Why I Blog

I've been thinking a lot about why I write in my blog and whether or not it was a waste of my time. I received my answer last night while at a session of Stake Conference. The speaker quoted a talk by Henry Eyring, O Remember, Remember. Writing about just our every day activities might be fun and inspiring for our kids to read about one day. I've never really kept a journal for a significant length of time. I think this past year of our blog is the longest period of time that I've written.

I don't have anything profound to say most of the time, just our daily activities. We started our blog because we will never live close to all of the members of our family so this was a perfect way to share pictures with family far away. Now it has become the journal of our adventures. I know there are places you can get your blog printed as a book, but I like the cheaper version. Every few months I copy and paste our blog to Microsoft Word to print and put in a 3 ring binder.

So this blog is for me and my children to read later in life. I have a horrible memory and my 3 year old has an amazing memory, so maybe it's just for me. I write here on my computer instead of a notebook, because it's fun to share our fun times with others.

My thought for the day: I spent 2 hours at Church today and could not tell you one thing that was talked about. I spent the 2 hours chasing my girls, trying to keep them quiet, changing diapers or taking them potty, and keeping them entertained. Luckily I went to the Saturday evening session (by myself while Chuck stayed with the girls) where a member of the Stake Presidency said "sometimes just in the doing will bring blessings." So hopefully just the process of going to Church, making that effort, and teaching by example the importance of going to church every Sunday we will receive blessings. A lot Sundays I feel like I spend most of time wandering the halls with a 1 year old wondering why I am even there. Well I know that our family and especially my children will be blessed because Chuck and I at least make the effort to be there.

Thanks for reading.

Ducks & Glass

Earlier in the week we went to Gypsy Hill Park. It has a huge duck pond and great playground for younger kids. They also have a kids train that only runs on the weekend, so we will have to go back on a Saturday.

The girls and I had such a fun time. Both of them LOVED feeding the ducks. I was surprised that Lucy got into it so much. Almost all of my pictures are just the back of their heads. They could not keep their eyes off the ducks (I wouldn't turn my back on them either - ducks/birds always seem like they might attack at any moment).

Our treat of choice for the ducks was Rice Krispy cereal. For every handful for the ducks, Lucy took a handful for herself. Once our cereal was gone we went to a cute park perfect for their age before heading to lunch.

We met my Aunt Barbara downtown for lunch at Depot Grille next to the Staunton train station. After a yummy lunch we headed to Sunspot Studios to watch glass blowing. It is amazing to watch the glass creations made. We watched a man make a lamp shade. As he was finishing the final touches the glass fell off his pole. I could not believe that it didn't break when hitting the cement floor, but in the minutes that it took him to prep a new pole to work with (the tip has to be heated) the vase that we had watched him create over the last half hour started to shatter. The cool temperature of the cement floor cools that side of the glass faster than the side in the air. The uneven cooling shattered the artwork into pieces. It is a really fun thing to watch if you ever get the opportunity.

Never Forget (Part II)

In the late summer of 2001, I loaded all of my belongings into my truck, left Stanford University, and drove across the country to pursue my dream of working in Washington, DC. I began work at a new, non-profit organization on Capitol Hill on September 4.

On September 11, 2001 I woke up and prepared to go to work at our office three blocks from the U.S. Capitol. For some reason, that day I was going into work later than usual. I was living at the home of Jim and Betty Jo Croft in McClean, Virginia. I was house sitting while they were away.

After preparing a bowl of cereal for breakfast, I turned on the television to watch the morning news just around 9 AM. I watched as the commentators described that a single plane had crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City. At that time it was unclear whether it was an accident or deliberate, but I remember the commentators discussing both. I called my family and told them to turn on the television.

I was horrified as I watched the second plane hit live on television. I have never felt so alone sitting in that house that day. I cried, I prayed, I watched. Within a half an hour, a plane had hit the Pentagon, and I knew America would be changed forever.

Later, I called my cousin who lived in an apartment with a view of the Pentagon and went to visit her. She was very emotional because she and her roommates had heard the plane fly over their building before they saw the fireball exploding from the Pentagon. I spent time with her and our friends as we discussed our feelings. A few days later, we went to the memorial site at the Pentagon where people were placing flowers and pictures. It was morose, but moving.

For the next few months, I drove past the giant flag on the side of the Pentagon a few times each week. Washington, DC was an awesome place to be that year. People pulled together in unimaginable ways. The anthrax attacks later that fall only strengthened the bonds of people in that city.

September 11, 2001 was frightening and humbling, but our country's resolve and brotherhood in the following months was incredibly inspiring.

Never Forget

Today is one of those days that you will always think back to what you were doing in 2001. It brings tears to my eyes just to remember how I felt that day. Today is like to other generations the day The Challenger exploded while so many watched (I was watching at school), or the day JFK was assassinated, or the day Pearl Harbor was bombed. You can't help but remember and you will never forget. Only a few that read this blog I knew in 2001. So here's what I was doing:

Sept 11, 2001 was the day movers were coming to my house in Provo to pack all of my belongings into a truck to move across country to Baltimore, MD. I had spent the night at a friends house in Salt Lake the night before. They had already left for work when I was getting ready to leave and I turned on the TV. I remember sitting on the edge of bed watching in utter disbelief what had happened in NYC a few hours earlier. I left the house to drive the hour in my car listening on the radio to all the speculations and tragedy that was occurring.

When I arrived at my house I plugged in the TV that was on the floor because the entertainment center would soon be on a truck. I sat their on the floor still in awe. The movers arrived, two young guys, only one spoke English, but with a thick Middle Eastern accent. They did not know what had happened earlier that morning. I explained to them what happened. The 3 of us just stood there and watched the TV, while the movers spoke to each other in a language I did not understand. Then one asked "Who did it?" I had no idea how to respond, there were only gross speculations at that point.

My cross country move was delayed due to my roommate Kristen, who was moving with me to Baltimore, being in Seattle. Since all flights were grounded for a few days, she could not fly back to UT. I spent the next few days like many others glued to the TV watching the only thing that was on TV for days. Then Kristen and I ventured on our cross country trip to start our post-college life.

I was not personally affected by the massive loss in life that occurred that day, but I still mourn for those that died. I am grateful for the country that I live in and the freedoms that we have. I am truly grateful for those that maintain our freedoms and their families that sacrifice so that they may do so. Thank You.

Appointment

Since Leland has had multiple Urinary Tract Infections and had some tests show signs of Kidney Infection we decided to schedule a voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG).

Next Friday (19th) she will be slightly sedated, have a catheter, while the doctor watches a dye travel through her bladder and empty. They make sure that the bladder will completely empty and not spit dye (or urine) back into the kidneys (Vesicoureteral reflux).

I know that if there is a problem we are catching it early. There is a possibility it is something she will just out grow or can control with small doses of antibiotics.