maybe I'll publish a little book outside of the one I'm currently working on. Maybe a complition of little stories for the girls. Maybe something more. I think in general it's good to do something totally different for your brain, and since I'm no good at music or art, I think I might have found a hobby. Stayed tuned!
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Highlights from Maddie's prayer tonight
Thank you for Mom and Dad and Abby's shirt.
Thank you for the tables.
Thank you for flowers and trees that grow.
Thank you for Minnie Mouse.
Bless me and Abby when we get married.
Thank you that Abby and me can go to Neverland.
Bless the dogs that grow and turn into people.
Thank you for the tables.
Thank you for flowers and trees that grow.
Thank you for Minnie Mouse.
Bless me and Abby when we get married.
Thank you that Abby and me can go to Neverland.
Bless the dogs that grow and turn into people.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
My tribute to Melanie...
I have not done justice praising Melanie on this blog. Melanie has been my truest confidant, supporter, and advocate since we met and is the most amazing woman and wife in the world. Recently we celebrated our lucky 13th wedding anniversary. In honor of this occasion, I want to spend a few minutes honoring my good, sweet wife.
I guess the first way I think about her is how I'm different and better because of our life together. She has always believed in me, has helped me through the hard times, and been there to celebrate the good times. We've built our lives together, step by step. I know that I'm a better person because of her. Her encouragement and counsel have helped me to become a better husband, father, and person. Having her in my life is a blessing - and a miracle.
When we first met, she was a graduating Michigan Wolverine - one of the smartest, most talented students at one of the best academic institutions in the world. She could have gone to any school she was just that talented. She had planned for years on getting into a great college and had lots of choices. But fortunately for me she felt like Michigan was the place for her so she went there. For four years she studied, worked, dated, and did normal college stuff. And then we met...
The contrast between where Mel was and where I was is laughable. When we met I was a humble waiter by night, sophomore college student by day (at lowly Washtenaw Community College no less). I was driving a piece of crud Toyota Tercel, had a scant savings, but lots of hope and potential. What she saw in me I will never know. Her parents must have really wondered what she was thinking when she told them who she was dating. Her ex-boyfriend asked how she could date someone from "Ypsi-tucky". But we both believe in magic, and have felt it throughout our lives together.
Dating Melanie was like seeing light through the darkness. It was like living hope. It was all laughter, fun, teasing, flirting, kissing...there was none of the bad stuff, and all of the good stuff. We could spend days and days together doing nothing - doing homework, talking, walking, holding hands. It was magical. I remember early on before we told anyone we were dating we would run around the Institute holding hands in private so that no one would know we were dating. There's nothing like holding hands when you're young and in love. The newness of the touch. The thrill of new love.
We did a lot of talking too in those early days (still do). I'm not a huge talker, but I could sit with her for hours and hours and talk with her. It was so easy...it just flowed. And while we talked I would look into her eyes and see forever, in those beautiful green and hazel eyes. That Spring in Ann Arbor was bursting with life, hope, and of course, love. Three months after we started dating we were engaged.
One day after we were engaged I went down to have lunch with her in this super formal dining room in her dorm. There were all of these super elite women, but so we sat with them and ate like normal. When we told them we were recently engaged, they must have thought we were nuts. 23 and 22...so young to be getting married, but for us it was true love and so we made preparations for our wedding.
I have to say that those six months - the time from when we met to when we got married was absolutely magical in every. We both felt it, and still think and talk about it. All of these years later we both know that our marriage was meant to be, that it was something special, and that if we did things the right way we could have those feelings forever.
The fun thing is that the magic still exists. We might not have those exact same feelings, but we have new ones. The newness is gone, but each season brings a new experience that we can share together. We absolutely love being parents together. We are absolutely in synch in so many things. We are able to sit together, as equals, to plan and think about the future. Sometimes we have the most spiritual conversations, and other times we simply laugh our heads off. Today it's not new, but it's still magical and special all the same.
Anyway, I wanted to simply say that I love you Mel, and am so blessed to have you in my life.
I guess the first way I think about her is how I'm different and better because of our life together. She has always believed in me, has helped me through the hard times, and been there to celebrate the good times. We've built our lives together, step by step. I know that I'm a better person because of her. Her encouragement and counsel have helped me to become a better husband, father, and person. Having her in my life is a blessing - and a miracle.
When we first met, she was a graduating Michigan Wolverine - one of the smartest, most talented students at one of the best academic institutions in the world. She could have gone to any school she was just that talented. She had planned for years on getting into a great college and had lots of choices. But fortunately for me she felt like Michigan was the place for her so she went there. For four years she studied, worked, dated, and did normal college stuff. And then we met...
The contrast between where Mel was and where I was is laughable. When we met I was a humble waiter by night, sophomore college student by day (at lowly Washtenaw Community College no less). I was driving a piece of crud Toyota Tercel, had a scant savings, but lots of hope and potential. What she saw in me I will never know. Her parents must have really wondered what she was thinking when she told them who she was dating. Her ex-boyfriend asked how she could date someone from "Ypsi-tucky". But we both believe in magic, and have felt it throughout our lives together.
Dating Melanie was like seeing light through the darkness. It was like living hope. It was all laughter, fun, teasing, flirting, kissing...there was none of the bad stuff, and all of the good stuff. We could spend days and days together doing nothing - doing homework, talking, walking, holding hands. It was magical. I remember early on before we told anyone we were dating we would run around the Institute holding hands in private so that no one would know we were dating. There's nothing like holding hands when you're young and in love. The newness of the touch. The thrill of new love.
We did a lot of talking too in those early days (still do). I'm not a huge talker, but I could sit with her for hours and hours and talk with her. It was so easy...it just flowed. And while we talked I would look into her eyes and see forever, in those beautiful green and hazel eyes. That Spring in Ann Arbor was bursting with life, hope, and of course, love. Three months after we started dating we were engaged.
One day after we were engaged I went down to have lunch with her in this super formal dining room in her dorm. There were all of these super elite women, but so we sat with them and ate like normal. When we told them we were recently engaged, they must have thought we were nuts. 23 and 22...so young to be getting married, but for us it was true love and so we made preparations for our wedding.
I have to say that those six months - the time from when we met to when we got married was absolutely magical in every. We both felt it, and still think and talk about it. All of these years later we both know that our marriage was meant to be, that it was something special, and that if we did things the right way we could have those feelings forever.
The fun thing is that the magic still exists. We might not have those exact same feelings, but we have new ones. The newness is gone, but each season brings a new experience that we can share together. We absolutely love being parents together. We are absolutely in synch in so many things. We are able to sit together, as equals, to plan and think about the future. Sometimes we have the most spiritual conversations, and other times we simply laugh our heads off. Today it's not new, but it's still magical and special all the same.
Anyway, I wanted to simply say that I love you Mel, and am so blessed to have you in my life.
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