"Changed For Good."

In the musical "Wicked" (One musical I have not seen but really want to)probably the best song is "For Good". (I love the Cast album. In fact I will listen to that song everyday, I just love the mix of voices.) The line goes something like..."People come into our lives, for a reason, bringing something we must learn." Then later it says...I know I am who I am today because I knew you" How true is that statement! I have heard people say that every boy will remember his Scout master. (Mine was my dad so....) Others say that you never forget your football coach (I didn't play. I do remember my Jr High and my High School Band teachers). I am different for knowing certain people. Bishops, bosses and others have influnced me greatly. I even have an old boss that years ago influenced me more than any other person. He was a jerk and I so hated his style of management and how he treated people that I refused to be similar to him even one tiny bit.The people we have come in contact with during our journey to adoption have been some of the greatest people around. Faithful, willing and humble. The men I serve on the High Council with are very humbling to me. Most are recently past Bishops and I just love being in their midst.So if you know me...thank you for being part of what makes me...me>

Family time

Life keeps on going. Not much to report to any and all that might read this. Work keeps on going as do church callings and family life. Through it all it is the family time that makes it all worth while. Last night Nat had to go visiting Teaching and I had one on one time with Maggie. There is only one word to describe the feeling…Cool!
In fact spending any time with Nat and Maggie is the best thing I could ask for.
Guess you might say I am blessed!

Blessing of Tithing.

Ok I really truly believe we are blessed because we pay a full tithe. It isn't that we are spared problems, they are just placed at the best time for us. I was going to go to Juarez this morning but as I went to book it last month the best flight was set for tomorrow so I picked that one. Well every time I plan a trip out of town it seems that a disaster will happen right before. Before one of my week long ones to Monterrey Mexico several years ago the flex pipe going from the wall to the toilet sprung a leak. The swamp cooler has leaked twice. Nat's jeep acted up...well it died while I was in Barcelona Spain and her and my dad had to handle it. If you read my grateful blog you will see this trip tomorrow is no exception. If this crap had hit while I was out of town I know Nat would have handled it but I would have felt so bad. So this is the blessing of tithing we get in that the trouble hits when we can handle it, the car problems hit when we have extra money, other items requiring money being put out just seem to happen when a bonus hits or some extra picture money comes in.

Now I just need to get ready for another wonderful trip to Juarez Mexico. Good thing I am not driving this trip

Music have to haves

So music is very important to me, I know it is the same for others. So here is the question. What group or person do you have ALL their cd’s for?

I started out years ago having all of the following:
Monkees
Carpenters,
Led Zeppelin

Now I have the following:

Donny Osmond
Kenneth Cope
Afterglow
Michael McLean
Garth Brooks
Shania Twain
Alabama
Michael Webb
EFY
Jeff Goodrich
Trans-Siberian Orchestra



What about you?

Favorite Church Calling

Ok so in my long Church Life I have had the following callings (I know I am missing some.)

Through High School I was Priesthood chorister.
Full time Missionary (Australia)
Activities Committee and Chair.
Librarian
Sunday School teacher 14-15 yr olds and 16 – 18 yr olds
Finance Clerk
Membership Clerk
Deacons advisor
YM President
Gospel Doctrine Teacher
2nd Counselor Bishopric
1st counselor Bishopric
High Council

My favorite has to be Gospel Doctrine teacher. I loved that calling.
What are some of your favorite callings?

Second Pass (Refining)

Ok the second time I go through one of my poems I see if I still get the chills when I frist wrote the words, if not then i dump the whole thing or the part I think prudent. Then I get rid of needless words. At last I will read it aloud to see the flow and plan for the next pass. Here is the second pass on 4am feeding

4am Feeding
You grasp my finger
In your small hand
(Which is not like mineYet it fits.)
Hungrily you latch
lips on tight,
(Lips, unlike your
mothers,
Yet, we make
them smile.)
You gruggle, grunt
your special noises,
(which I encourage)
Stopping mid glup to
Open your eyes
(That do not match
mine yet reach
Into my soul.)
My mind hears
one small word
not in my voice
but yours,
Dad.

Very Rough Draft.

Thought I would write down the thoughts that have been bouncing around for a week or so now. Still needs work but this is the start of the process so I thought I would share the whole process from rough idea to first writing to revision and revision and then more revision.

4am Feeding

You grasp my finger
In your small hand
(Which is not like mine
Yet it fits.)

You hungrily latch
Your lips on tight,
(Lips that are not like mine
Yet I make them smile.)

You gruggle then
Grunt your special
Noises, (that I encourage)
Stopping mid glup to
Open your eyes
(That I did not give you
Yet they reach
Into my soul.)

I hear one small
Word in my
Mind that
You give to me
Simply
Dad.

Be your own Super Hero

"Chubbyman and The Gentleman save the city once again!"
ok so we aren't really super heros (or are we?)

So the past week I have been watching some of my favorite tv shows. The final season of Beauty and the Beast as well as reviewing some Sharpe shows and Robin of Sherwood.
I love the writing that has made these characters come alive for me.

(The picture was green screen from a recent Dance we took pictures at.)

I am a Slacker

So Randall stated tonight that I am a real slacker when it comes to my blog...well I hope he has good luck finding somewhere else to live...oh yeah and I need my laptop and back pack returned as well. Slacker...well, it is kind of true.
Ok so I will try to do better.

The perfect snack...raisins...those wrinkly little shriveled up great tasting treats. I love them. Not only do I eat my bowl of raisin bran each morning, but I love to buy the small boxes and put them in my back pack or desk at work.

So RAndall and Josh have been talking about live music or not live...most live albums now are re-engineered to sound better. Now go back to the old days. The greatest live album of all time was KISS double album set. Yes back in the daay when you had to be careful to not scratch your albums. ( I guess it is the same today with discs)
Oh well more ramble thoughts later.

Fatherhood (again)

Well it has been awhile since I updated this blog. I trust you all read Nats and know how great our life is. Today has been a good day, yet busy. Cody came over with Randy and spent the day. Nats mom and sisters came out to go to lunch...just the girls. Then tonight Jo and Josh came out. Last night we got together with My family for birthdays in Feb and it was great.
Family is good.
This morning we tried to get some "infant" shots of Maggie. She co-operated for a few frames then wanted nothing more...well there is always tomorrow.

The World feels right

Today I got a call from Cody asking what I was doing.

I said "working what are you doing?"

"Driving. "

"Oh Yeah where?"

" Grand Junction..." yup Cody came home today. He had everything packed into his car. It was so cool to see him and hug him. He held his little sister and just beamed.

Laurie Jo and Josh came out and Randy got here after school and it felt good to have ALL my kids here together.

Wow, I can't stop smiling! (I may even cry again)

Family tradition

When each of my kids were born, the first book I read to them was "Where the wild things are". Tonight we brought home our new baby daugther, Maggie Grace and that traditon continued, with a slight twist.

Randall metioned that he remebers me reading and rereading that story to him so he wanted to be the first to read it to his new baby sister. Wow I am so lucky. I will write more later but for now just wow.

Life changes

It has been awhile since I posted anything. Life changes and moves on. This week I wanted to get up early each morning and write but I did not make it. Guess in order to get up at 6 am I need to get to bed before 1 am.
I now have my Wed nights back (sort of) I am no longer in the Bishopric but have been asked to be on the High Councl. I get the fun job of being the guy in charge of all the buildings and such. Its coll cuz I am the only one in te Stake that has keys to everything in every building.

Heath Ledger dies and that is sad. He was one I liked. As for writing...I often have pictured in my mind actors who would be in the movie about my book. He was one. I pictured him as my wizard Nilrem in the middle years...oh well he will be missed.

The power of words

Words when put together correctly can have a lasting impact. Last night at the gym while I was walkin/running laps. I noticed on the one end of the track you could cut across the end and save yourself 10-15 feet. People were doing it. Nat was at another part of the gym but two phrases’ came to mind. Shakespeare said “This above all: to thine own self be true,And it must follow, as the night the day,Thou canst not then be false to any man.” From Hamlet . Also I once heard the following definition of trust.“Trust is being loyal to the one not present”So needless to say lap after lap I stayed in the lane and did not “cheat”.The power of words…wow

Poem for Nat

Thank You
If all the flowers in the world could be gathered into just one bunch,
they still would not match the beauty I see when I look in your eyes.
If all the sunsets would combine in one great effort,
the thrill would not compare to the tug of my heart when I see you smile.
If all the music I love were compressed into one final song,
it could never match the joy I feel when I hear you laugh.
If all the actions I could ever do would join together in one moment,
I still would not feel as complete as
when I hold you in my arms.
Thank you.

Daily Writing (The roof is leaking)

Last night we got a big, wet storm that hit. This morning after shoveling the snow I came in to find the swamp cooler leaking. This had leaked before but I thought I had fixed it. (Of course Nat was very kind in how she pointed this out) So I climbed up on the roof, moving snow out of my way as I made my way to the Swamp cooler. I was almost within reach of it (about 1 inch short) when I started sliding. (remember wet slushy snow and roof slopes do not work well together) I pushed my trusty broom down to help stop me sliding only to have it break. Well the thought that ran through my mind as I slide toward the patio roof that was never going to hold my weight was. "You didn't write yesterday" Several days ago I read a short story about Michael McLean a LDS Song writer that I love. He said that 25 years ago when he started to write songs he decided to write a song a day. Some were great, most stunk but he wrote daily. Every class or book I have taken or read about writing says we need to write daily. (My grateful blog doesn't count) I agreed with it and decided myself to rededicate myself to writing daily. So here I am sliding toward the edge of a rotting patio roof that I had started to tear down last summer and this is all that I can think of. Then the thought went through my mind "I hope the dog isn't out I don't want to land on her" Well I stopped sliding, picked up my broken good for nothing no longer trusty broom, and made my way off the roof.

When I went back up later to fix(hopefully) the leak (at least for the mean time) I used a nice metal pole.
Point of the story is...I am now starting to write something on my book idea as soon as I log off of here. (Then I have to go clean the basement).

Being Grateful

Wow a new year has begun! New years eve was our normal, exciting, stay at home and watch TV! In fact Nat was asleep on the couch when I looked over at 11 pm. (I went to bed last year at 10 so what can I say!) It may sound boring but we’re not. We just love being at home. We went out to dinner earlier in the evening and just love being with each other at home.
Well as usual the first of the year brings new lists of things to change. One of my items is to be more grateful, as well as try to write daily. Well I stole a idea from my wife that helps with both of those things. Check out my new blog gratefulscottie. The link is on the side panel. Thanks for the idea Nat.

The Quest (My Mission Statement)

My Quest( my mission statement for life)
To view each day as a chance to learn from yesterday, plan for tomorrow and act accordingly. To be as Don Quixote and view life as it should be and not as it is. To see each person for what is inside, not what they put out front. To go to sleep at night with the knowledge that my family and friends know I love them unconditionally and that I am proud they are part of my life. To know that if I should die, the words, actions and thoughts of today could stand as my monument. To keep my word no matter what. To be true to myself above all else. To reward accomplishments no matter how small or great they are. To see the magic in every sunset and enjoy it. To show kindness regardless of circumstance. To be able to smile no matter the complaints I may have. To attempt the absurd! (thus achieving the impossible from time to time.) This is my Quest.

Wii Boxing

Last night we had a going away party for Cody. (he is taking a job in the adjoining state and moving) Besides the good food and great company we played Wii boxing. I got my butt kicked by Nat. (see slide show to the right) I didn't feel bad for long since the champ of the night was Codys 6 year old cousin. A little girl no less! She defeated everyone who challenged her. It was great to be together as family and have good food, good talk and lots of laughs!

Christmas 2007

Well, Christmas is over for another year.. We had a great time! Nat made homemade caramel (the ones with cinnamon in are the best), and some type of chocolate pretzel nut thing that was way awesome.)
Of course this is not helping my diet at all. This year we had Randy home. (He spent the last 2 Christmas’s in the West Indies) he seemed excited about all the stuff and family.
The kids acted like they were 10 again, Calling me early on Christmas morning to say what they had gotten, talking very high pitched and fast, non stop don’t take a breath or even blink talk about everything they got then wanting to say what the other one got. (This was the boys, Jo, being more grown up and all didn’t start acting goofy till they got to our house.)
For a family gift we had bought Guitar Hero 3. That in it self is a story. We searched high and low the day after Thanksgiving for it but no avail. We did find #2 so bought it just so we had the game etc. Then the next week in El Paso TX I saw #3 for the 360 in Wal Mart. So I bought it. I had to carry it on the plane home since it would not fit in my suitcase and I did not want to risk checking it alone. Boy did I get comments and looks from some people. The funniest was from a lady who said “why are you carrying that.” She was wearing a huge Sombrero that I had seen the bridge people selling. I told her that “at least mine will fit in the over head bin,” smiled politely and boarded. She boarded a few moments later and as luck would have it sat right behind my seat. Good thing I smiled at her. I had to not giggle as I heard her the whole flight fighting with her huge hat and not wanting to wreck it etc. All the while above our heads my box lay alone and undisturbed.
So anyway, the kids had a blast playing Guitar Hero 3 with Nat and each other. It was truly a family gift.;
We also had a great time just being with family. We spend time with both Nat’s family and mine. (She beat her brother Dee on Guitar Hero as well.) Christmas eve night we were home alone and sat and watched Hairspray that I had bought for her knowing how she loves that movie.
All in all a great Christmas.