Thanksgiving

Well, obviously the last two weeks have escaped me. Not only did we spend almost a full week down in Utah, but my schooling and work have both required a lot more attention than usual. I am submitting my final paper for my Assessment class this Monday, one of the two final papers for Nat. Resources/ Environmental Policy on Wednesday and then the final paper the following Wednesday. In the mean time, I'm also trying to finish all the reading for the classes. Work has also been extremely busy. It seems like my life runs in waves of not being busy to being extremely busy. There seems to be no in-between where it's just right and I don't feel like I need to complain. Unfortunately I'm still working on being content with what I have.

To me, this is a difficult task because I don't want to ever be so comfortable with my life that I become complacent and stop challenging myself, but I don't want to be so busy that things are overlooked. When I'm not busy, I get lazy and let some things slip in my life. However, while it is sometimes difficult to find time to do the small things when I'm busy, I've found that being busy sometimes forces me to schedule my time better and accomplish more. Maybe that's what the Lord meant when he said, "For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward." Maybe he's saying that those who are slothful are not wise, because they let the little things slip and don't progress like those who continue to challenge themselves. They receive no reward because they didn't ever go out and achieve it.

We have several people in our ward that have recently lost their jobs. At this thanksgiving time, I am grateful to have employment. I am thankful that money matters, but that it matters less than people. I am thankful for a God who forgives, loves, and challenges me. I am grateful for family, good friends, good books that test my perceptions, and history which helps me see my place in this world and helps me be grateful for and aware of my blessings.


Well, the holiday was wonderful. I don't know when I've been more pleased with a vacation. Tuesday night Amy and I traveled to Dawn's home and stayed there that night. We stayed up late talking to Dawn and were very tired when the girls woke up bright and early in the morning. After a great breakfast of crepes, we all got ready and went to the Church History Museum. We had a lot of fun in the museum, especially at the children's section, but the biggest hit by far was the escalator.
Lily made us go up and down several times before the attendants began questioning if we needed help. Next we went and walked around Temple Square and enjoyed the nativity scene and the cristus.



It was a wonderful time and we even found this interesting sign:





The girls also loved the waterfalls at the Conference Center:

We returned to Dawn's house where everyone but Dawn and Baily took naps. They went to a really cool park nearby Dawn's house while we slept. By the time we woke up, it was late and we left for Ammon and Liz's house for Dinner. The traffic was horrible and it took us over an hour and a half to drive what usually takes about 15-20 minutes! We enjoyed being with Ammon and Liz that night and were late to get to sleep again.

Thanksgiving morning Erin and Travis's family came, as well as my parents, and all the men went to go skeet shooting. We spent all morning shooting, talking, and enjoying the mountains. Dad decided to give me his 12 gauge shotgun for Christmas and I am so excited about it! Even if I don't use it very much, it still is something that belonged to him and helps me remember times we spent together. Everyone contributed to the meal that afternoon and Liz did a wonderful job at getting us all comfortable and fed. Even my cousin Kye and her two daughters came. Ammon borrowed a Nintendo Wii from a friend and we all played in groups of four - tennis, bowling and other games.
It was soo much fun and we we all had sore muscles the next day from leaping and diving in front of eachother at an imaginary tennis ball. The women did a craft that afternoon and we played with the kids, read stories and continued to snack on leftovers. We watched a wonderful movie: The Ultimate Gift and by that time, everyone had to leave. It was just about the most perfect day!

The following morning was black friday and since the girls didn't want to get up so early, Ammon and I got up at 4:30 and braved the madness. I got a digital camera for our family, something we've wanted to do for a long time. By the time we got back, the girls (Amy, Dawn, and Liz) wanted to go shopping and spent the next few hours fighting the crowds. Amy and I left for her parents where we had a special brunch and while the cousins played, the adults put together a puzzle and watched football. That night, we met my family again for Dinner at Red Robbin's, went to the mall to look around a little and then went to the Manheim Steamroller performance at the E-Center. It was a wonderful evening. During intermission they had young men march around a miniture village and pond, dressed as toy soldiers. We all got a kick out of two teenage girls who tried to get the soldiers to break out of their role and show some kind of emotion. Finally one of the girls kissed the soldier and then dashed off into the crowd. I returned home with Ammon that night so we could go paintballing in the morning and Amy stayed with our girls at her mom's. Amy was really generous to let me do all these things this vacation. I can't help but feel bad for leaving the responsibility of the children with her so much. But, she encouraged me to do these things because she knew we have wanted to do them for so long and haven't gotten around to them until now. I'll try to make it up to her when she goes to Oregon with April Dittrich this Saturday.

Saturday morning Ammon and I embraced the frigid temperature and went paintablling witha bunch of his buddies. It was so much fun and it made me wish I could do this with him more often. I sure do appreciate the relationship we have. He inspires me with his humble yet direct approach to life and to God. He and Liz have both become good friends to Amy and me. That afternoon, the women went shopping again and Ammon and I played the Wii with the girls. Dawn had to leave that afternoon and we just relaxed the rest of the evening. It was so nice to spend so much time with Dawn. It seems like we don't get to spend long periods of time with her usually, so this time was really nice. She has such a great attitude and is so optimistic. I love that about her. We left for home after church the next day. What a wonderful time we had. I sure do love all my family! I am so thankful for each of them.

I said I would post a picture of Amy choking down her brown protein drink, so here it is. This is a fake smile, in case you thought she's enjoying it.


Amy had one migraine yesterday, but that was the first in over a week and it's partly because she hadn't been diligent about drinking her protein drink and snacking regularly. I think we've figured out that she just has to be careful with her hypoglycemia and she will be fine.

Hypoglycemia, Button Button, and Gary's Call

Well, the migraine saga continues... However, we think we may have stumbled across a possible solution. Amy has had a migraine almost every day this past week. She's gone off of chocolate and almost all sugar, thinking these might be triggers. Sunday she asked me to check her blood sugar and it was 48!!! Well, we knew then that something was wrong. She went in to the doctor first thing Monday morning and we'll find out results from all the tests they did by Friday. In the meantime though, her doctor suspects she has hypoglycemia and that when she is pregnant, a lot of the food just goes to the baby and she doesn't get what she needs. The migraines may actually be insulin reactions (now that I think about it, it all fits so well). The headaches afterward could be the same headaches I get after rebounding from a very low blood sugar.

Amy's doctor told her to go on protein drinks. Yep, the ones body builders take to gain muscle weight. Supposedly the protein helps balance out highs and lows. Amy went to a store to buy it and the young man at the store with a puzzled expression asked her, "you want to gain weight?" while glancing down at her bulging belly. Probably wasn't the smartest thing to say and do, but I'm sure it was a confusing situation for him. After being reassured several times that the doctor had asked her to take it, he handed over a big container of "chocolate milk" flavored drink mix. Amy says it's not anything close to tasting like chocolate milk or anything else that tastes good. I'll have to try and get a picture of her trying to choke down the thick brown stuff.

On a lighter note, yesterday was a holiday for me because of Veterans day falling on Sunday this year. One of the few perks of being a state employee is that you get a few additional holidays off that not everyone else gets. I took care of the girls in the morning while Amy was at the doctor and when the youngest two went down for a nap, Amy and I played UNO with Baily. It was really fun to see she is now actually able to play games with us. I hate to say it, but Baily is so much more fun when the other kids aren't around. I think she needs a lot of attention and its hard for her when the other two compete for that attention. I think I need to separate her from everyone else more often and just the two of us go on walks and talk like Dad used to do for me. I sure enjoyed and needed those times and I'm sure she does too.

We basically didn't do much the rest of the day but read books, make dinner and enjoy each other. For FHE we had the girls bare their testimonies, we reviewed a conference talk, and played "button button who's got the button." The girls loved learning a new game and Bethy wanted to be "it" all the time. Only problem was, every time she put the button in someone’s hand she separated her own hands, put them to her sides, looked directly at the person she'd given the button too, and with a big grin would giggle, "button, button, who's got da' button." We laughed and laughed and we all had a great time.

Finally, I just want to mention that we went to Angie and Gary's on Sunday evening after all my meetings. We had a wonderful meal and then after Gary's parents arrived from Utah at about 9:30p.m. we went to the church where he was ordained to the office of a high priest by his father. Then, the first counselor in his stake presidency set him apart to be a high counselor. It was a wonderful experience and I'm sure Gary will give this calling his very best, just as he does for so many other things. He's a busy man, but he's worthy and capable. In our Stake Leadership training for stake conference, this past weekend, our stake presidency spoke about the importance of revelation. I got the feeling that it doesn't matter your past experiences or what positions you've held, what matters, in any calling, grand or humble, is whether you are able to receive revelation. I'm sure Gary will do a wonderful job as he seeks the spirit. I pray daily that I can be worthy and able to be guided by the Holy Ghost in my own responsibilities. We live in a terrible, yet also wonderful day, and the Holy Ghost can certainly be a needed and wonderful companion!

Halloween, Migraines, and Good Friends

Well, Halloween has come and gone. We had a great time. Shane and April Dittrich invited over 100 people to their home to have dinner and they asked us to prepare games for all the kids. It was so much fun. Lots of people brought their crockpots full of stews and soups and others brought rolls. Shane and April provided the Apple cider, cups, bowls and plasticware. After everyone ate, we had the kids go to different stations we'd prepared around the yard. We had popcorn balls hanging from the tree, many of them dressed as ghosts - the kids had to recite a poem and while blindfolded, try to grab one of the ghosts. The next was a pumpkin roll. I had all the kids line up on top of the hill and all at once roll their pumpkins down. The ones who went the fartherst and shortest got a prize. We did it several times and that one was a big hit. We also had mummy wrapping (toilet paper), placing warts on the witch (gum), poison apple bobbing, ring toss on the witches hat, and musical pumpkins (like musical chairs, but the kids just pass pumpkins). I think it turned out really well.







Afterward, we went trick or treating and the kids never wanted to stop (including Lily). Every time we tried to put Lily in the car to get warm, she would point to the other girls and cry. They were so addorable all dressed up in their Lions costumes and everytime Lily was given candy she would say, "ank ooo" (thank you) and the people would laugh and comment about how great the costumes were and how cute the girls were. Several times Bethy was so excited to get to the next house that she would run ahead and I'd have to carry Lily to catch up with her. We all had a wonderful time, but I really think in the future we may have to exclusively do a party rather than trick or treating. I just worry about our kids out in the dark in a world where bad things are happening more frequently. Besides, the party was much more fun.


I forgot to mention that Lily and Bethy were both really sick last Monday and Tuesday. Both of them were throwing up and had diaharia. I thought I was in the clear because I had class on Monday and didn't even see them at all those two days. Well, by last Friday I got it too. I only just made it to work on the bus and after an hour, I knew I had to get home. Amy had to come pick me up and I spent the next 24 hours either in bed or in the bathroom. Yuck again! I sure do get sick easily. Added to this is that Amy has had 6 migraines in the past 8 days. Yesterday was a really bad one and she called me and just babbled, not making any sense at all. I called April Dittrich and Addie Ashton and they came and took the kids so Amy could go to sleep. I was so glad to have good people to call to get help in such a scary situation. Good friends are certainly priceless. I think it scares Baily a little, to sometimes see both of her parents lose it and not be able to communicate. It's really scary too because Amy loses her vision and goes numb. If she's away from the house, she can't drive home. This time really scared us because it was worse than usual and when April arrived to get the kids Amy just hugged her and cried because she couldn't communicate what she was thinking. Amy loves her children, but it sure has come at a sacrifice to her and sometimes really scares us. I sometimes think the Lord gives us experiences like this, just so we can appreciate it when we aren't sick. I need to be more aware of my blessings and grateful for them!

I'm going to put a couple of pictures at the end here that were taken while Amy and I were gone to the temple on Saturday. Margaret Shannon was our baby sitter and it looks like they had fun while we were gone.
Vickie Williamson went to the temple for her first time. It was such a sweet, peaceful, and wonderful experience.Afterward, Oscar was waiting for her and we all went out to eat. It was so much fun and I really respect Oscar. He is a good man who is so willing to give to others in need, he's also a good father and husband. I hope one day he joins the church.

Finally, I just want to comment briefly about how grateful I am for a good Bishop and Bishopric. Since I'm in with the priests, I not only get to see how Bishop Anderson leads us in PEC and Sacrament meeting, but I also get to see how he deals with the boys and the youth. I love to learn from this good man and witness how open and honest he is with the priest aged boys. He is a great example.