Update

It certainly has been awhile since we last posted! Lots to catch up on! Life has been busy, as always.

Family: We took an Easter break trip to southern Utah. We stopped at Zions National Park for a couple days (beautiful!) and hiked around. We then continued on to Las Vegas where we spent easter weekend; went to church with my sister and her family, and had a BBQ.

James: Stays very busy with work; not too much travel recently. Is slowly learning the guitar, and has picked up biking as a new hobby to help stay in shape.

Michelle: Has finally fallen victim to scrapbooking. Is doing a great job organizing our family history, and the whole family has had a wonderful time looking at old photos, videos, etc.

Justine: Continues to excel and progress in dance. She has had several competitions, and her team does very well. Loves being in Young Women's and adores her leaders. She is growing up fast. She is very independent, and has lots of friends. She doesn't seem to need to have friends around all the time. She is very confident and secure, and is comfortable with her family. She does have a teasing streak like her dad, though.

Emilie: Has moved on to baseball, and loves to play! Her true love is going to be basketball, I think. We bought her a hoop recently, and she begs to play Jr. Jazz. Who knows? Maybe Emilie and Rylee Holmes will be running the Lady Jags backcourt one day. C'mon Stacy...lets get Rylee going! :)

Emilie taught me a great lesson the other day. We were over at the Sandy park watching cousin Austin play baseball. We wandered over to the skate park and were having fun watching all the kids skate, bike, blade, etc. After a few minutes, we started to head back and passed some boys playing b-ball without shirts on. She immediately turned her head and said "I am not going to watch those dudes with no shirts on!" A few seconds later, one of the boys made a comment about smoking, and she immediately covered her ears. She had made some pre-determined decisions about how she was going to respond in those situations. She is a strong little spirit!

Maddie: Is a little Justine. Loves to dance, since, color, and is overall a happy little girl! She is excited to start kindergarten next fall.

Our bishop shared a scripture in Welfare Council today...D&C 6:36-37. It talks about trusting the Lord and his atonement. I really felt the Spirit as he taught. Alma taught that Christ experienced all, so that he would know how to succor us if we turn to Him. It has helped me to remember that I need to rely on Him as I face decisions and challenges in my life. As Elder Holland so beautifully taught in General Conference: He walked the road alone so that we would not have to. I love Bishop Woodruff...he is humble and truly cares for our ward members.

Christ-like Love, Through the eyes of a 6-year old

Wow! What a week. Being sick for the last 6 days certainly hasn't been much fun. Tonight I am keenly aware of how blessed I really am. I am healthy...my kids are all healthy and happy...I have a wonderful wife who teaches me and supports me in all that I do. A kidney stone is no walk in the park, but overall I feel very blessed. My Bishop has come by twice, his counselors, as well the EQ Presidency. And many friends!

Last week, in the midst of my suffering, I found this sticky note attached to my dresser:


This is a note left by my 6-year old daughter, Emilie, last week while I was sick. Now, over last week or so my kids have only seen me either moaning/cringing in pain, or in a Percoset-induced haze on the couch! Needless to say, I have not been a ton of fun to be around. No bedtime stories, no sitting on dad's lap, really no interaction at all. So when I saw Emilie's note, it was hard because I had been so miserable I couldn't interact with my family in a normal way. I get very grumpy when I get sick. I look back with guilt, wondering...even as I was so sick, could I have done anything better? But Emilie's heart emulated that of the Savior...she loved me "even when I was sick". Even when I am not at my best, my 6-year old daughter sees through the "muck" and loves me for who I am.

One of the most cherished lessons that I have ever experienced!

Kidney Stone is OUT!

Had quite the week! Things started off innocently enough on Thursday night with a trip up to Spokane with Carl to go see a prospect. On the way from the airport to the hotel, I developed a very intense pain in my lower abdominal flank. It continued to worsen, so shortly after checking into our hotel, we headed to the ER. After a CT scan, a kidney stone was diagnosed. They prescribed some pain and nausea meds, and sent me on my way. I returned to SLC the next day and started to wait things out; these stones usually pass in a few days. After a few days of suffering (the pain meds did help) and throwing up, we headed back to the ER. They recommended a Urologist, who I went to see on Monday. They recommended that I continue to wait it out. Then, this morning, after the pain increased even more (as if that were possible) and more vomiting, I went back in and they decided to go in and get the stone via a procedure called a Ureteroscopy. They basically go up the wrong way down that one-way street, through the uretha, bladder, and into the ureter and grab the stone. The procedure went well; and, it was a good thing they did it. My kidney and bladder were in pretty bad shape from the blockage, and the stone, though only 3mm in size, wasn't going anywhere...it was lodged pretty good. They left a stent in place in the ureter to assist in drainage. I actually feel so much better without all that back pressure on my kidney. 5 days of that was enough for me!

Preparing for an unpleasant precedure, but happy to be getting the stone out!!!

Update

The new year has started off with a bang!



Dominican Republic: Michelle and I have been invited to attend the company trip to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. It's an all-expenses paid trip that my company does for the sales teams that exceed their sales quota each year. About 1/2 the company gets to go each year. We will be there Feb. 25th - March 1st. Well, maybe it isn't all the way free...so far we have had to spend $400 on passports. The last time I was out of the country was my mission (can you believe it? OK, Mexico, but that doesn't really count). Here is the agenda for the trip:



Wednesday - Take the red-eye to Atlanta, then to DR

Thursday - Snorkeling at an offshore reef; ziplining through the tropical forest

Friday - Deep sea fishing; ride 4-wheelers through the forest

Saturday - Hang out at the beach ALL DAY

Sunday - Fly home



Michelle has never been out of the country, so she is very excited! She served her mission in Oklahoma, so she stayed stateside.



Last night Justine had 8 or her friends over for her 12th birthday party. We took them all to see Inkheart; then we came home for pizza and they did a murder-mystery: Death of a Teen Idol.



Tonight, as I pondered my Sunday School lesson, a thought came to my mind. It was a quote given by Carlfred Broderick, a prominent member of the church in the mid to late 20th century:

The term "savior on Mount Zion" is ordinarily reserved for those engaged in vicarious work. Truly, Saints who selflessly devote themselves to genealogical and temple work deserve the title. They perform Christlike service in lovingly opening the gates of exaltation to others who without their work would not have that opportunity.

But I believe that the term might also be applied to another group of the Saints. These have been called to sacrifice for the sake of saving the living, often of their own household.

Children need not merely replicate the sins of their fathers, but that each generation is held accountable for its own choices. [Ezekiel 18:2-4]

Indeed, my experience in various church callings and in my profession as a family therapist has convinced me that God actively intervenes in some destructive lineages, assigning a valiant spirit to break the chain of destructiveness in such families. Although these children may suffer innocently as victims of violence, neglect, and exploitation, through the grace of God some find the strength to “metabolize” the poison within themselves, refusing to pass it on to future generations. Before them were generations of destructive pain; after them the line flows clear and pure. Their children and children’s children will call them blessed.

In suffering innocently that others might not suffer, such persons, in some degree, become as “saviors on Mount Zion” by helping to bring salvation to a lineage...”

Last week, Michelle and I were able to attend the temple with Justine, her first time. She was so excited! Our ward temple night actually fell on her 12th birthday, and Bishop Woodruff signed her recommend early that previous Sunday so that she could go with us that day. She rode over with the youth (we had around 20 in the temple with us), and we met her in the baptistry. I had been working to prepare some names of my immediate family: My maternal/paternal grandparents, a couple aunts and uncles, a cousin, and others. It was the first time I had prepared names (thanks Stacy and Dessa for helping me get started!). I felt a real spirit of Elijah as we visited Indiana this past spring; my sister and I were able to gather a lot of information while we were there. The Spirit was strong as Justine and I participated in the baptismal and confirmation ordinances. A couple of the young men who I had become close to when I served as the YM President last year assisted me with the male names...it was such a wonderful experience!



I am grateful for my dear sister for bringing the Gospel to me; our upbringing wasn't great, and the Gospel saved us both. For wonderful friends both before and after my mission who helped teach me and bring light into my life. For my wonderful wife who saw the good in me early, and who has helped me become a better husband and father. But most of all to my Heavenly Father, who has blessed me with a wonderful family and has entrusted chosen spirits to come to our home. I feel truly blessed!

Justine's 1st Temple Trip

We had a wonderful time in the temple last Wednesday! Justine turned 12 on Jan 14th, the same day of our Ward Temple Night and Dinner. We were able to attend together as a family (James, Michelle, Justine) and initiate work for names of several of James' immediate ancestors. It was a wonderful time!




Justine also danced at the halftime show at the Jazz game last week...

Justine is right on the halfcourt line, in the front row

Michelle's aunt and uncle also returned from a mission to Cambodia recently...on New Year's Day, we all got together for bowling and lunch.

Justine is growing up!

This past Sunday I took Justine to visit with the Bishop for her Young Women's interview...she will be 12 on January 14th. It was a time of reflection for me; it seems like just yesterday she was Maddie's age! Some of my memories of Justine....

1. The first time she opened her eyes when she was born.

2. Watching the Bulls together trounce the Jazz in the Finals. I bought her a little Bulls uniform that she would wear for every game.

3. The first time she recognized a color; it was a green light while driving down the road.

4. Getting stopped every 10 minutes everywhere we went by people telling us how beautiful she was. While in the top of the Sears Tower in Chicago in 2000, an Oriental tourist stopped us so she could get her picture taken with Justine.

5. Coaching her in T-ball

6. One of her first words was "Michael Jordan" and "Bulls"

7. Her baptism

8. Coming out of the Bishop's office last Sunday with her first Temple Recommend


We are so proud of Justine. She is very talented and a wonderful young lady. She makes good choices and is a good friend to others. She has a growing testimony of the restored gospel. She is good big sister to her siblings and sets a good example for them.

First snowman - Sandy UT

Justine broke her arm when she was 18 months old.
She fell down a window well at Grandma Edna's


Dad and Justine - 1998