Comic Con 2010 Report

Had a really fun time at Comic Con this year. I love the creative energy and general geek goodness that goes on. Some of the highlights for me:

Roaming the exhibition floor is one of my favorite things to do. There is so much to see and take it. The people watching is very fun. I always wonder about the people who walk around wearing really intense outfits - dressed as Batman, Master Chief, or hundreds of other characters - it just seems so very hot and uncomfortable. But I realized that these people really like the attention and like to be looked at. They like to feel like they are with their own people...I think we can all relate.

Plus, I love the different sections of the floor. The big production studio sets are always really cool and fun...interesting swag and things to see. For instance, today at the Warner Bros booth was the cast of Green Latern. But equally cool are the smaller, more independent sections where graphic artists and comic book artists hang out and show off and sell their work. I did my best to not buy any more prints, since Mel reminded me that I have a whole stack of them that are yet to be framed. But I'm constantly amazed at the level of creativity and sheer talent. I also really love the small toy manufacturers, for much of the same reason.

For some reason I also really like to wander through the autograph sections to see all of the has-beens hanging out waiting to pick up $20 here or there for an autographed picture from fans. These are stars from the 70s-80s-90s who are well passed their prime. Lindsey Wagner (Bionic Woman), Erin Gray (Buck Rogers), Dirk Benedict (A-team), and tons of others, sitting behind a card table hoping that a few fans will see them. For me, I like to simply watch them...no longer beautiful or in demand - they look so ordinary. But I remember them when they were the big deals, and it's a reminder that we all have our glory days, and that even the beautiful people lose their luster in time. It's both funny and sad at the same time.

For me, the big events in Hall H are what it's all about. Today I saw some great panels, highlighed by Green Latern. Looks very cool. Honestly, I am not a huge fan...but it looks like a great comic book movie, and the energy was great. Favorite moment was when a little kid...must've been five, asked Ryan Reynolds "What does it feel like to recite the Green Lantern's Oath." He said, "It sounds like this," and began to recite it.

"In Brightest day, in blackest night
No evil shall escape my sight
Let those who worship evil's might
Beware my power...Green Lantern's light!"

Boom! The crowd went nuts, and they panned to the little kid who was just standing there looking amazed. It was a fun moment.

Also saw some great Harry Potter footage and the preview for a movie called Sucker Punch. The other day I sat through the Stallone movie preview for "The Expendables" as well as a movie called "Don't be afraid of the Dark". Saw previews for "The Other Guy", and a bunch of other stuff (I wish Wil Ferrel weren't so crude, because he can be very funny).

But I believe the point is that I really like the feeling of seeing stuff first. I also like the energy in the Hall. And it is fun to hear about how these movies are made. It's always fun to me, and if the other stuff weren't so good I'd sit in Hall H the entire time.

What I don't like. I felt like there was a level of crudeness and profanity that I had not heard before, and I don't like that. I walked out of the Penn & Teller show...they gave me a bad feeling, and the language was very offensive. It is also a good reminder that the Hollywood types are not good people. They are not people to look up to. Although this is something I've felt for years, it's a good reminder. Don't get me wrong...I like the charaters and their portrayals a lot of the time; but I do not respect the people who portray them. It also made me uncomfortable to see these people idolized and to see so many other people (6,000, to be precise) get so excited by every words that came out of their mouth. There is nothing overtly special about these people...and yet there's an element of hero worship that goes on that made me concerned and frankly disappoints me.

As I said, I really didn't like the celebs...with three exceptions this time. I really liked Ryan Reynolds...seemed like a good guy. Also, I really liked the kid who plays Malfoy in Harry Potter. Seemed so excited to be there, very gracious, and like he had his head on straight. And I thought the Director for Scott Pilgrim was hilarious...maybe a little crazy, but hilarious at the same time.

Final thoughts:

I think I need a year off from The Con. Not that I don't like it, I do. But it's super crowded, not relaxing at all, and the offerings didn't seem very novel to me. I think I probably need to take a break from it and go back in 2012 to relight that spark.

Celebrity watch this time on the floor yielded: Wesley Snipes (Blade), Michal Dorn (Worf), Brent Spiner (Data), Marina (Trois, from TNG), the big tall guy who played Chewbacca, Ryan Reynolds, Elizabeth Mitchell, the Alien lady from "V", Blake Lively, etc, and Sergent Slaughter (from G.I. Joe fame). These are the people I was within feet of. The rest I saw from a distance.

I need to book my hotel early...being so far away made it all less intimate and real. I like walking down to it, grabbing some food with Mel, and spending a day there. So I think I need to plan better ahead to stay at the Westin or something.

Did I like going alone. Yes and no. It works fine when I'm just goofing around looking at stuff - I can't imagine many people would get as jazzed to look at the diorama featuring the G.I. Joe figures or Marvel Universe figures as I do. Don't get me wrong...obviously I would love the company; but this little experiment told me it's not necessary. That said, if anyone wants to go in 2012, let me know!

`Nuff Said.

Catching up...

It's been a while since I've written on the old blog. Some random catching up.

Kennedy Family Reunion

Almost 2 years of planning and waiting were worth it. I think the first official Kennedy Reunion was a smashing hit. Fun and laughter dominated the party, and the level of drama was low. Success!

Highlights include:

For me, the Kennedy Jeopardy game was a real highlight. Mom had pulled together a bunch of great questions and it was a laugh fest for all of us to relive some of the finer times of our growing up. The rat incident, famous Christmas poem, etc...great memories of some hard times.

As silly as it sounds to people, playing Xbox with the Bros is just a really fun way to spend the night. It was like going back in time when we were younger playing Atari. Plus, it's fun to put a knife in a brothers gut, virtually :)

We watched the Jedi academy stage show (one of my favorites) and afterwards stumbled upon Darth Vader for a photo op. It was really cool to stand next to him and have him choke me with the force. Very fun and a cool memory for all of us to get photos with him.

Riding Tower of Terror with all of my siblings was a real treat. A great thrill ride for the Kennedy's to enjoy. The only thing that would have made it any more special would have been if we were all kids doing it. But that would have only made it more "magical", not more fun.

Playing in the pool at night, with the pretty waterfall next to us was great. I know that Mom especially liked stretching her leg out. The Kennedy water olympics were entertaining, and watching Nate and Jake fight it out in a throw down wrestling match never gets old.

For my bros and sisters who read this blog, what were your favorite moments?

Writing class

My "writing for children" class wrapped up this week, and I must say that I really enjoyed it. It was a great mid-week distraction for me, and pushed some fun creative buttons for me. Plus, I think I have some great starting points for some good stories that I could develop. I have often said that I don't really have 'talents' as many people think about them, but I can see developing this muscle a little more to see what happens. It's not going to replace my full time work, but it would be a good way to relax.

Working out

My buddy Harry and I have been going to work out at the Pro Club for more than a month, and it's been fun to get into the groove of it. It feels good to release some tension 2-3 times a week and work this flabby body. I don't look a lot different, but the scale says I've lost 6 lbs. Not much...would be a lot better if I adjusted my diet more. I think that will be the next step for me. Right now I just want to have a routine and get over my fears of trying. Now that I'm developing that, it will be easier to make bigger and bigger changes in the coming weeks and months.

Notes about Maddie

Yesterday Maddie and I were going to gymnastics (Bimnastics, as Maddie says it). She was telling me about the Shrek 3 commercial she saw, and she said the Fat Cat was sitting on the neck of the Eeyore. Eeyore? Oh, she meant the donkey. So cute.

My Writing Class

I'm taking a writing class at the local community college. It's called "Writing for Children", and it's a funny experience to be doing something like this. First, it's basically me and a bunch of women although last night two other guys were there. Second, the writing style and approach is totally different from what I normally write - which is the point.

Each night our teacher gives us an introductory sentence and then gives us 10 mins to write a quick story. Here are my first attempts; the bold sentence is what she gives us.

Story #1

She was surprised to see it there in a tree. There are no such things as fairies. She knew that. Yet there in front of her, sleeping in a branch of the tree was a fairy. It was the size of a butterfly and looked as light as a feather. She had a leaf covering her like a blanket. Her wings, tucked beneath her, shimmered in the sunligh and her little blond hair fell down her shoulders.

Maddie took her hat and put it gently under the fairy, covering her quickly with her other hand.

Instantly she felt her wings flutter under her hand, and then a sweet little voice:

"Please, please let me go."

"What is your name?" Maddie asked gently, and "Where did you come from?"

"My name is Abby, and I am a fairy princess from the kingdom of ____. Last night I was flying home when a terrible storm blew me off course and landed me here in this tree. When daylight came I fell asleep, as all fairies do. I am lost, cold, hungry and scared. Won't you please help me?" She pleaded.

Maddie's heart beat faster. She loved reading fantasies and adventures, and she was on the brink of having her own.

"Of course I will, Princess Abby. Let's get you to my room where I'll get you nice and warm."

She carried the little visitor carefully into her room. It was hard to know what Mom would say, and that's why this must be kept a secret.

Story #2

What was that crunching sound? She couldn't see a foot in front of her in the dark of the dungeon, but the sounds under her feet told her that was a good thing. Were they bones? Bugs? Or worse? The best thing to do was to press on. Much was at stake, and if she failed now He would win.

Her mind flashed back a mere 12 hours ago, a lifetime it seemed. The day had been such a normal birthday. Friends, fun, cake, and presents. Totally normal. Until it arrived. That box. That dreaded box.

It had arrived from her Uncle Fizz. Great old Uncle Fizz. He was looney, that was well known. The black sheep of the family. Always a little on the outside, always a little different. But she felt that way too in this family of overachievers sometimes, and they had always been close as a result.

Looney and quirky was one thing...but in danger too? She would never have guessed it.

When the package arrived, she assumed it was for her. There was no name, and it was her birthday after all. And even though Uncle Fizz was never on time with anything in his own life, he always sent her a special package every year. Why would this year be different?

Had she known what it contained and where it would lead her, she would have run the other way. She never would have guessed that opening the box would lead her her - a normal 12-year-old girl - into this predicament. It was hard to believe; and yet, here she was.

"This way" he called.

She looked over to see her best friend and partner in crime, Jack. She couldn't do it alone, and she was glad he was here. The one person she could trust. The one person who never let her down. She was lucky to have Jack, especially on an adventure of a lifetime.

A conversation with Abby...

I had this conversation with Abby yesterday.

"Dad, I heard the Holy Ghost today".

"Really, what did you hear?"

"I was walking down the stairs at school, and I heard it say 'Hold on to the rail', so I did. I slipped a little while later, and caught myself because I was holding on".

"That's awesome Abby, I'm so glad that happened to you."

Where music can take you...

I'm watching the girls play Lego Star Wars. They're great at it, but that's not the point. The intro music to it...the theme from Star Wars...has a way of taking me to a different time and place. When Star Wars came out, I was just a kid, but I remember vividly some of the hype around Star Wars. One memory was walking into Meijers after my mom had shown me an ad that they had all of the Star Wars figures there. So we went to check it out, and what a sight!

There across an entire aisle were legions of Star Wars figures. I don't know that there were a ton of selection, but there were a lot of figures. Like usual, they had a million Chewbacca and C3PO, but none of what I and the other kids wanted - Luke Skywalker! Fortunately, as a kid I learned how to skim the aisles for the figures I wanted. It involves a hand move where I reach for the back of the row, and let the figures fall across my hands. I can see every single one, and know if there's something good at the back.

Anywho, I found a Luke Skywalker figure and wanted it...oh, how I wanted it. But alas, there was no money to be had. So I stole it. I pulled that figure out of his wrapper and put him in my pocket. But at the check out I felt so bad for it that I put the figure where they keep the bags. I said to the guy checking us out "I found this figure". He said, "why don't you keep it".

Not exactly the kind of talk you'd hear in General Conference, but still something I think about when I hear that Star Wars music : )

One more memory...me sitting in our crap dining room when I was just little, listening to the Star Wars soundtrack over and over again on an old record player. I loved that music (still do) and remember vividly listening to it as a kid and being totally mesmerized by it.

OK, gotta go...Abby needs my help fighting some Stormtroopers! May the Force be with you!

Abby's Baptism

Today I had the great privledge to baptize and confirm Abby. I've looked forward to this day since she was born, and it was a beautiful event. This morning, while I was getting dressed, she popped into my room wearing her white dress and looked stunning. My mind flashed forward to some future date when she'll be wearing another white dress, and I could see it all in my future. Oh, how I don't want that day to come any time soon. But I suppose the big idea here is that today, at 8, she looked absolutely adorable, pure and sweet.

As usual, I was more emotional than I'd want to be in situations like this. I can't help myself though...I get sentimental and touched easily. When they started playing the first son "I Like to Look for Rainbows", I knew I was in trouble for the rest of the event. Right away Mel and I start crying, and I worried about my ability to keep it together.

Baptizing Abby was absolutely sweet. She looked perfectly clean and pure in her white jumpsuit, and I know she made the right decision today to join the Church, to take upon her those covenants, and to accept the Holy Ghost. I was so proud of her. I've been privledged to see a lot of people enter the waters of Baptism, and I know that it changes lives and puts people on that straight path.

When I confirmed her, I reminded her of the importance of this big decision, but also of the small decisions that she has made to get her to this point. I also reminded her that she had made similar decisions in the pre-mortal world, and that those decisions formed her and allowed her to come to this Earth. Finally, I focused on the future decisions that she was need to make that would allow her to wear her next "white" dress. I counseled her to be a good example to those around her, to be a light in the darkness, and to be that good influence in the lives of others around her.

It was a great event for our little family.

Eight-years ago...

I first saw and held my dear little Abby eight years ago today. Some memories of that day are so vivid to me, so imprinted on my mind. I hope to never forget.

She was born on the 3rd, but we were completely unaware that it had happened. It was a Sunday, and so we didn't even know until the next day that she had been born. They called the next day and told us to bring our car seat and come up to Farmington.

It was a very nervous day for us. We arrived there pretty early, not knowing if it was going to be a short or long day. For the first couple of hours we just sat there. As time went on, we got more and more worried, simply because we didn't know what was going on.

I don't recall the series of events entirely. I remember that the Snelgroves came and we spent a lot of time with their family. I think they brought Arbys. We got to know their family more, which was a real blessing. Who could have imagined that we would become such close friends.

The Craig's came too, and we learned about their family, traditions, etc. Bonnie brought a number of things to help them remember their family. Books, songs, and gifts for Abby. It was a harder day for them, and us, in return.

I remember next that their car pulled up, the one carrying Abby, Katie, Kyle, and their case worker. We went into our room, and they went down the hall. They weren't ready to see us.

The first time I ever heard Abby was in that LDS Family Services building. She was crying down the hall...a faint, sweet cry. I think they were putting her dress on. Katie and Kyle spent a lot of time with her, saying their good-byes. They weren't sure they'd see her again. I'm so glad they have, and will forever.

We were probably there 6 or 8 hours before the door opened and they came in. There stood Katie and Kyle, holding little Abby. She was so little and petite, and was wearing an adorable purple flower dress. Katie put her in Melanie's arms, and she cried and I cried, and we all started crying. Abby was so beautiful and perfect, it was impossible that she was ours.

We chatted for a while, but once this started happening I was mentally gone. I was focused only on Abby. My baby.

When the time came to leave, we tried to buckle Abby into the car seat but I didn't know how. I've been around kids my whole life, but I was not myself. I was totally and completely overcome by the experience. So their case worker, Robin, helped us get her in.

We were driving our Green Mazda 626.

I called Mom, and she cried and I cried as I told her about Abby. I don't remember what we said. When we got home, we sat there on the couch looking at her. Because Mel didn't give birth to her, we were both able to help which was great.

As I said, that was eight years ago. I don't think of that day; I don't even remember that she was adopted. In every way she is my baby.

Thoughts on Maddie...

Little Maddie, my baby angel. As her 4 year birthday comes, I wanted to share some thoughts about who she is, and why she is a special part of our family.

For one, she's all girl. Maddie is such a little mommy. She babies her dolls with great care and attention, pushing them in little strollers, tucking them in and calling them her sweeties. She is kind and gentle, mature for her age.

I think "tender-hearted" is one way of thinking of her. Last week when Melanie's haircut appointment fell through and she called very distressed, I told the girls to be nice to Mom when she got home. Maddie said "I'll tell her that her hair is beautiful the way it is".

All of a sudden she is really interested in learning her letters and numbers. She is doing what Abby did, writing notes and leaving them for me on my bedstand and handing them to me as I walk in the door. When we read together, the three of us, she insists on reading pages with Abby and I. Although she cannot read the words, she can see the pictures and she makes up great little stories with confidence.

She's our little storyteller. Her imagination is quit full and rich. She will write funny letters to us, and then read them to us. She also has funny stories. If I said "I saw a deer today" she will say, "I saw a deer, and he was wearing little pants and dancing." Maddie really knows how to riff off of our stories, make them hers, and add some "oomph" to them. Totally funny.

She loves to play dolls, barbies, and polly pockets. She has very intricate stories that she builds around them. She's also got a very clear idea how she wants to play, directing us what we should do or say. That can get frustrating for Abby and I when we play with her, but you cannot fault her for knowing what she wants.

She crys a lot. We forget that she is still little, but it still doesnt change the fact that she's a cryer. Take her to primary, she crys. Pick her up from primary, she crys. She crys several times a day.

She's very religious and spiritual. She insists on praying every night, and says wonderful prayers that go like this:

"Heavenly Father, thank you for this day, help us to be healthy and happy, help us to always love each other, help us to be healthy (she repeats this a couple of times), in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

When she gets to pick the song, she choose"A Child's Prayer", one of my favorites. We all sing it together, and it's a piece of heaven for me.

Madsie loves Abby so much, and asks her to sleep with her every night. They talk cutely most of the time, laughing and giggling, and it reminds me of when I was a kid sleeping with my brothers. Sometimes Maddie will do annoying little things like lick her, which drives Abby crazy and sends her off to her own room. But most of the time they fall fast asleep in their bed together, two peaceful little sisters. When we look in on them, they are both spread out and happy as can be.

She has lots of wonderful friends at school. She talks of Jonathon, Nicolaus, Nickolai, Preston, Will, and others. She has a great little school and loves, and is loved by them.

I love my girls so much. Abby and Maddie are truly some of the "noble and great ones", reserved for a challenging time. Rearing them, guiding them is a tough responsibility and one that I try to take seriously. Fortunately, I have such sweeties to guide through this life.

I'm so glad when Daddy comes home...

One of my favorite times of the day is coming home from work. Every time I do, the girls rush me with open arms and big hugs. Screams of "Daddy" echo through the house and lots of yipping and craziness. I'm sure someday they won't be as excited when I walk in the door. But today they love it, and so do I!

Hello, 2010

2009 was a challenging year for most people, our family included. But at the start of 2010, I'm hopeful, especially when I think about where we were a year ago.

A year ago we were moving into the temporary rental house, closing the door on our Kaysville home for good and leaving behind Maija and our life in Utah. It was a challenging, difficult, dark time. We were all low and depressed. I don't know if I'll ever forget sitting in our living room in Kaysville and the four of us crying because we were leaving. The future was unknown and bleak.

Fast forward one year later and things are looking up. The house is a huge part of that - we never ever thought that we would be in a home or neighborhood this nice. We were truly blessed to find and buy this home. My work has improved as well. I understand what I'm doing a little better, and know better how to navigate MS. It's a long-road, but one that I do not regret taking.

As one year ends, and another begins, it makes me think about time. Such a funny thing, time is. A year ago I honestly believed the world for our family was ending. I had no hope. But one year later, things have settled and are better. God has been at work in our lives, and truly orchaestrated this year for us. He plucked us out of our Utah life, but as He did so we prayed that we would find happiness here. I believe He has made that possible for us.

The timing seemed horrible then, but in fact was as perfect as it could have been. There's no way that I would have been hired on at MS now. Since I joined thousands of MSofties have been laid off, recruiting and hiring is down, etc. Plus, they are paying less to new hires, have become more selective about who they hire, and are paying fewer relo benefits. As an outsider, I don't believe I would have had another chance at MS had that job not turned up.

Also, between the time I was hired and now housing here has dropped significantly, which has been a boon for us. Our friends who moved here a year or two before us bought much smaller homes, with fewer niceties, for a lot more money. Had we moved earlier than we did, we would have been spanked. But the timing really worked out for us. We even made money on our Kaysville house - something that is itself a miracle.

It's a good lesson, and one that I think I'm learning slowly. This idea of patience, trusting God's timeframe, trying to have a big picture view.

There are still macro worries - the economy, terrorism, wars, plagues - but fortunately, my family is not personally impacted on a daily basis by these (knock on wood). We hear about them, worry for those involved, and pray for those innocents...but that is not our day to day life. Thankfully.

For me, that's the point. There's much to be thankful for, and I hope that this year I can be less worried about the future and more thankful for today.

Attack of the pigeons...

Everywhere we went in Maui we were surrounded by the strangest looking pigeons. Mini-pigeons. But what they lacked in size they made up in tenaciousness and numbers. They were everywhere. And of course Maddie was terrified of them. So I thought I'd share a few of the pics of these "hoards" of pidgeons and show how they were always around little Madsie...always there, always lurking.

About Christmas...

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

I wanted to share a few thoughts about what Christmas means to me...

Holy Infant, so Tender and Mild

I try to think about Jesus' atonement and the Gospel as much as possible, but at Christmas I like to think about Him as a baby. It's the time for me when Jesus is most human. I've seen a lot of babies in my life, and I think that Jesus was a lot like these babies. I can picture him more as a baby than any other way. It's easier to imagine holding Him. One can almost picture how tenderly Mary looked at Him, how she had great hope for him in that little body. She probably had little talks with him...but he wouldn't understand them yet, because he was a baby. There's a great deal that is very special about all of this, and that's how I like to think of Jesus at Christmas.

Christmas Music

I like the "Pop Christmas" songs ok, but am more of traditionalist when it comes to Christmas music. The songs I really want to hear at Christmas are about Jesus and typically have an old English sound to them. This is my ultimate Christmas Playlist:

• Wexford Carol
• Away in a Manager
• Were you there?
• God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
• Infant Holy, Infant Lowly
• Lully Lu
• What Child Is This?
• O Holy Night

A Christmas Carol

Other than the actual Christmas story, the story I want to read or see (in a play, preferably) is A Christmas Carol. I consider this to be a spiritual story of hope and redemption, and to me is the very spirit of Christmas. I get teary-eyed when I think of the Cratchett Family without Tiny Tim. I get teary-eyed when Tiny Tim says that he hopes people would think of Jesus when they saw him. I get choked up when the shackles that had held Scrooge down begin to fall off...when his repentence and redemption begin. I think of the years of wasted life...the regrets for a life wasted. But the power of the words and the story ultimately are about hope and redemption, and it's one of my favorite stories of all time, not just at Christmas.

Food

There are a couple of things I really want to eat at Christmas time. I want Egg Nog. I want Dory's Christmas Cookies...the Ginger Snaps. Melanie's butter cookies too. I don't care as much about the dinner, but I want some fun appetizers and hopefully a cheese ball. Funny, I know, but that's what I want.

A Christmas Tree Surrounded in Toys

To me, Christmas morning is about giving toys. The other stuff...clothes and such...are good and useful, but I like to see my girls openiing toys. My memories are of coming down to a cold, dark family room and seeing the majesty of the Christmas tree surrounded by gifts. Every gift was fun to open, but the toys were the ones that sent chills through me, that said to me that Santa had been there, and that felt magical. This morning, seeing the girls opening the Zhu Zhu pets and the other stuff that they opened was for me the highlight.

Christmas Shows

Two really stand out to me...A Charlie Brown Christmas and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Totally different, but these are the two shows I want to watch. A Charlie Brown Christmas is the best holiday show on. It has a great spirit and message, highlighted by Linus narrating Luke 2.

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is a totally different kind of show. It simply pokes at the fun and craziness of the season. I watched it one night after work by myself (or maybe Nate was there, I can't quite remember) and laughed by head off. Cousin Eddy wearing a black Dickie under a white sweater. Shooting down the hill on the greased sled. Getting stuck in the attic and watching old movies. I watched it in Hawaii and still laugh at it today.

Intelligent Design...

I'm no scientist. Only wanted to be an Astronomer briefly, until I realized that there was too much math involved. But I've often wondered about the creation, and have thought for the longest time that the Biblical story of the creation, and the scientific theories that have been made against it, could exist together.

One thing I believe is that God is a scientist. So when he set about planning the creation, he did things in a logical manner. He would need to understand all of the scientific fields perfectly, and would have to work them together to create this world. For instance, he built similar genetic codes, and then tweaked them to create the diversity that we see in the world. Therefore, the ape and the human could both be built with similar codes, without being the same things. Some people point to that fact and say that we evolved from them...I look at that and think "that's a pretty efficient way to build a world". To me it sounds like a good architect...the plans all have a foundation, load-bearing walls, roofs...but they don't want them to be the same. Each is different, has a different purpose. But they rely on similar principles.

But I also know that God is an artist. I believe that he has created the diversity of this world on purpose. It allowed him to showcase his creativity while surrounding us with interesting and unique climates, animals, plants, and people. For me, he created tropical islands and blue, warm water. For others he created big mountains with snow. But ultimately I believe this diversity was intentional and it reflects the character of God as I think of him...loving, thoughtful, logical, creative.

My feelings about this were stirred up this week when I saw this documentary. Ben Stein (surprised me too) was showing how atheists and the scientific community leadership are supressing any scientists who introduce Intelligent Design into the mix of theories around where we came from and why we're here. I would recommend all people of faith to rent and watch it. It's a moving, frightening revelation of how others are unfairly promoting Darwinism, and in an underlying way, atheism. How leading atheists use the theory of evolution to convince themselves that there is no God. The interviews are frightening. The atheist scientists sound like satan himself. Basically they said "first, you need to believe the theory of evolution. Once you do, you will let go of God. Once you let go of God, you quickly let go of the hope of an afterlife. With hope gone, you realize that there's nothing there. And once you've had this de-conversion, you want to tell others about it". It was frightening.

Making matters worse is the use of the power that Big Science has to influence the classroom, what papers are written, what professors succeed, and what the courts decide. It was to me a concise way to see how satan is attacking our families from every way. Every person of faith should watch it, and determine how they will protect their families from this. I know I will.

Heaven is Maui...

I love island life.

I think everyone has a climate that is them. For me, that's island life. I'm programmed for it. It works for me in everyway. It defines vacations for me. It helps melt away the stresses and cares of everyday life. Palm trees. Sun. Blue sky. Shorts, t-shirts, sandals. BBQ. The feeling of being a little hot, a little sweaty. Beaches. Sand. Fruit - the fresh, exotic kind, not the stale, old, refrigerated kind. The Irie attitude. The pace.

Even before Jamaica, and before I had been anywhere tropical, I longed for beaches and blue water. Jamaica brought that home to me in a very real way. And this sweet, 10-day long adventure in Maui has reminded me of all of this.

Maui has been really wonderful. In all fairness, it's mostly because Melanie is the best value vacation planner in the world. She lines up the most amazing vacations at a fraction of the price of others, and as a result we stay in **** hotels and live a lifestyle of the rich and famous, at Holiday Inn prices.

We've had a wonderful trip so far. We've felt grateful for being able to be here, and Heavenly Father has really made this a special trip. Both the whale watch and the snorkeling featured amazing views and interactions with wildlife. At the luau we were upgraded to the VIP section, front and center, for free. Both hotels have had spectactular views and rooms that were exactly what we needed, and more in some cases. We had two wonderful dinners at Leilanis and a delicious island breakfast at The Gazebo - the perfect combination of delicious food, great views, great service, and zero snootiness.

Maui has really been super in every way. Plus, you get all of the amenities of U.S. travel (something I'm liking more and more). I'll be posting more, likely when I'm back in Seattle and totally depressed.

Snorkeling in Maui and other adventures...

Abby and I had the best day snorkeling today. We headed out to Manele Bay where Abby braved the cold water and 35 foot depths to explore the coral reefs and see the pretty fish. She was super brave in the cold, salty water and was the smallest kid in the water that day.

The best part by far was the ride. On the way back we headed further out to a marine reserve where we saw Bottlenose Dolphins and several humpback whales playing in the water. The thrill of seeing whales is really something. I've never seen anything that big, that close, that wild. The Disney or Seaworld stuff is good and all, but it's still a bit fake. Here in Maui, it's so perfectly real and unscripted. For me it made it all the more thrilling and real. The whales got very close to our boat at one point. The captain couldn't move, so we sat there as they swam 20 feet from the boat. You could see their beautiful, huge bodies just sitting there below the water. It was so real.
While heading back the captain saw another group of dolphins and headed out to see them. It was by far one of the coolest things I've every seen. There must have been hundreds of these Spinner dolphins surrounding our boat, chasing us, jumping out of the water and spinning. There were babies too, fresh new little Spinner dolphins jumping and going crazy as you'd expect little babies to be. I think I got some good pics, and will post them when I get home.

On the way back we also saw a baby humpback and its mom, and were able to see the baby totally jumping out of the water and learning from its mom how to be a whale. These momma whales come all the way from Alaska to breed and protect their babies, fasting for several months to ensure that they procreate and protect their babies. It was really something to be a witness to this miracle.

Maddie's tender heart

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.