Mother's Day guest post

(From Roxy's blog...)


Today has been a wonderful day. Larry made sure my first Mother's Day was very special. I woke up to a delicious breakfast, roses, chocolates, and the sweetest card. I am a very lucky lady!

I've been thinking today about my own mother, who is rather amazing if I do say so myself. She has overcome many challenges in her life to become a strong, faithful woman who is a great example to me. I have come to find a deeper appreciation for her as I move forward in my life. She is a great example of womanhood and I love her very much.


About 4 years ago, my Mom and I had the awesome opportunity of going to Israel together. There were many sacrifices made to make this happen, and I am forever grateful to her and my dad for allowing us this sweet opportunity of sharing in the Holy Land together. It changed everything for us, I think. To the left is probably my favorite picture of all time of she and I.


Momma, I love you! Thank you for being such a great example of love, faith, and courage to me and all those around you.


Happy Mother's Day to all who are mothers, whether to their own children or those around them. What a beautiful day to celebrate womanhood!

Diet Control and the Ward Breakfast

Okay, I shouldn't even post this, but it deserves to be written then deleted, so I don't know how long this post will be up…

First of all, I am grateful for any ward social.  I have been a part of so many and they have a wonderful ability to bring a variety people together.  But, there is that moment when you realize the one person has been washing all the dishes for the entire event, and the two cooking, and the others that go unnoticed working so hard with little or not personal thanks by the body of people in attendance.  

So, I say thank you to the dishwasher, who also acquired all the food and materials for the service activity, to the cooks who didn't realize they would be the cooks, but did so out of tradition, and to those that worked behind the scenes.  

Now, for my story…

The opening prayer was said and the masses lined up for the breakfast that was  prepared.  You know it is the food that brings us out to these events.  Let the quality of the food diminish, so goes your attendance.  We can discuss food anytime, but todays story has to do with the conversation overheard in the chow line..

I was alone today in the line, so I drifted back to my favorite spot, the end of the line.  I casually pick up pieces of conversations when I heard the word "Titanium".  Now, Titanium means something a little different in our family recently.  Daniel received a titanium post for his dental implant and the subject served as an illustrative point in a talk I had to give.  So, when I heard the word, "Titanium" my ears perked up.  I know it uses in the human body, so elegantly illustrated by our doctor.  

So as I stood in line, I listened to the conversation…

"Yeah, they put a titanium ball in there, about 3/4 the size of tennis ball."

That line was okay, but those that followed quickly curbed my appetite…(warning for those with weak stomaches for the words that are to follow)

Then the story progressed…

"I asked the doctor to save the old one for me.  He put it in a plastic bag.  I've got it in my suit case, it's been there for about five weeks.  It's all red a meaty looking. If my wife finds it, she'll throw it out.  What can I soak it in to get all the blood and meat off of it? I'm afraid the dog will get it and take it and bury it in the back yard.  I really want it for a paper weight."

At that point, I about lost it.  Never will I look at white pancakes, powdered eggs, sausage, hash browns, red  punch. and hash browns without recalling the details overheard while standing in line for breakfast.  No wonder ipods are so rampant, you can stick those tiny white buds in your ears and be immune to the topics so freely shared.

Celebrate in Style!

My parents celebrated their 28th anniversary this week. They decided to celebrate with a concert of a selection of songs they've written and arranged over the years. As kids, we were happy to assist in this. We really didn't have to do much planning: put music in front of us and we'll play! It was a special way to celebrate a special couple! Happy anniversary! 

You're invited!

Post by Proxy Roxy

Okay, Roxy did such a great job of documenting our recent life, I defer you there for the moment...

http://larryandroxy.blogspot.com/

(or just click the title…)

Look How We've Changed!

Picture 1 Christopher Set apart as a missionary

Picture 2 Christopher released as a missionary

3 Stories

Okay, Story number 1…

Where did this obnoxious fan come from? I'm sitting in my very own living room and have to leave because the noise is too loud. This fan is booing the other team, making noise to distract shooters, whooshing free throws, yelling at the team to play it like they mean it... I can hardly bear it.

Well, okay, since it's Kristina, I'll hang in there with patience...

(She even wears her good luck Aggie earrings I fashioned for her.)

Story number 2… Maybe we depend a little too much on technology

I was going to Lowe's for the umpteenth time today. Searching for a swiveling handle to match the face plate of an antique dresser in Daniel's newly painted room. (Can you say Red rock themes...) An older man asks if I need any help. I tell him what I'm looking for. We slowly start to walk down the varying isles. I realize at this pace (not knowing what was to come) that I had plenty of time for conversation. I ask him about his day. He says the power had just come back on (clue 2, of what was to come). He said it was pitch black for a while. I find my handle, or at least one that will do without special ordering it, and proceed back to the checkout. I hear over the loud speaker a kryptic code for help at the registers. I see lines like I never have before. I patiently stand at the end wondering what is going. Then it hits me... the computers are down. The previous power outage must have blasted the computers. Varying conversations occur with strangers while waiting in line, including one about driving by and seeing Lowe's in Pitch blackness. I run into some old ward members. Nice conversation. Then someone mentions that I should know the price of my handle. What for? As I move one step closer in the line, I realize that those working the cash registers are writing down bar codes of each individual item that customers have gathered in the store. Then, they are passing those numbers to another worker who then runs through the store checking prices, writing them down on a piece of paper, and then bringing them back to the front. Each customer fills out what seems like a purchase order form for the goodies, prices are then written by hand, added with cell phones (not all technology has been wiped out) and then the question arises multiple times, "What is the tax rate?" I can't believe it. I joke, "I know what your next meeting is going to cover!" Then, after waiting what seemed an eternity, my single purchase is multi paper worked, assuring my name and phone number are taken in case some mistake is made, (What? am I going to come back to the store because the charged me 2.07 for a 2.08 item?) Then I say I want to pay cash. Okay who has the key to the drawer? Let's see, 2.07, times the tax rate equals 2.20. Great. I tender them 3 dollars and the poor lad gives me back 60 cents. Now I see why they wrote down my vitals... I mention that 60 cents doesn't quite cover the change. The key bearer laughs, my change is collected then redistributed.

When did we grow so dependent on technology that we can't even make correct change when it is left to us to calculate? And such an easy one, at that..

Story 3…

Okay, special meeting for priesthood leadership. Let's have it at 6:00 am, on the commencement of Daylight Saving Time, the night after a late WAC championship which was watched with a die hard and vocal fan…

Until tomorrow

goodnight, sleep tight

ps

come back in about a week and see how we've changed....