Tricia's Page

25 Manners Every Kid Should Know by Age Nine

2011-02-28T13:31:00.000-07:00

25 Manners Every Kid Should Know by Age Nine

Pictures of James

2011-02-15T19:14:00.000-07:00

http://triciaturner.shutterfly.com/babyjournal?role=-1

1 Year

2011-02-06T08:14:00.002-07:00

James turned 1 on Friday. I can't believe how fast it went. I will post some pictures soon. My blog is being badly neglected, unfortunately.

Thanks for Understanding...

2010-12-17T11:52:00.002-07:00

It's nice to have a blog where I can vent sometimes.

I went into an unnamed store today, with the baby in the carseat, and the carseat in the cart. I left that store and went into a neighboring, smaller store to quickly look for something I wanted to get from that store. I kept the baby in the cart because it was easier than carrying the carseat with 22 pounds of weight, plus my bag from my purchase. I knew that this other store does not have their own carts available to customers, but I went in with the cart anyway.

No one said a word to me while I was in the store. I did not knock over anything. I was extremely careful to get in, get what I needed, and get out, while avoiding blocking pathways as much as possible. I paid for my purchase and was leaving the store when the manager-looking lady walked in the store. I was literally there for 5 minutes or less. As I was walking toward the doors to leave, she opened them for me (which I could have done myself, but I accepted her help of opening the doors as a kind gesture), and said "Sorry, we're just not set up for carts."

I responded, "Thanks, it's fine. We managed to get in and out and not knock over anything."

I knew that she had been alluding to the fact that she'd rather I didn't bring a cart in the store. I'm not a social ignoramous. But were I not savvy to social cues, I may have just assumed she was apologizing for not being set up for carts. I may have thought, how nice of this lady to open the door for me, and to apologize for not having more room for a shopping cart!

However, what she said next is what really ticked me off. She didn't even give me a chance to respond to her next comment. It was timed just right so that I couldn't respond without creating a scene. It's as if she wanted to make sure to get the last word in - as if these three magic words were relaying an entire discourse on how customers shouldn't bring shopping carts into this store, and leaving no room for any sort of rebuttal or reply. Just as I was leaving and the door was beginning to close behind me, she said, "Thanks for understanding."

Huh? At this very moment all of my acquiescence to social cues went right out the window, so to speak. Yes, I can understand social cues, and even play along with them. I would have been fine had the lady's last comment had been "sorry, we're just not set up for carts." I knew that, and would not have brought a cart in again. But somehow this comment just irked me. It would be one thing if she, or anyone, had actually asked me to leave, and then said, "thanks for understanding," or if she had asked me to leave my cart outside while I did my shopping, and then said "thanks for understanding," but what does it mean when you say "sorry, we're just not set up for carts - thanks for understanding."

Am I supposed to understand that you are sorry? Or am I supposed to understand that you are just not set up for carts and that it's ok? I know what she meant, but if she wants to be clear that she doesn't want carts in her store, she needs to be clear in how she says it. "We prefer not to have carts in our store, maam, would you mind leaving it outside next time you shop here?" would have been a far more clear way of making her point. What if I were that social ignoramous who didn't catch on? I just might be back tomorrow with my unnamed shopping cart and lots of shopping to do.

Besides, is the store just not set up for carts? Or is it also just not set up for things like wheelchairs? They could have a huge lawsuit on their hands if they aren't set up for things like that. Maybe I had better report them, and that they're "just not set up for" wheelchairs.

Wireless Christmas Tree Lights

2010-12-01T10:42:00.002-07:00

Dear Inventors:

I am the type of person that likes lots of lights on the Christmas tree. Unfortunately, I am also the type of person that hates to see the wires. I can truly thank my mother for that one. And she can blame it on her father. I always put the lights on the tree growing up, and I always heard her say, "hide the wires. Pappy always made sure you couldn't see any wires."

It may not sound like it, but it is actually a fond memory.

Anyway, because of this, and because I like lots of lights, it takes me forever to put the lights on the tree (which, by the way, must also be real). I start at the trunk, wrap the lights around the branch to the tip, then wrap back down to the trunk. Then I wrap around the trunk til I get to the next branch, and I do the same thing again. I usually use about 300-500 lights on a small 2-3 foot tree.

I have been waiting and waiting for the invention of wireless Christmas tree lights, and still wait in vain. I found that someone applied for a patent back in 1992 for this idea, but didn't renew it this year in March when the patent expired. I don't know if it just wasn't possible, wasn't feasible, or was a health risk.

So, if someone could please have a break-through and invent lights (tiny lights, not the big ones that each have their own battery) that you can put on the tree individually, without wires, I would pay good money for them!

Sincerely,
Christmas Tree Light Freak

He Puts the "Tub" in Bathtub

2010-11-30T10:57:00.002-07:00

James is pretty tubby, as you can see. Here he is loving his nightly bath.

He literally sat up straight and sucked in his belly for this picture. I don't know where he learned that one!

My Mom Taught Me How To Shake Hands

2010-11-15T10:43:00.000-07:00

Check out this great MSN video: How to Shake Hands

First Six Teeth

2010-11-03T10:47:00.002-06:00

You saw the pics of James' first two teeth. That was less than one month ago. He now has four fully budding teeth and two more just breaking through! He is going to have a mouth full of teeth by the time he's one. And the funny thing is which teeth he's getting in what order.

First, the top front tooth, then the next top front tooth. Third, the top tooth next to the front teeth, fourth, the bottom tooth, fifth, the other bottom tooth, and sixth, the eye tooth!

Crazy kid! He may have more that I can't see on the other side where the cleft is, but since I can't see it as well it's hard to tell. Pics to come soon.

First two teeth

2010-10-11T20:21:00.002-06:00

James got his first tooth, followed shortly by his second, both on top. For Christmas he will have both of his two front teeth!

One bottom tooth has broken through, and I expect the next one to come in soon also. I guess it is normal for kids to get their bottom teeth first. Why doesn't it surprise me that this kid would be different even in this?!

Potty Training

2010-09-25T19:36:00.000-06:00

I thought we could get an early start on potty training.

My Pig Pen

2010-09-20T11:34:00.002-06:00

Do you have one of these in your home?

I have two. Their names are Cloe and Daisy.

One Point Twenty-One Giga-Watts?!!!

2010-09-02T12:29:00.002-06:00

My Ears Are Burning

2010-08-30T11:34:00.003-06:00

Have you ever noticed someone's ears and thought, "wow, those are funny looking!"? Well, how do you know that yours aren't? You can't really see your own ears. I've always wondered what my ears look like to others, and now I know. Apparently, mine are among those that are funny looking!

Lynn's ears are perfectly shaped:

And mine have this weird square shape on the inside:

Oh well - Thank goodness I'm not the one that has to look at them all day long.

Meet James' Real Dad

2010-08-22T13:07:00.003-06:00

Lynn looks like his brother, Chris, and I thought that James looked a little like him, too. But when we saw Chris this weekend at a family wedding, I realized just how much James looks like his uncle.

New Pictures

2010-08-06T11:44:00.002-06:00

We went to the temple last Sunday to walk around the grounds and James enjoyed himself while we were there.

Some friends of ours suggested pulling the baby around in a laundry basket as one form of entertainment as he gets older. He's still not so sure.

What Tree Is It?

2010-08-02T11:10:00.003-06:00

This tree is only about 6-8 feet tall at the top, and about 4 feet tall at the top of the trunk. I am very curious to know if anyone can help me identify it.

Lynn's Surgery Update

2010-07-27T19:55:00.004-06:00

This is what Lynn had going on in his heart. His hole was 35 mm - that is the same as the width of camera film. Part of the opening was covered by the flaps, but part of it was large enough that blood was free flowing between the two walls all of the time, rather than only when he exerted pressure. The size of the opening that allowed free flow was about 15 mm. That is huge!

This is what the device looks like that is now in Lynn's heart.

These are two sketches of how the device is put in... This device is a little different than the one that Lynn has, but it is put in the same way. It should take about 2 years for the flesh to completely grow over the stent and heal.

His doctor's website: sorensenmd.com

Lynn's Lines - What a difference a year makes

2010-07-24T08:17:00.003-06:00

What a difference a year makes? Last July 24th we knew Tricia was pregnant, but we weren't sure the little guy or Tricia (as it turned out) would make it. Tricia had been rushed to the emergency room the night before with what turned out as multiple blood clots in her lungs...not fun in case you were wondering.

Now we have a healthy baby boy, who has filled our lives with joy. If that wasn't enough, Tricia let me sleep in this morning and actually cooked me breakfast. It was the closest thing I've ever gotten to breakfast in bed (she burst into our room and asked what I wanted on my toast - then told me to hurry to the kitchen before my food got cold). Looks like Pioneer Day today is going to be a good one...much better than the last.

Laundry

2010-07-22T15:16:00.002-06:00

I have always told Lynn to check his pockets before he throws things in the dirty laundry. Look what I found this time!

Paradox

2010-07-08T14:34:00.002-06:00

Today I actually saw a woman, dressed in exercise garb, walking.... and smoking! What?!

Lynn's Lines - Angel Moroni a World Cup Fan?

2010-07-01T12:08:00.002-06:00

Wonder who Angel Moroni is pulling for...as for me and my house we will cheer for Spain - vamos España!!

This is What's Going On in My Backyard

2010-06-27T23:08:00.000-06:00

Firsts...

2010-06-20T21:37:00.007-06:00

There is a first time for everything, I guess. Here are James' so far: His first...

Family Photo

Bath

Photo Session

Indoctrination

Hair Loss

Time To Be Dressed Like a Girl By His Older Girl Friends

Blowout

Solid Turd

Smile

Blessing

Surgery

Smile (again)

Pool Time

Applesauce

I just can't wait for his first swear word! I wonder how long that will take! Probably not too long.

Eat Your Heart Out Mark Ingram

2010-06-18T10:06:00.001-06:00

It Made Me Laugh

2010-06-15T15:35:00.005-06:00

I love the way they have made this Elmo doll move just like a person who is laughing harder and harder and can't stop.

What Grosses You Out?

2010-06-15T09:47:00.003-06:00

I've had several discussions with friends before and since having James regarding boogers, poop, vomit, and blood. I have always said that I can't stand boogers and that poop doesn't really bother me too much. I've had to deal with vomit from the dogs doing it from time to time and while it's pretty nasty, it's still not as bad as boogers. Blood is something either you can take or you can't. I can.

Even though people say, "with your own it's different," it's not. And I will never get used to boogers.

So if I were to rank these four from the very most disgusting thing to me, to the least disgusting, it would be like this:

1. Boogers
2. Vomit
3. Poop
4. Blood

If there's one thing I like to get rid of, or clean out of my son, or anyone for that matter, it's earwax. Don't ask me why. I love getting a big chunk of it out of there. It's just so awesome!

So, leave a comment and rank these four for yourself. And if there is something that you like to clean, or get rid of, for whatever reason, let's hear about that, too!

A Day of Reflection

2010-06-10T10:32:00.007-06:00

Many people feel like God and Science do not mix. If you ask me, they can go hand in hand. I believe that if it weren't for God, we wouldn't have the advances in science that exist today. He gave us gifted individuals with extraordinary minds and guided them to discoveries that would not have been made otherwise. I am so grateful for the modern medicine that exists today and the hand of God in bringing it to us.

(not sure why the picture is not straight - sorry)

One year ago today was the day that a microscopic structure called a blastocyst was placed inside my uterus. Previous to that day it had grown for 6 days, and was then frozen for almost 2 years. It took only a few hours to thaw and become viable. Not all embryos survive to 6 days. Then, not all embryos survive being thawed. Then, not all of them survive once placed in the womb. Then, not all of them grow to full term. I had two of them placed and one survived. We now call him James.

Stupid

2010-06-10T10:28:00.002-06:00

While I was taking a walk this morning I overheard this conversation between two people discussing a garden fixture:

Person A: "What is that?"
Person B: "It's a fountain."
Person A: "Oh, it's a fountain. So is it for water?"

Person B's response was much kinder than mine: "yes."

My response would have been: "No, it's one of those new air fountains. It uses air. Want a refill?"

Lynn's Lines - And The Award for Best Picture Goes to...

2010-06-08T12:30:00.007-06:00

I'm a pretty lucky guy to be able to come home to these two every day...

Bedtime

Going to Church

OMG vs. XMAS

2010-06-03T09:10:00.004-06:00

We posted about X-mas a while back being an abbreviation for Christmas that a lot of people are uncomfortable with.

Lynn explained: "In Spanish the word Cristo (Christ) is abbreviated as X. For example the name Cristobal is often written as Xbal, or Xbl (I won't list all the abbreviations). In German it's the same. When the name Christopher is it's written as Xpher or Xffer."

Even though Lynn offered that explanation, it still bothered me to use the abbreviation, "xmas," just as it bothered many of you. For same reason, it bothers me when people use the acronym, "OMG."

The oft-used acronym "OMG!" is used to express shock and awe. I have noticed lately that people who would not normally take the Lord's name in vain have begun using this expression. Perhaps they are thinking in their head "Oh My Gosh" when they type it. However, to me, it will always imply that you are taking God's name in vain when you use it, because that is how it is generally known to be used.

So please, don't use "omg" anymore. If you can take the time to spell out "Christmas," then take the time to spell out "oh my gosh" you will make me a very happy soul.

Soft As A Baby's Bottom

2010-05-29T21:38:00.002-06:00

Baby bathrobes don't always cover everything...

Post-Surgery Update

2010-05-06T22:29:00.003-06:00

James is doing very well since his surgery. Everyone in the support group said it's amazing how fast such little babies heal, and it's true. I am amazed at how quickly James has healed and recovered from surgery.

What a handsome little devil!

This looks like a neat movie

2010-05-04T16:10:00.000-06:00

Diapers, Baby Care, and Parenting Information at Pampers.com

Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour

2010-04-28T22:13:00.004-06:00

Is there anyone out there that has been to a Farrell's? I used to go there all the time when I was a kid. There was one near our home in Downey that we went to, but I guess it's not there anymore, because the Farrell's website doesn't list it among its locations. My 8th birthday party was there. There was a player piano there that I loved to stick dimes into to get it to play. And they had a little candy store at the front of the restaurant that always enticed me. When it was someone's birthday, they would ring a loud bell, and I think bang a drum. It was lots of fun. Wow, I can't believe I remembered all of that. I can see it all in my head still. In fact, this picture from their website could almost be from my birthday party. It looks just like I remember it, and the styles seem just right for the time period.

And here's a modern picture of the candy shop inside the restaurant.

Reminiscing makes me feel old...

Coincidence?

2010-04-27T15:21:00.002-06:00

How weird is it that the Pottery Barn would be selling beds with our two dogs' names on them?

Lessons in Patience

2010-04-21T10:43:00.003-06:00

James' mouth was very sore this morning, and he would not take his normal nipple and bottle, so I got to feed him with an eye dropper. At first I thought I was going to grow old and die before he ever finished eating, but eventually he ate all 4 ounces of his formula, one squirt in the side of the mouth at a time, and I haven't grown any more gray hairs than I already had.

Sugery, Before and Right After

2010-04-20T08:23:00.002-06:00

I Just Can't Get Over How Cute This Is!

2010-04-16T20:35:00.000-06:00

It's the latest fashion...

2010-04-08T10:36:00.002-06:00

Daisy has an infection in her "special" area, so she gets to wear this satellite dish for a couple of weeks to keep her from licking it. The down side is her sad face. The up side is our TV is getting better reception now!

First Smiles...

2010-04-03T12:04:00.004-06:00

James is just starting to smile more, and this is the first time I was able to get it on camera...

What Exactly is a Blowout?

2010-03-21T22:42:00.004-06:00

Main Entry: blow·out

Pronunciation: \ˈblō-ˌau̇t\

Function: noun

Date: 1822

1 : a festive social affair
2 : a bursting of a container (as a tire) by pressure of the contents on a weak spot
3 : an uncontrolled eruption of an oil or gas well
4 : an easy or one-sided victory
5 : a valley or depression created by the wind in areas of shifting sand or of light cultivated soil

OR THIS:

I had to take a picture of his first blowout. Secretly, I had hoped that blowouts only happened to people who can't properly secure a diaper around a kid's legs. Now I know that either I am one of those people, or they do actually happen to everyone!

And by the way, it seems as if definitions 1, 2, & 3 all apply to this situation!

Oh, Poop!

2010-03-13T22:41:00.001-07:00

James' poop changes from yellow to green and back with almost every other diaper. I wondered if this was common. Here is something interesting that I found:

Tarry black poop, your baby's first poop, is called meconium. You'll never see it again once it passes.

Mustard poop is common for breastfed babies. Supposedly breastfed babies make sweeter smelling poop. I don't know about you, but I've yet to meet a poop I'd call sweet.

Green poop is normal in the realm of baby poop. "Green", "poop", and "normal" all in one sentence. It's so surreal.

Orange poop is also par for the course. I don't know if it's a par 3 or par 4. It's definitely not a birdie.

Yellow poop - hello yellow! (It's late, I'm tired, and I'm running out of cutesy ideas.) Yellow is normal.

Multiple color and color-changing poop - as long as the colors are listed above (sans meconium reference), there's nothing to worry about. Baby poop changes colors on a frighteningly regular basis.

Chalky white poop could indicate that there is no bile from the liver to digest food. Call the doc.

Tarry black poop, when NOT the first poop, could mean there is blood in the digestive tract. Call the doc.

Bright red blood in poop means blood has been expressed very close to the anus (i.e. no time to turn black.) Call the doc.

Blue poop can only mean one thing...

And for a smoking caterpillar

2010-03-07T09:32:00.002-07:00

I had to laugh when I read the synopsis of Alice in Wonderland. This is what was listed as reasons that the movie is rated PG (I've added the italics):

PG for fantasy action/violence involving scary images and situations, and for a smoking caterpillar.

The Long Road

2010-03-04T15:44:00.016-07:00

The road that led us herestarted many years ago...

In 2004 Lynn graduated from BYU and we decided to begin trying to get pregnant and begin a family. When a year had passed and nothing had happened, we decided to start checking into the reasons why.

It was 2005. First, Lynn got tested. Everything was perfectly normal with him. He wasn't the reason we weren't getting pregnant. Having ruled that out, I started going through tests to see if the doctor could find something wrong with me.

One of the first tests I had done was actually a surgery called a laparoscopy. Laparoscopy is direct visualization of the peritoneal cavity, ovaries, outside of the tubes and uterus by using a laparoscopy. The laparoscopy is an instrument somewhat like a miniature telescope with a fiber optic system which brings light into the abdomen. The doctor did not find anything unusual during this procedure, except for some scar tissue on the ends of my fallopian tubes.

Another test I had done was called a hysterosalpingogram, or HSG. An HSG is a special kind of x-ray that involves giving an iodine dye via the cervix into the uterus and fallopian tubes and then taking x-ray pictures. The purpose of this test was to look at my fallopian tubes to see whether or not they were blocked or clogged. They can tell if this is the case by how much or how little dye runs out the ends of the tubes. In my case, my tubes were mostly blocked on the ends, near the ovaries.

This blockage of the tubes is what was seeming to cause our fertility problems. My uterus was normal, my cycle was normal, and my ovaries were normal. The egg, or ovum, that was released each month simply couldn't make its way to the uterus because the pathway was blocked from the very beginning.

At this point, we were getting ready to move into our new home, and we didn't begin looking into fertility treatment for a couple years. We still had hope that maybe we could get pregnant the old fashioned way. So we waited.

Once we decided that it was finally time to take serious action, it was 2007. We began seeing a fertility specialist during the middle of the year. By September we were undergoing the embryo transfer. It took some work to get to that point, though.

This was a very common thing to see me carry across the street everyday, where Erin, my good friend and neighbor, would give me a variety of shots, depending on the schedule from the doctor.
Sometimes they were subcutaneous, meaning short needles, and sometimes they were intramuscular, meaning long needles. Some stung, some didn't. I had at least one shot every day for several weeks, sometimes more than one shot. Plus I had to go in to the doctor to get blood draws regularly so that they could monitor my hormone levels. I had bruises on my arms from the blood draws and on my butt from the shots.

These were just some of the hormones that I was taking:
When the time came, I took one final shot that made my ovaries release the eggs that had been growing as a result of the hormones. Within twelve hours from then, the doctor retrieved those eggs from my body. At the same time, Lynn had to make a "donation" of his own. The doctors then took the eggs and the sperm and put them together to fertilize. The fertilized eggs, now called embryos were allowed to grow for 3-5 days. After 5 days, the doctor inserted two of the embryos into my uterus. The others (3 were left) were frozen. We were very excited and hopeful. We saw no reason why this wouldn't work.

For the next two weeks, I was supposed to wait and then take a pregnancy test. But I started bleeding before getting to that point. It was a terrible feeling. The doctors said that it might not mean anything, but I knew deep down what it meant. The embryos had not attached to my uterus, and my body was shedding the thick uterine lining that had built up over the last several weeks from the hormones I was taking. It meant that I wasn't pregnant.

After this huge let-down, we decided to wait before trying again. We looked into adoption. It didn't feel right. When we felt like the timing was right again, we decided to try fertility treatments again.

This time, the doctor had me take another HSG. He wanted to make sure the blockage hadn't progressed, which could potentially harm any implanted embryos. To our surprise, the blockage seemed to be gone. The test showed open tubes, as the dye poured right through. So, rather than spend thousands of dollars on in-vitro, we decided to try IUI, Intrauterine Insemination, better known as artificial insemination, which was considerably less money. We did this twice during the summer of 2008. Neither time was successful.

So once again we were left to struggle with our emotions and whether or not to keep trying and risk the continued ups and downs that come with the entire process. We decided again to take some time off.

Finally, in spring of 2009, we were ready to try one more time. This time we would be taking the frozen embryos that we had from the 2007 cycle, and implanting two of them into my uterus. Frozen cycles are never as successful as fresh cycles, and since we had failed so many times before, we were very cautious with getting our hopes up. In fact, we were so unsure of what would happen, that we planned a trip to Hawaii for a few weeks after the transfer, knowing that it would either be a celebratory trip, or a trip to drown our sorrows. We knew that if this cycle didn't work, we would be devastated and would need an outlet and some way of releasing some of the stress and tension that IVF causes. A vacation seemed like the best way to do this.

I had to take shots again, though not as many this time. In addition to shots, I had to take a few other medications as well. The transfer was on June 10. The two weeks that followed felt like the longest two weeks of my life. Finally, on June 24th, I got the news. I was pregnant! I couldn't believe it! I called Lynn right away and told him the news. While we were excited, we were still very cautious. I was obviously not very far along. Anything could happen still. We kept our excitement to a minimum. We decided to wait a while before we started telling people.

June 30, the day before we left for Hawaii, I started getting morning sickness. I was sick the whole time we were there. Everything smelled like garbage. I threw up many times. Six days after we got there I started having severe cramping near one of my ovaries. I called the doctor and he wanted me to go in to an emergency room to have an ultrasound just to rule out an ectopic pregnancy. They found nothing wrong, except that I was dehydrated. This is probably what caused the cramping. The good thing that came out of this was that we got to see the heartbeat for the first time! At 6 weeks and 6 days, all that showed up on the ultrasound was a little blob, with a beating heart in the middle of it. Amazing.

We returned home from Hawaii, not a moment too soon for me, since I had been so sick, and I was still taking progesterone and estrogen shots and supplements, as per the regimen that the doctor had me on.

On July 24, around 11:30pm, I suddenly started having severe pain in my chest when I took a deep breath. I went to the emergency room and the doctor found that I had multiple blood clots in both sides of my lungs. I was in the hospital for a couple days to get the pain under control. We don't know for sure what cause the clots, but there are a number of factors that could have played a part: I had recently traveled and sat for several hours on a plane, I had been lying in bed for days doing absolutely nothing because I was puking so much that I was too sick to get up and do anything, I was taking extra amounts of estrogen which can be a factor in increasing the risk of clots, and I was pregnant which also increases the risk for clots.

Whatever the cause, once I got home, if I hadn't been in bed before from vomiting all day, I was in bed now because I simply didn't have the energy to do anything else. I could barely brush my teeth without getting out of breath. I couldn't take a shower because it took too much energy. I had to force myself to get up and walk around for five minutes every hour, even though I was out of breath by the end of those five minutes.

As a result of the blood clots, and so that I didn't get any more, I had to start taking blood thinners. The only blood thinner that was safe to take while pregnant was a shot, and I had to take it twice a day.
Lynn had been giving me my fertility shots since we went to Hawaii. Now he had two more each day to give me. Just when I thought I would be done with my shots (the hormone shots only had another couple of weeks to go), I now had to start taking new ones, and would have to continue them until 4 weeks after the birth of the baby.
We filled up four or five of these gallon water jugs just from the blood thinning shots, plus some sharps containers before we started using the water jugs.
Now, as for the nausea, I tried just about everything to get rid of it so that I could eat something. These didn't work:
Out of the two nausea medications I tried, phenergan and zofran, only the zofran worked. Unfortunately, I had to battle with my insurance company to get them to pay for it on a regular basis, since I needed to take it every single day at a high dose. I was able to get it paid for, but it was a pain. I took one zofran every single day for the entire pregnancy.

I was still pretty sick and lost weight in the beginning of the pregnancy. All I could keep down at times was Ensure. My puke bucket became my best friend. Every morning I would sit up and the very first thing my body did was throw up. This lasted for about half of the pregnancy. The last half of my pregnancy I threw up much less often, but I was still nauseated most of the time, and just about anything could make me vomit.

Still, I began feeling better for a few weeks at the beginning of my third trimester. My lungs were beginning to heal so I could breathe again, I was puking less frequently, and I could eat more normal foods again. Of course, just as soon as I started feeling better, I started feeling the discomforts of pregnancy: heartburn, swelling, painful joints, difficulty sleeping, itching...

Here are all of the various remedies I took throughout my pregnancy, from gummy vitamins and folic acid to tums and benadryl for itching.
The visits to the OB got closer and closer, from every 4 weeks to every 2 weeks, and then came my first weekly visit. I had been itching badly for a week or two, and I had become quite swollen with water retention. The girl at the office took my blood pressure as usual - it was extremely high. My urine had protein in it. My OB came in and looked at me and said that he wanted me to go to the hospital. He said he could buy me a day or two, but that I was going to have this baby soon. I was 36 weeks and 5 days.

I went to the hospital and got sicker, my kidneys started shutting down, my urine was brown, I had a massive headache, and I was puking every ten minutes from the magnesium sulfate they put me on during the night to help my blood pressure.
The doctor started the process of inducing me, being careful about the timing because I had to be off of the blood thinners for 24 hours before delivering. By morning, when I wasn't progressing very quickly toward a natural delivery, but I was progressing further in the pre-eclampsia, I asked the doctor to please take out the baby. He agreed readily and scheduled the c-section.

James was born at 1:46pm on February 4, 2010. I was 36 weeks and 6 days.

Now I am on a different blood thinner, a blood pressure medication, and have just had the last day of blood thinner shots.
Of course, the struggle was worth it. Look at that face.
The road is not over yet. James faces multiple surgeries throughout the next 18 years, which will start as early as when he is three months old and go as late as his teenage or adult years. I never thought I would be able to say it, but now that I have held my sweet little boy in my arms, and stared at his precious little face and hands and feet for hours, and have come to learn what it means to love a child, I will say that he is worth all of what we went through to get him here, and whatever challenges lie in the road ahead.

Some more of James

2010-02-26T15:49:00.000-07:00

Thank you Brandon for taking the pictures of our little guy!

There Are No Words

2010-02-12T09:43:00.001-07:00

Lynn's Lines - Who Do You Think You Are?

2010-01-15T08:03:00.003-07:00

So, I've know about this show for a while, but now it's finally going to air. In late March NBC is going to air about 7-8 shows about genealogy...no, I'm serious genealogy!

The idea is to follow some celebrities around while they learn about their family history. Ancesty.com hopes that it will expand the genealogy/family history market, but we'll see. I'm curious if I'll be the only one watching :)

Some notes from NBC's website:

"...n addition, the new alternative series "Who Do You Think You Are?" from Lisa Kudrow will premiere Friday, March 5 (8-9 p.m. ET) and the new game show "Minute to Win It" joins the lineup on Sunday, March 14 (8-9 p.m. ET). Also, "Friday Night Lights" will begin a new broadcast season on NBC on Fridays (8-9 p.m. ET) starting April 30 after "Who Do You Think You Are?" concludes its run."

Hmm...I wonder if it will be back for a longer second season?

Fancy

2010-01-14T12:30:00.001-07:00

I've eaten at a few fancy restaurants in my day, but nothing that would make use of all of these pieces of silver. I would like to eat somewhere at least once in my life where all of these things would be used throughout the course of the meal.

Check it Out

Lynn's Lines - A Baby Shower at Work...

2010-01-11T14:45:00.007-07:00

Really wouldn't be a shower without a chocolate cake :)

The only picture where I don't looked freaked out...it really hit me last night that I have no idea how to be a parent; I hope Tricia has it figured out better than I do.

My favorite gift - yes that's a Bronco Mendenhall signed football...is my tie crooked?

Tricia's favorite gift - she really liked the little cleats on the feet.

It was really cool that my co-workers did this for us - way unexpected, but a lot of fun!!

Serves them right...

2010-01-06T17:58:00.003-07:00

You may have seen this picture along with its story about the anti-whaling boat that had its front sheared off by a Japanese whaling ship. Whose to blame is the least of my worries. While I don't agree with killing whales, I also don't agree with what these anti-whaling groups do to prevent the whalers from doing what they do.

These guys were out there risking themselves and their expensive property (from donated sources most likely) and put themselves in harm's way. It serves them right.

Lynn's Lines - Mr. Peeps Comes to Town...

2009-12-21T19:38:00.003-07:00

Mr. Peeps came to our home again...this year it was determined that Lynn was nice, and Tricia wasn't (it's my post, I can say what I want).

Here are some shots of him watching us...can you find him?

Family Baby Shower - Thanksgiving

2009-11-28T09:43:00.003-07:00

Since all of the family on Lynn's side was together for Thanksgiving, they threw me a baby shower earlier than most baby showers probably happen. My friend who is the etiquette queen informed me that I needed to post pictures of some of the things I got, including the crib, even though its sheets haven't arrived, because that is what pregnant women do - they post pictures of empty cribs, nurseries, etc., in anticipation of the coming of the baby. So here you go....

The is all the stuff. Lynn's brother gave us their old crib.I thought this was funny because it looks like I'm going to cry.
This is a good "pregnant" shot.
A decoration from the treat table.

Lynn's Lines - Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-24T15:03:00.005-07:00

I'm thankful for many things...here are a few:

A healthy wife
A good job
Family and friends
The gospel of Jesus Christ

Wanted to share this with everyone - from Mormon Messages:

Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

Dogs and Babies

2009-11-18T17:44:00.002-07:00

Here is something that I am really looking forward to... the dogs meeting the baby. These are precious.

Some Humor

2009-11-04T10:26:00.007-07:00

I was going to post about how I've been feeling lately, so I tried to find some pictures that related. I ended up finding a bunch of humorous comics that relate to the pregnancy and a little bit of how I have been feeling. Mostly they're just funny. Enjoy.

GETTING PREGNANT

BEING PREGNANT

NAMING THE BABY

Lynn's Lines - A Kickin' Good Time!

2009-11-01T19:54:00.002-07:00

I apologize, but you'll probably get a heavy dose of baby stuff over the next few years...

This morning Tricia called me into where she was sitting to feel her tummy...the baby was supposedly kicking. I reluctantly assumed the position, kneeling by her side with my hand on the belly. I rolled my eyes, because every other time I've done this little routine nothing has happened. This time was different - to my shocking surprise the little tiger kicked!! It was awesome!!

On a side note: Tricia seems to be doing a little better. She had a few weeks of good breathing, but now the little guy is pushing on her lungs making it tough to breath again. She smiles and laughs from time to time, which is good - only down side is that I have to make a fool out of myself to get her to do it. She hates it when I cook food (smells still bug her), so if you want to invite me over for dinner I'd gladly accept :)

Lynn's Lines - It's a BOY

2009-10-19T15:51:00.004-06:00

Well, it's official - we're having a boy!

Tricia is now 21 weeks and 3 days pregnant - the longest 5 months of my life (can't imagine what it's been like for her). Please notice the 'boy part.'

Given all our difficulties up to this point it was nice to hear the Dr. give us the good news that our baby is healthy and growing nicely. He's going to be a handsome little devil...check it out (here's his profile)!

Although we are elated (can't quite seem to stop smiling) we are acutely aware of others that are dealing with infertility. We will continue to keep you in our prayers - thank you everyone that has kept us in their prayers!

Lynn's Lines - FamilySearch Indexing; a night of indexing

2009-10-05T22:38:00.004-06:00

In case you didn't already know; this month is family history month (my favorite month of the year). To honor this great month I am inviting everyone to join me (remotely) for an evening of indexing - yes I know, very exciting!!

Details:

- Time and Date: 9 Oct 2009, 8pm to 10pm MDT

- Everyone is invited to participate. If you haven't already please register as a user and install the FamilySearch Indexing software before the great event.

I love date night when I get to choose what we are doing! Question: is it a date when 1 of the parties is sleeping?

Lynn's Lines - A couple of things that have me scratching my head...

2009-09-23T20:20:00.002-06:00

A couple of experiences lately have left me wondering...maybe someone can help me understand what I perceive as a little abnormal.

#1 - Last weekend I had 4 separate flights: SLC to Phoenix, Phoenix to Ft. Lauderdale, Ft. Lauderdale to Houston, Houston to SLC. As you all know you complimentary drinks are offered to passengers. Most airlines have Coke products, and have some other juices to choose from. I was left wondering why so many people around me ordered Tomato Juice...I know the flight attendant had to go and get more tomato juices, because they had run out. My question: if you could pick any drink, why choose tomato juice? Does it settle the stomach? Tomato juice just gives me heartburn - I usually take a ginger ale, water, or diet coke.

#2 (Warning some might find this gross) - we use 'public' restrooms at work. One day while washing my hands out walked someone from a stall with a book in hand. Did that guy just walk out of the stall with a book? Unfortunately I've seen a couple of others do the same thing...really reading in the restroom at work? Is that even socially acceptable?

SKUNK!

2009-09-09T09:42:00.002-06:00

I keep the bathroom window open - something I'll be rethinking from now on. I woke up at around 10:30pm (I go to bed early these days) to the smell of skunk! Lynn closed the window for me, but it was too late. The smell had already permeated the entire bedroom. I tried sleeping with kleenex stuck in my nostrils, but my mouth kept drying out and I had a tough time breathing that way. Plus, the smell managed to get through the kleenex anyway.

At 4am I finally went into the other bedroom, where Lynn has been sleeping. It was hard to get used to sleeping in the same bed again, but it was much better than continuing to smell the terrible skunk odor!

Now, this morning, after carefully checking the outside air for smelliness, I opened all the windows in the house in order to air it out. I hope it all disappears soon. I think my nostrils are lined with skunk smell right now.

Little by Little

2009-09-08T11:37:00.002-06:00

So today's speech by the President of the US was not as overtly controversial as many people and parents had contended that it would be. It didn't seem to have any obvious political agenda or indoctrination, as people were afraid it would. And before I say how I felt about it, let me just say that I would have let my children watch the speech because I believe that they should learn to show respect to the President, regardless of whether or not they believe in his policies. Then I would have talked to my children about it afterward and discussed my concerns.

Now, my opinion of his speech, which I both read last night online, and listened to live today on C-SPAN, is that while he did not overtly attempt to instill his political ideologies on the students of America, the speech did have socialistic undertones. He spoke of the responsibility students have for their country over and over. He talked about their responsibility to their communities, and to their government. And he talked about the expectations that he had, he himself, Barrack Obama, of the students to fulfill their responsibility. It's the phrasing that bothers me. How about saying that our nation, our country expects the students to succeed? instead of "I" expect you to succeed.

Slowly, little by little, we are being attacked, without even realizing it. Here a speech, there a speech. Each time, becoming a little more used to the idea of things that have a socialistic ideology.

Listen to this clip from Glenn Beck. He uses a great example of Halloween, and he also includes a clip by Ezra Taft Benson, which you may have heard already, but it is so telling of what is happening to our nation. I'm sorry I couldn't get the video to load onto the page. Click on the link to take you to the clip - it's worth your time to think about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMzLgSuBr54

Lynn's Lines - A few things I can't live without, part 2...

2009-09-01T12:21:00.003-06:00

I've passed on a few rounds of golf to take care of Tricia over the last couple of months, but now football season is right around the corner she's going to need extra help. I'm not sure what this image means, but I think it's trying to say that BYU is going to beat Oklahoma by 4 points.

Lynn's Lines - week 13 recap

2009-08-29T07:38:00.004-06:00

I guess it's about time to recap each week of our little adventure. This week has been pretty tough, but we're getting used to it.

Sunday - Tricia woke up with some serious cramping - we were both pretty scared, but the pain went away within about 30 minutes. I returned home from the temple dedication to find my wife had some how made her way to nurse Erin's house - neither one of them looked very good.
Monday - Tricia went to the doctor at the request of nurse Erin - turns out she had a bladder infection...cake walk given the mess we've been through so far. Thanks Zandra for taking Tricia to her appointment - you're a lifesaver.
Tuesday - The antibiotic for the bladder infection started to make Tricia feel really sick - she can't keep any food down.
Wednesday - Two dr. visits...1. Internal medicine - good news is that Tricia could have gotten an injection for her bladder infection (that wouldn't have made her sick) Bad news is that no one gave her that option two days ago. Her blod clots will 'hopefully' be absorbed by her body over the next several months, which means that she won't be able to take deep breaths for a while (if they aren't absorbed by her body, she could have damaged lungs the rest of her life...fun). She will also be on blood thinners for the duration of her pregnancy and most likely a few months after the baby is born. 2. OB visit - listened to the baby's heart beat - pretty cool - the OB also said he/she was kicking...in other words baby is doing fine. Tricia needs to stop losing weight and start putting on the pounds. She must also get a flu/swine flu vaccination as well as a pneumonia vaccination - sounds fun.
Thursday - I thought I was going to play golf after work until Tricia asked me to come home early and take her to get the antibiotic injection/shot. Yes, I ditched my golf game and took her to the dr. office to get the shot....at least she didn't puke in the car.
Friday - got home from work around 5pm, ran errands until 8pm - Tricia had a pretty good day - she beat Bubble Bobble on Nintendo (old school), and is well on her way to conquering Metroid - first time this decade...I believe.
Saturday - will be spent cleaning (house isn't going to clean itself), doing laundry, and waiting on my wife...hope it's a good day for Tricia.

Forgot to mention that I still get to give her two injections a day - so if you see bruises around her mid section it's from the needles.

What Does It Mean?

2009-08-27T09:52:00.002-06:00

There was a duck sitting in our backyard this morning when we got up. Is there some Chinese proverb or something that says something about this? It was just sitting there, in the grass, and looked quite content. Lynn walked out and scared it off before letting the dogs out. Daisy likes to kill birds if she can catch them, and we didn't want to witness that first thing in the morning.

Timeline from my Perspective

2009-08-11T17:20:00.002-06:00

A million years ago... started getting shots and taking pills to prepare for the embryo transfer (thanks Erin for all of those shots)
A thousand years ago... started puking from the morning sickness
A hundred years ago... got blood clots and added two new shots each day for the blood thinners, but finally ended the other shots (it seems I will go through the entire pregnancy sticking myself with sharp pointy things)

I am very grateful to be pregnant, and I'm grateful to know that it's because I have a growing baby inside of me that I'm sick, but I will be really grateful when the nausea goes away! My lungs are slowly getting stronger each day, which helps a lot with feeling better, too. Thanks for all of the prayers and thoughts. Lynn enjoys the dinners he's been getting - I still can't eat much other than soup. Thanks to everyone for those, too.

Lynn's Lines - more news....

2009-08-10T13:02:00.004-06:00

Some have asked for more news on Tricia's most recent post which announced that we were/are pregnant. Here's the time line of events (sorry I'm a genealogist, this is how we think - in time lines that is):

June 10th two embryos were implanted into Tricia's uterus. This was a frozen embyro transfer - our second try via invitro
June 24th Tricia took a blood test to determine if she was pregnant - she was...
July 2nd we left for Hawaii (as it turns out to celebrate)
July 7th (still in Hawaii) we rushed to the ER to rule out an ectopic pregnancy - turned out to be our first ultra-sound...one bun in the oven confirmed - no ectopic pregnancy. It should also be noted here that Tricia's morning sickness really kicked in while in Hawaii - you may have noticed the daily updates ending after about 3-4 days.
July 13th - our first scheduled ultra-sound...still one bun in the oven. Tricia really sensitive to smells.
July 16th - Lynn plays golf in Park City - golf is always worth mentioning...
July 23rd - Tricia has severe chest pains on her left side. We made our way to the ER again, this time in American Fork, only to find out that she had multiple blood clots in both of her lungs.
July 29th - met with our O.B. for the first time...9 weeks 5 days pregnant. Dr. Anderson comments that the fast heartbeat is consistent with a girl...we can only hope.
Aug 5th - first appointment with a specialist to manage Tricia's blood thinner medication...good news - it's not as expensive as we originally thought it was going to be.
Aug 10th - Tricia still really sick with morning sickness and blood clots. She isn't in any pain, just difficult to take deep breaths. She doesn't like talking to many people, because she gets really tired really fast. We are now 11 weeks 3 days pregnant.

We are extremely grateful for all the prayers, thoughts, and help that has been extended in our behalf. We are unbelievably happy that we have made it this far, but know we still have a long way to go. Our hearts continue to go out to those that also struggle with infertility, and will always hope and pray for you.

News...

2009-08-01T12:05:00.001-06:00

I'm Pregnant!

day 4... LOST

2009-07-07T02:35:00.007-06:00

North Shore sunset

LOST beach
Dharmaville!
Dharmaville
Is that Vincent's ball???
hidden beach

To market, to market, to buy a fat pig...

2009-07-07T02:19:00.002-06:00

For all of you out there who make fun of me for calling it a "market" when I go grocery shopping (you know who you are... Zandra), here is proof that I am not crazy. Besides, I've heard of Smith's Marketplace, but never Smith's Grocery Store.

Like a kid again...

2009-07-05T21:41:00.003-06:00

The last time I was in Hawaii I was 21, with my best friend, and we went everywhere, did everything, and never got tired. At least, I don't remember getting tired. We went shopping, we went snorkeling, we flirted with guys (how could we help it?), we hiked, we drove, we ate gallons of ice cream...

Now, 12 years later, Lynn and I leave the house around 11:30am to go do our stuff for the day, and we are totally exhausted by like 3 or 4pm! And that's stretching it! For sure I've got a good two hours in me, but anything past that is asking for too much.

And we're not even talking about strenuous stuff, here. Snorkeling is totally wearing me out! There's no way I can even think about hiking up some volcano crater - I can barely make it through the sand from the road to the shore!

I am drinking plenty of water, and staying hydrated, as everyone always says is so important. So much so that I need to go back in the ocean just so that I can pee again! Ha! Warm spots, gotta love 'em.

Anyway, I am realizing that I am not the young chick that I used to be, and that I just don't have the energy that I once did. Maybe it's my age. Maybe it's the weather here. Maybe it's a phase. Who knows...

Day Three...

2009-07-05T21:35:00.003-06:00

We went to see the temple today. It was pretty even with the renovation going on.

We saw this turtle on the beach basking in the sun. There was another one nearby, too, as well as several others swimming just off shore. It was really cool! This was at a beach called Lanikea.

We also went to Turtle Bay but didn't get any pictures there. Nothing different from what we've put up so far, anyway.

Day two...

2009-07-05T02:05:00.004-06:00

I wasn't sure about posting this pic, but I figured, what the heck!

Lynn goofing off at the Dole Plantation.
Lynn at a beach we went to carrying the chairs.

Hawaii, after one day

2009-07-04T00:56:00.005-06:00

At the beach near where we're staying.

At Punchbowl National Cemetery, overlooking Waikiki.

Foster Botanical Gardens.

Foster Botanical Gardens.

Portland airport, during our 5 hour delay.

Lynn's Lines - The Oreo Test

2009-06-27T21:15:00.002-06:00

We've been eating a lot of Oreos at work lately (don't tell Tricia)...a co-worker found this and thought I'd pass it on. So, the main question now is: what category do you fall in?

The Oreo Test

Psychologists have discovered that the manner in which people eat Oreo cookies provides great insight into their personalities. Choose which method best describes your favorite method of eating Oreos:

1. The whole thing all at once.

2. One bite at a time.

3. Slow and methodical nibbles, examining the results of each bite afterwards.

4. In little feverous nibbles.

5. Dunked in some liquid (milk, coffee...).

6. Twisted apart, the inside, then the cookie.

7. Twisted apart, the inside, and toss the cookie.

8. Just the cookie, not the inside.

9. I just like to lick them, not eat them.

10. I don't have a favorite way because I don't like Oreos.

Your Personality:

1. The whole thing:

This means you consume life with abandon; you are fun to be with, exciting, carefree with some hint of recklessness. You are totally irresponsible. No one should trust you with their children.

2. One bite at a time:

You are lucky to be one of the 5.4 billion other people who eat their Oreos this very same way. Just like them, you lack imagination, but that's ok, not to worry, you're normal.

3. Slow and methodical:

You follow the rules. You're very tidy and orderly. You're very meticulous in every detail with everything you do to the point of being anal retentive and irritating to others. Stay out of the fast lane if you're only going to go the speed limit

4. Feverous nibbles:

Your boss likes you because you get your work done quickly. You always have a million things to do and never enough time to do them. Mental break downs and h0neyt0adsuicides run in your family. Valium and Ritalin would do you good.

5. Dunked:

Everyone likes you because you are always up beat. You like to sugar coat unpleasant experiences and rationalize bad situations into good ones. You are in total denial about the shambles you call a life. You have a propensity towards narcotic addiction.

6. Twisted apart, the inside, and then the cookie:

You have a highly curious nature. You take pleasure in breaking things apart to find out how they work, though not always able to put them back together, so you destroy all the evidence of your activities. You deny your involvement when things go wrong. You are a compulsive liar and exhibit deviant, if not criminal, behavior.

7. Twisted apart, the inside, and then toss the cookie:

You are good at business and take risk that pay off. You take what you want and throw the rest away. You are greedy, selfish, mean, and lack feelings for others. You should be ashamed of yourself. But that's ok, you don't care, you got yours.

8. Just the cookie, not the inside:

You enjoy pain.

9. I just like to lick them, not eat them:

Stay away from small furry animals and seek professional medical help – immediately.

10. I don't have a favorite way, I don't like Oreo cookies:

You probably come from a rich family, and like to wear nice things, and go to upscale restaurants. You are particular and fussy about the things you buy, own, and wear. Things have to be just right. You like to be pampered. You are a prima donna. There's just no pleasing you.

BTW - if Tricia would take a break from her computer games she might actually blog!

Lynn's Lines - Happy Father's Day Pops

2009-06-18T16:23:00.005-06:00

Thanks for your example of integrity, love, and devotion to God and family. You're the best!

The Enabler

2009-05-23T10:03:00.003-06:00

Let me first say that I think people with credit card debt need to deal with the trouble they've gotten into and pay off their money to the companies they owe it to. The government should not be bailing them out, or trying to help protect them because it feels "sorry" for them.

Now, in an article you can find the following:

"The president noted that nearly half of all Americans carry a balance on their credit cards, and that their average balance is more than $7,000.

Obama decried the “uneasy, unstable dependence” that a minority of card users have on credit.

“So we’re not going to give people a free pass, and we expect consumers to live within their means and pay what they owe,” Obama said. “But we also expect financial institutions to act with the same sense of responsibility that the American people aspire to in their own lives."

I wish that I could write a note to the president, and that he would read it, and take it to heart. I would say, "If you 'expect consumers to live within their means and pay what they owe' then you had better start setting a better example yourself. Because all of the government spending, bailouts, and debt that you have caused this country to accrue in your very short term in office is not teaching the American people by example nor is it demonstrating any sense of responsibility, like the responsibility that you think Americans should have in their own lives."

Seriously, how can the president that we have now talk about financial responsibility? He's telling Americans to be responsible with their money, yet he's bailing them out left and right when they aren't responsible with it. He's what is known as an enabler. And an enabler is the worst type of person to have on your side when you are trying to get back on your feet, for an individual or a nation.

Spain a Week Later

2009-05-19T12:45:00.005-06:00

Between bad internet connections and falling down some stairs I haven't been able to post any updates for the last several days.

Sunday - I went to church in Bilbao, Spain where a member of our church (big genealogist) offered me a database of 1.5 million baptisms for one entire diocese. This has taken him over 20 years to do - truly a labor of love. From Bilbao I drove to Llanes (see pic), then onto Oviedo.

Monday - Spent 8 hours in the historical archive (after I fell down some stairs in my hotel). Pretty big book, huh? - good thing it had an index :)

Tuesday - Spent the morning researching in Oviedo, then drove for 4 hours to Salamanca (see pic)

Hope all is well back home - thanks for taking care of Tricia while I'm away.

The One Reason I Would Go To Spain

2009-05-16T00:16:00.002-06:00

To see this:

Lynn's Lines - 2009 Travels Day 1 - El Burgo de Osma

2009-05-14T11:55:00.005-06:00

I learned a couple of things today...maybe you already knew these (maybe I did too), but it's always good to review:

If you want others to know you are Mormon wear a BYU hat. I decided to wear my BYU hat during my flight to Spain and had a couple people mention it. Person #1 - "Go Cougs!!" (as we were boarding the plane. Person #2 - "You from Newport Beach?" Me - "Ah, no sir I'm from Salt Lake City." Person #2 - "Oh, I have some friends from Newport Beach that are Mormon and wondered if you were from there too." While waiting for our baggage - I guess to this guy all Mormons are from Newport Beach.
Baggage Claim is tough on the emotions - I swear that the Madrid airport is the slowest airport in the world to get you your luggage. It's bad enough that only 4 flights arrived at the same time, but they put us on the same baggage carousel too (all 4 flights!!). I guess the other dozen or so didn't work. It's tough to watch and wait for your bag - you see a green suitcase and you get excited only to see someone happily snatch it up - guess they had a green suitcase too. 45 minutes later I was on my way.
If you are taking a taxi make sure you have the specific address - I had the street address where I was supposed to pick up my car (Church offices in Madrid), but not the specific office number - I guessing the taxi driver thought I was an idiot, but I found it.
GPS systems rock! - so long are the days of maps and trying to figure out which autovia or street to take. Now all you have to do is follow directions, which can sometimes be more difficult than you think, especially for a man.

I did take some pictures - hope you like them, and honey - I love you and I'll talk to you later...btw what's all this business about Jacob and Esau?

1. Ayllón, Segovia (on my way to El Burgo de Osma)
2. El Burgo de Osma - some silly street
3. El Burgo de Osma - Castle Ruins

Jacob and Esau

2009-05-14T08:58:00.004-06:00

In last night's season finale of Lost, a character that has been talked about for several seasons, but never seen, was finally introduced to us. His name is Jacob. He was first seen, dressed in white, conversing with another man, dressed in dark clothing. This other man's name was not referenced. Knowing nothing about the show other than the fact that the writers often reference biblical characters in their work, what would be your guess as to his name?
And, do people not read the Bible anymore, or go to church??! Do you know how many people out there in the blogging community have never heard of Esau?

Our Government

2009-05-05T17:48:00.002-06:00

Lynn's Lines - A few things I can't live without

2009-05-04T17:12:00.005-06:00

I spent the weekend in Ft. Lauderdale...don't get too excited I spent the whole time at a genealogy conference (that is not code for beach). It's funny that I had to go to South Florida to remind me of some of the things I can't live without...for example:

Clock/watch - for some reason I have to know what time it is at all times, especially in the middle of the night when I wake up.
Direction - oh thank heaven for mountains - it is very uncomfortable for me not to know which direction is North, South, West, or East. South Florida is flat, and if you can't see the coast you are lost.
Spanish - if you plan on visiting South Florida anytime soon you may want to brush up on you Spanish...some are pushing for a new state to be created (in So. Florida) where the official language would be Spanish.
Air conditioning - A/C is a lifesaver in a hot and humid place - wish I had had one on my mission
SportsCenter - I think the next time my wife leaves some where I'm going to call the cable company and order ESPN. I think that hotels should only have one channel - ESPN, or if they want to offer other channels, they could offer ESPN News, ESPN 2, and ESPN Classic.

On an unrelated topic: if a man asks you to dinner and a swim (at the hotel pool), is he asking you on a date?

Survey Time

2009-04-30T22:52:00.002-06:00

I was eating kettle corn tonight and thought about creating a little poll. Look at the sidebar on the right to participate.

Happy Birthday To Me

2009-04-25T10:24:00.002-06:00

I am 33 today, for all that would like to know. I thought 29 was tough. This is a tough birthday. I still love having a birthday, because it's like my own personal holiday, but in my life plan that I made when I was 12 years old, I was already supposed to be done having kids by now. Oh well. There's Someone Else who knows better and has made a life plan for me that I don't even understand. I will just have to have faith that it's a better one.

Lynn's Lines - BBQ for Tricia's Birthday

2009-04-19T16:29:00.005-06:00

I'm putting together a BBQ or Tricia this week. Originally we were shooting for Saturday night, but the weather doesn't look promising, so we've landed on Wednesday.

What: BBQ for Tricia's birthday (anyone know how old?)

Where: Turner's

When: 6pm

Who: Everyone is invited - we'll provide drinks, chips, side salad, and a cake (any preferences)? - PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN MEAT!

Lynn's Lines - Happy Easter...

2009-04-12T09:37:00.002-06:00

101 things

2009-03-31T09:49:00.004-06:00

At least one of us has done the things in bold... you get to guess which one!

Here are the answers for who has done what...

1. Ridden in a train. Lynn
2. Slept under the stars Both
3.Played in a band/orchestra Tricia
4. Visited Hawaii Tricia
5. Watched a meteor shower Tricia
6. Given more than you can afford to charity Both
7. Been to Disney World Tricia
8. Climbed a mountain Both
9. Held a praying mantis Both
10. Sang a solo Tricia
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris Lynn
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch Both
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning Both
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables Both
19. Had a letter to the editor published (does an actual article in a genealogy magazine count?) Lynn
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight Both
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when not really ill. Both
24. Built a snow fort Lynn
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping Both
27. Run a Marathon
28. Seen the running of the bulls
29. Seen a total eclipse Tricia
30. Watched a sunrise Both
31. Hit a home run Lynn
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language Lynn
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied Both
38. Been on a draw-bridge
39. Gone rock climbing Tricia
40. Received a traffic ticket Both
41. Sung karaoke Both
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt Lynn
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant Tricia
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight Tricia
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted Tricia
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Been a story on the news (what about in the newspaper?) Both
50. Seen a wild mustang
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling Tricia
52. Kissed in the rain Both
53. Played in the mud Both
54. Gone to a drive-in theater Tricia
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class Tricia
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen Tricia
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies Tricia
62. Gone whale watching Tricia
63. Received flowers for no reason Both
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma Both
65. Gone sky diving Tricia
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter Tricia
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy Both
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar Tricia
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Won a contest Lynn
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle Tricia
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person Tricia
80. Published a book
81. Been in a cave Both
82. Bought a brand new car Both
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper Both
85. Read the entire Bible or other religious book Both
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating Both
88. Had Chicken Pox Both
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous Lynn
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one Both
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Been to the top of the Gateway Arch
99. Been stung by a bee Both
100. Seen Mount Rushmore in person
101. Learned to play an instrument Tricia

LOST?

2009-03-27T09:11:00.004-06:00

I follow a LOST blog and last night I posted a theory to the theory section of the blog - something that I don't do very often. This morning I found nearly two dozen comments, almost all of which are positive, and over 100 votes for my theory, giving it 4 1/2 stars out of 5!

I couldn't post a link to the theory, so I copied and pasted it here for your reading pleasure, along with the comments that have been made so far. If you would like to visit this blog, you can find the link in my favorite links on the right-hand side of my blog page - just scroll down a little and look for it with some of my other favorite links.

Why Big Ben Hates Sayid But Not Kate by taturner
Posted by DarkUFO at 4:38 PM (Comments: 22)

Think back to season 3 when Bea Klugh gave Michael a list of names for him to bring back with him to act as a trade for his son, Walt. Those names just happened to be Jack, Kate, Hugo, and Sawyer. After being captured by Ben and the others, Ben treated them each differently. I will get to Sayid in a bit, but lets first review how Ben treated each of the ones on the list.

He allowed Kate to take a shower, and get cleaned up. He gave her a nice dress to wear, and he had a very "civilized" breakfast with her. He treated her well.

He treated Sawyer like an animal from the very beginning, and even convinced him that he had been implanted with a pacemaker that would cause his heart to explode if he got too excited. Ben was obviously exercising his power and control, albeit not physical control, over Sawyer.

He put Jack in a dark chamber, did not allow him to know where he was, or what was going on, and specifically would not interact with him himself. He had Juliet do all of the interactions instead. He would have nothing to do with Jack for quite sometime.

He let Hugo go. Apparently, Ben's purpose here was to have Hurley warn the other survivors not to come looking for them, but whatever the reason, the point is that he let Hurley go.

Now, lets think about Sayid. The majority of Ben's interaction with Sayid took place off the island, after they Oceanic 6 had been rescued, and after Ben had moved the island and landed in Tunisia.

Ben finds Sayid, mourning the recent loss of his wife, and, in his very quintessential way, convinces Sayid to avenge her death. Ben begins turning Sayid into a hitman, a hired killer, seeking the death of those on a "list," in order to "protect" his friends. This becomes Sayid's only mission in life, his only purpose. Then one day, Ben tells Sayid that his purpose is over. That there are no more names on the "list." Sayid is left not knowing what to do, and to begin where he started at his wife's funeral; only now he is so full of hatred and murder, that he is a changed man - depressed, sad, and ruined.

So, Ben ruins Sayid's life - on purpose.
Ben treats Kate with respect and what seems like thankfulness.
Ben treats Jack with deference.
Ben demonstrates control over Sawyer.
Ben releases Hugo.

Why does Ben do all of these things? Because they did all of these things to him when he was 12 years old!

Sayid shoots little Ben, changing him and his outlook forever. Ben never forgets Sayid, and always holds a grudge.

Kate tries to help little Ben when she finds out that he's been shot, and he remembers this kind treatment, and repays her with what kindness he can.

Jack won't have anything to do with helping little Ben, even though he probably will have an opportunity to help, and Ben will remember this deference showed to him by Jack.

Sawyer is the head of security, in control of everyone in Dharma, and Ben remembers this control that Sawyer had, and despises it and Sawyer for it, and decides to exercise his own method of control.

Little Ben always loved Hurley's pancakes and waffles, and recognized him as someone that was harmless and kind, and remembers this quality when he released him at the dock.

Ben remembers the survivors from his childhood when he is older because they were there when he was a kid. They were always there.

The survivors don't remember the island when they first crash because it is their future selves that go back to the 1970's.

The survivors have not changed the 1970's. They ARE the 1970's. They have CAUSED 1970's events on the island.
.... Yes this is a LONG theory and not just a question Theory by taturner

139 votes

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22 Comments:

The Unabeefer said...: Not bad actually... I am not quite sure how MUCH he remembers them, but even if it's so simple as that they REMIND him of these people from his past (not making the connection right away), it still would be enough to be subconscious.

As for Sayid.... something I slightly recall from the Ana Lucia episode: You never forget the man who shot you.; Thursday, March 26, 2009 4:55:00 PM
cleve-lander said...: me like this theory
nice work; Thursday, March 26, 2009 5:02:00 PM
CMR5 said...: Then why are their "future selves" the same age as their 70s selves?; Thursday, March 26, 2009 5:08:00 PM
Lost Dbutz said...: I don't disagree with this theory by any means, but I do sense a slight amount of spoiler information in here. Just sayin...; Thursday, March 26, 2009 5:10:00 PM
David J said...: Um.. I think something that we would have to keep in mind... is that Young Ben thinks of Sayid as a hostile/native. Of course we have the "Whatever Happened, Happened" idea implanted to us but just can't help but think that Sayid could have only escalated what Ben is willing to do for.. himself in the end.
But ya, quite an interesting theory to think about.; Thursday, March 26, 2009 5:15:00 PM
MidnightDraven said...: CMR5 because if they were to crash on the island in 815 as 60 year olds and go through the events which take them back to the 70's they would be in their 60s there and end up not being able to do anything.; Thursday, March 26, 2009 5:16:00 PM
Helisabeta said...: I love your theory...
I just don't get Big Ben's actions towards 815-Jack. I think he's being mysterious there... He's always had a cat and mouse thing going on with Jack. Perhaps in the 70s it was Jack who kept pestering Little Ben, trying to let him in on some things and then changing his mind...; Thursday, March 26, 2009 5:27:00 PM
Alan said...: This post has been removed by a blog administrator.; Thursday, March 26, 2009 5:40:00 PM
DarkUFO said...: Alan: FFS man, what part of "DO NO POST SPOILERS IN THIS SECTION OR YOU WILL BE BANNED " that is displayed at the top of EVERY page did you fail to understand?; Thursday, March 26, 2009 5:43:00 PM
bizzarefall said...: I thought this post seemed a little spoilerish - i really liked it!
I actually scrolled up to make sure I wasnt on a spoiler page.

I mean really we don't know that Ben survived. I was thinking back to when Locke was checking out the bodies in the room and was told Ben was dead. Maybe that is just his meat and when he was killed in the 70's he ceased to live in the future.

The island being kind of off the grid could explain why his body was still there -; Thursday, March 26, 2009 7:00:00 PM
Becky said...: MidnightDraven said...

" they would be in their 60s there and end up not being able to do anything."

You obviously haven't met my 75 year old dad! :D

To taturner...
This is a GREAT theory. I guess we have yet to see how Jack and Kate treat young Ben. And I think an additional reason for Ben's treatment of Sawyer is because of jealousy. He loved Juliet and still does. I am guessing that Juliet tries to be kind to young Ben and Ben sees Sawyer as being in the way.; Thursday, March 26, 2009 7:08:00 PM
March Madness said...: This post has been removed by a blog administrator.; Thursday, March 26, 2009 7:20:00 PM
DarkUFO said...: March: I add this line above EVERY comments box for a reason.

"If you have a problem, do NOT post it in the comments, email me here."; Thursday, March 26, 2009 7:25:00 PM
Brad said...: @bizzarefall

We are never told that Ben is dead. I think they would have mentioned that, but he only falls under the category of "the people who got hurt," as said by Caesar.

As for being killed in the 70's and ceasing to live in the future...well...that just doesn't make sense, as far as Lost has established it's "rules" of time travel.; Thursday, March 26, 2009 7:46:00 PM
Alan said...: Nothing that I wrote was a spoiler. It is called observation and theory. I don't know any spoilers and don't plan to write any out if I did. I'm sorry if my comment upset anyone. I'm just trying to add to that mass number of theories and comments on those theories.; Thursday, March 26, 2009 8:07:00 PM
ralph said...: It did not upset me,and sorry Dark-I don't want to over step my bounds but all that stuff about Ben,Jack,and Kate are all in the summery of the TV Guide.I mean...it's not really a spoiler.Anybody knows that some form another there gonna save Ben,it's like when ABC was running the promo for the finale in season four were Sawyer jumps outta the helicopter and everybody thought Sawyer was gonna die(Y'knew they were not gonna kill Sawyer off and their not gonna kill 12 year old Ben-it's a Diseny/Buena Vista show-not killing a kid on ABC),y'all know this already people...don't act like it's a shock what I'm saying.; Thursday, March 26, 2009 11:07:00 PM
ralph said...: ..It's also like the three promos you always run the day before....all of them are shown in the first ten minutes of the show(which I don't know about you but those never really ruin anything for me) and then we have 35 more minutes of LOST greatness BABY!!!; Thursday, March 26, 2009 11:12:00 PM
bobbi said...: the part about jack maybe not wanting to help save little ben makes sense on the fact that, if you recall, when ben and jack are talking about jack doing the surgery on ben, jack says, "you want me to save you?" or something to that affect and ben replies, "no, i want you to want to." if jack could have helped save ben in the 70's and didnt maybe ben was trying to make jack make up for it in 2004 one way or another. then again, if, in the 70's ben knew jack as a workman, he wouldnt know jack was actually a doctor in the 70's when he first met him. lol, does that make sense?; Friday, March 27, 2009 4:11:00 AM
James N said...: brilliant; Friday, March 27, 2009 8:49:00 AM
Monika said...: I am with Ralph on this. Sorry but I know this like since they landed in the 70s. Everything was heading to this direction. And btw he treated Sawyer and Kate with the same respect but the difference was that she was a lady. And Ben is a gentleman. The other thing she treated Jack ok too. The most important line was: JACK, I WANT YOU TO WANT TO SAVE MY LIFE.
What does this line tell us. It tells us a lot. Especially now since we know that he is shot. There are two good doctors on the island. And one of them is not a surgeon. So that leaves us Jack who already saved bens life but this time something tells me he wont do it. Thus the line above in the future (season 3). He knew Jack decided not to in the 70s.; Friday, March 27, 2009 10:05:00 AM
ralph said...: Thanks Monika.; Friday, March 27, 2009 12:43:00 PM
taturner said...: For those who say my theory seems spoilerish, it's all based on the promo I saw after the episode this week, and the upcoming episode summary for next week, and my guesses as to what will happen. Thanks to all those who like the theory. It's the first one that has had such a good response!; Friday, March 27, 2009 3:08:00 PM

Most People Probably Already Do This

2009-03-26T20:02:00.003-06:00

I love the website Stupid.com. There is a lot of stupid stuff that you can buy. Most of it is clean, but some of it is a bit off-color. Anyway, I ran across this today and thought it was worth sharing.

How to Traumatize Your Children

The unfortunate thing is (and of course why the book is funny)... I think that a lot of people in the world today really do these things, and really do damage their kids. Maybe I should buy a bunch of copies of the book, and when I see people treating their kids like they do in the book, I'll hand them a copy and say, "Here. This book will teach you other ways that you can further traumatize your child."

Lynn's Lines - Seeking Social Etiquette Advice

2009-03-20T19:25:00.002-06:00

Earlier this week a co-worker, a female, needed some help on a project. As we discussed work I couldn’t help noticing a single hair sticking out of her chin. I didn’t say anything, because I didn’t want to embarrass her and I figured she would notice it sooner or later. Well, today it’s still there, and it's a little longer... if it’s there Monday do I tell her or just let it be? What's the etiquette here? I'm not sure I can handle it much longer.

Get Green... A Green Thumb, That Is

2009-03-19T15:53:00.004-06:00

As spring approaches, I thought I would share one of my favorite gardening forums with you. I have never had a question that I haven't been able to get the answer to through this forum.

CLICK HERE

Check it out, I think you'll like it.

Tablets or Caplets?

2009-03-09T09:14:00.005-06:00

Have you ever been confused by which is which? Do I want the tablets or do I want the caplets? bought a bottle of Vitamin C pills the other day, which cost $8, by the way, and of course, the bottle is not see-through. So I can't tell whether I was getting the long, oval-shaped pills or the round pills. I have a hard enough time swallowing pills as it is, but then to try to swallow a round pill... I usually gag.

Anyway, I looked at the picture on some other bottles to see what I thought I was getting. Apparently I either picked up the wrong thing, or different companies call their pills by different names. I thought I was getting something that looked like this:

I thought these were called tablets, because another bottle said tablets and had a picture of something like this. So I picked up a bottle of 300 tablets of Vitamin C. Only, when I opened my bottle, my pills looked more like this:

So apparently, caplets are the long, oval-shaped pills and tablets are the round ones. Even as I write this, I have to keep looking at my pill bottle to see if I'm getting it right.

So now, in order to help me swallow, I have to use one of these:

Fun stuff, huh?

Doggie Day Care

2009-03-05T23:19:00.003-07:00

I took the dogs to day care today for the first time ever. The first visit is free, so don't go getting all uptight about me spending tons of money on our animals. And, don't worry, I won't be taking them on a regular basis either. I just wanted to try it out to see if they would like it, and if they would do well. If we ever need to board them we will have a place to go.

Anyway, as I dropped them off, I couldn't help but feel a bit like my mother must have felt the first day she dropped me off at preschool. Excited for me, but a little sad to leave me there by myself, unsure of how I would do. I felt a little silly standing there watching them being taken away to play with the other dogs, as they stared at me, as if to say, "where are you going and why are you leaving us here?" As I tried to pry myself away from the glass door that separated me from the sweet canines I felt a tinge of sadness and loneliness, and hoped that they would make new friends easily and have a fun time.

It turns out that they did have fun, and they did play, and they did make new friends. In fact, they must have played so much while they were there, that they were exhausted when they got home, and went to sleep for the night, not even attempting to get Lynn or I to take them to the p - a - r - k. Truly, a tired dog is a good dog.

Lynn's Lines - FamilySearch Indexing...are you doing it?

2009-02-24T19:36:00.003-07:00

Well, I've held back until now on writing something related to family history/genealogy, but thought I would pass this along. The following was printed in the Deseret News, and was sent to me in a work memo. Keep in mind that all the records indexed via FamilySearch Indexing end up on FamilySearch's Record Search website.

Indexing in Iraq: a way to relax

By Michael De Groote

Mormon Times

Published: February 19, 2009

Dan Bradford didn't want to waste what little free time he had between 13-hour shifts in Iraq's Baghdad International Zone.

So he did volunteer indexing of census records.

"We are in a closed environment. There aren't any theaters, restaurants or malls," Bradford said. "When I got home at night I wanted something to do that was different than just watching a video or DVD."

Bradford is retired from the U.S. Army and works as a consultant with a defense contractor in Iraq. He is also a servicemen's group leader in the Manama Bahrain Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — the only stake in an area that includes Iraq.

During a telephone interview while he was home for the holidays in Woods Cross, Bradford said he loaded up his new laptop computer with indexing software from FamilySearchIndexing.org before he arrived in Iraq. He found it was not only easy, but also relaxing and satisfying.

"And so I started doing (volunteer name indexing) and found it enjoyable and relaxing in many ways, which probably sounds incongruous," he said.

Indexing is a volunteer effort directed by FamilySearch to create electronic easy-to-use search indexes for census and other original documents.

A volunteer uses the software to download one section, or "batch," of records to index. The volunteer looks at a photograph of an original document on the computer and types in the words. The software links the typed letters with the various portions of the document to create an interactive document that can be searched by typing in keywords.

According to Bradford, the software makes the process easy to learn and fun. He enjoyed it so much that he began challenging himself to see how many names he could do in a month.

Internet connections can be slow in Iraq. Every morning, Bradford would set his computer to download a few batches. When he came back for lunch, he could begin going through names.

"I found shortcuts that could make it go a little faster and easier," he said. "I found that I could do old census batches in about 12 to 13 minutes."

Bradford's personal challenge resulted in him completing 10,000 names in one month.

That was back in June, and he now tries to do about 1,000 names a month. Bradford has indexed a total of about 17,000 names so far.

"It's not as complicated as you think it is going to be. It doesn't take as much time in general — especially after you have done a couple batches and see how it works," Bradford said. "It's interesting and you see names and you … wonder what that person was like."

Bradford left Jan. 6 to go back to Iraq. It is a safe bet that several thousand more names will be indexed before he returns home to Utah in May.

-end of article-

Have you indexed lately?

If only out of reverence for Him who made me.

2009-02-23T12:58:00.002-07:00

The last post was so popular that I thought I would follow it up swiftly with another little piece that I happened to find as I searched for the previous quote. It is from the same book, one chapter previous. It made me laugh, not only because I thought of myself, but because it was so cute. It also made me think of how true it is, and how blessed I am to have this body that I have.

The last two lines are the quotable ones, I think. But again, I've included more for context.

"Heigho! 'Tis a good thing to be good-looking. And next best, perhaps, is downright ugliness,--nice, interesting, attractive ugliness--such as I have seen in some women: nay, I have somewhere read that ugly women have often been loved best.

But to be just ordinary; of ordinary height, ordinary figure, and, oh me! let me lift up my head from the desk to the looking-glass and take a good stare at an undeniably ordinary face. 'Tis not pleasant. Well; I am as I was made. Let me not undervalue myself, if only out of reverence for Him who made me."

And then, with the breath of kindness, blow the rest away...

2009-02-21T23:23:00.004-07:00

My dad introduced me to the world of beautiful quotes and how powerful they can be when I was in high school. I have since come to love poetry and quotes written in the language of the 19th century. I just love how the words roll off the tongue, and paint a picture that only the most talented of the generations can paint.

He just posted this gem on his facebook account, a very familiar quote, as this is one of many that he taught me to love when I was younger. It is beautiful, and speaks of true friendship. I have always tried to be this kind of friend, not just because I want to be this kind of person for my friends, but also because I hope that if I can be like this, then I will find a few friends who will be like this for me too.

The latter part of the excerpt is the more familiar and more often quoted part, and probably the more powerful of the two, but I have included the preceding sentence as well here.

"But oh! the blessing it is to have a friend to whom one can speak fearlessly on any subject; with whom one's deepest as well as one's most foolish thoughts come out simply and safely. Oh, the comfort--the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person--having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are, chaff and grain together; certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then with the breath of kindness blow the rest away."

A Life for a Life, chapter 2
Dinah Maria Mulock Craik
1826-1887

Yet Another One

2009-02-20T19:27:00.004-07:00

I found a new grey hair today. I had found one on Sunday and thought that would be the last one I'd find for a while. But today I noticed another new one. I'll be starting to dye my hair soon enough. Isn't aging wonderful?

Lynn's Lines - should I or should I not?

2009-02-16T21:43:00.004-07:00

Sorry to all who were hoping that I was never going to contribute again, but Tricia finally removed the hearts - sooo I'm back! Truth of the matter is I've been busy and not feeling very creative, but as usual I've been thinking.

I had an experience at work (that I really can't talk about) that has caused me to reflect on life and the decisions we make. Here's what I've been thinking about: Are we capable of thinking about the consequences of our actions before or while we are doing something we shouldn't? This question could apply to several things, a couple of examples:

Word of Wisdom
Law of Chastity
Physical or emotional abuse
Blogging instead of sleeping
etc.

Saul (from the Bible - for Tricia) came to mind last week. I think this sentence from the Bible Dictionary (under: Saul) is very applicable. "Saul's downfall shows the consequences of uncontrolled self-will, and disobedience to counsel." So, are we capable of considering the consequences before we act? If so, why do we so many of us fear man more than God? Are we listening to our ecclesiastical leaders, and following their counsel?

I'm definitely not perfect, and I will inevitably make mistakes through out my life. However last week I learned that by taking a few moments to consider the consequences of our actions can save us and our families from a lot of heartache and pain.

Hairless, for now

2009-02-14T23:49:00.001-07:00

I cleaned (sans dusting)for the first time tonight since hurting my back. My upstairs, anyway. For now, it is doghair-free and wonderful to enjoy. Come visit now if you were ever thinking of popping in!

How Closely Were You Watching?

2009-02-13T09:04:00.001-07:00

Here is a very tough quiz from the last episode of LOST. How closely were you watching? I got 60%.