The world has changed

Several times each year I seem to reflect on how much the World has changed in my long life. Usually one of those times is around 9-11 due to the fact of the events 17 years ago.
I remember the day well. I remember how sick I felt.
I remember traveling before and after that day and how that has changed.

Today I worry more for my kids and grandkids. The world they have to navigate is really scary and yet they have no idea I think.

Growing up we never worried about being outside or if the door was locked or not.
We would walk the street after dark without a care. Not so now.

 My older kids had to worry a bit about bullies. I had to in school, but the environment today is so much worse. Home used to be a safe place where nothing bad would enter in, but with social media and all, that is not true.

I am doing what I can to make sure everyone I connect with knows how special they are. I am grateful for those around me and in my life and my family's life that think and do the same.
We are enough and we are each our own kind of special.
 

People are good!

I had the chance to volunteer at the Salt Lake FanX Comic Convention this past weekend. I have done this for the past 3 times and love it.
I am lucky enough to be assigned to the Celebrity Row team, which basically means we are there to help the Celebrities with their autograph signings. Helping with fans and the lines that form instantly it seems.

I was able to be with several big names and I must say that each and everyone of them were gracious and treated me with respect.
I was very happy to see the different people as they waited inline, take the time to check on each other, to help with little kids that just don't get why Mom and Dad want to hang out on a cement floor surrounded by weirdly dressed people waiting.

People are good to each other ----for the most part. There are a few that are not, but the majority that I saw and dealt with were a pleasure, even when things were not going a well as they wanted.

I think human nature is built to be nice and I hope more get back to that. I'm grateful for that.

Life, Prayer, Scripture Study, A great Wife

Lots to be grateful for. Over  the past few months work has been very hard. Dealing with people and their issues that effect me and what I need to get done has become a part time job it seems.
Trying to figure out how to approach problems has also been a challenge.

I decided to make it a matter of prayer. It is no surprise that as I included God in my daily work and issues they seemed to be less stressful.
They were still there and a pain but I didn't seem to stress as much anthem nor did I lie awake at night working them over and over in my mind.

My wife and I team teach a Sunday School class of 12-13 year olds. We have 8 in the class and they come every week.

I am so grateful for her insight in how best to try and reach these kids.
We each study the lessons separately then talk briefly about how we want to approach the lesson.
Most weeks it is great, some times not so much but we keep working on it.

We also each do our own scripture study and then talk about what we each have read or thought about.
This is awesome and a great blessing. I love her insight into he scriptures as well.

Family

The Saturday after Thanksgiving is the Annual Papa and Nanny kickoff to Christmas with the grandkids

I have 6 grandkids and then Boo who is still at home being only 9 yrs old.
Each year we get together for games, food, talk about what Christmas is really about.
This year was another memorable one thanks 100% to my great wife.

The kids decorated their own Graham Cracker house with icing, candy and fun.
We had a wide variety of styles. From the detail obsessed to lets just dump a bunch of icing on.
We laughed and could see each of the grandkids personalities on display.

We then played reindeer games by tossing rings on to the antlers of a reindeer.

Then it was lets talk about the First Christmas and as we told the story each child added that piece to their own Nativity.

Then Maggie read a new book we gave each family. Pig the Elf.

Then I read a new book we found of Home Alone. Based not he movie. The kids loved it.

So grateful for a wonderful wife that puts all this on and for kids who let me be in the lives of my grandkid.

Modern Tech

I was on a conference call the other morning and the thought struck me of how far we have come.
Here I was sitting in my car driving into work wearing a headset that did not have wires, that was connected to a phone that was sitting in my pocket.
On the call were co workers located in Utah, India, and several spots across the country.
Later that morning I knew I had a call between people in Utah, Canada, Mexico and India scheduled.
When I awoke that morning I had rolled over in bed and glanced at my phone to see the latest email and what problems my day may hold.

This is a long way from when I first started out in the work force in the mid 70's.
Back then I had to make sure I kept a roll of coins in my truck in case it broke down and I would have to walk to get to a pay phone.
Or that one time that I faked my truck breaking down in front of the house of a girl I had a crush on in High School who didn't know I was alive.
I thought I could go up to the door and ask to use her phone to call for help.
Was a great plan until it was her dad that answered the door and offered to come out and look to see what the problem was...he was a mechanic...oh to be 16 again and have an excuse to be dumb headed.

I remember when years later my work got me my first pager. It was the size of a deck of cards that clipped to my belt and allowed below to enter in a phone # I needed to call.
Later I was so excited when I upgraded to the newest type that was the size of a magic marker and held 10 numbers.

The first mobile phone I saw was one my boss bought that had a battery back up pack that was the size of a purse.
He thought he was so cool carrying it around...well a lot of people thought he was cool carrying it around.

I remember my first Smart type device.  A Palm Pilot that had 500mb storage on it. IT was so cool to think I had my calendar and could even carry a couple chapters of scripture with me always.

Now kids today have no idea what it means to have to walk to a pay phone only to discover you don't have changed you thought you did.
Or parents wondering where their kids are and if something has happened..I don't miss that part.

While I sometimes hate that I am always connected tot he office and never really away from work, I am glad that in the same sense I am always connected to my family where ever they are in the world and never far away from them no matter what they might be doing. For that I am grateful
 

Church

Today I am grateful for Church.
I look at Church as my charger for my spirit. I go each week to be topped off.
Not just seeing friends and neighbors but to feel the spirit.

Today we had a returning Mission President and his wife speak.
Several thoughts that were shared:
There is no growth in the Comfort Zone and no comfort in the Growth Zone.

The Lord works from the inside out and the world works from the outside in

Nothing Draws you closer to Christ than a desire to change

Your Marriage can come closer together as you have Christ as your center and focus on the Atonement

Murmuring and complaining leads to justifying which can lead you further away from Christ.

Also each week I get the chance to sit in our youth Sunday School class and teach with my wife.
I have loved seeing the growth in her this past year.
She has such a love for the youth in our class. Her knowledge and love of the gospel has grown as she has applied herself to daily study.
It makes me want to up my game as well and for that I am very grateful.

Eternity looks to be pretty cool if I get to hang out and work with her.

Modern Medicine

Today I am grateful for the wonderful team of Medical people who have been part of our lives since March 2016.
Huntsman Cancer Center was the central hub of activity last year as my wife went through her Operation then Chemo and radiation and now our regular visits to check back in.
Today was one of those check in days.
Happy to say it looks like everything is great!
So grateful to have her in my life and for the miracles we had in getting her cancer taken care of.

Modern medicine is truly a wonder and I for one am glad to have it.

A Great Car Guy!!!

I am so grateful for John at Red Rock Auto in Salt Lake.

I had my starter motor go out on my car and he took care of me.
We have been going to him for 14 years I think. He is one of the most honest upstanding mechanics I have ever met.
He and his crew have helped us with every car we have owned I think.

In this day and age it is good to know when you get an opinion from someone you know it is the truth.
He goes out of his way to make sure we know everything that is going on and our options.

So grateful for my car guy!

Church Family

Today at Church I was once more reminded that I am very grateful and lucky to have the group I call my Church Family.

I am lucky to be surrounded by people who truly care and appreciate each other.

In the meetings we had this morning I could see the care everyone had. The smiles people give each other as they said hello and caught up since last week.

The concerns expressed over family members and neighbors as we discussed what was going on in the neighborhood.

I had a late afternoon training where a small group of my "Ward" members sat behind me and I could just feel the kindred spirits we have for each other.

This group who while not perfect strive to be Christian in what they do and how they act.

I am grateful for like minded people who I care for and who I know care about me.

November-Start of so many things

Well I must say I have been ashamed that I have forgotten about this blog, or so it would seem but that's not quite true. I think about it a lot and why I started it...ALOT! So I am trying to do better.
November is the start of a lot things in my life:

NANOWRIMO is November.
 The National Writing Month. Where people all over the country try to pound out a 50,000 word rough draft of a book in 30 days
I have always said I want to write and at times I do it, and enjoy the results. For the past 5 years I have signed up for this and then fell short.
But this year I will do it....truth be told I am behind since I haven't got a good start. Today perfect example, Nat and Boo are away at some all day pinners conference and I had hoped to run a few errands then buckle down to write.
Went to the gas station only to have my car not start, after a jump still no go, so I think it might be the starter motor. A nice guy and his 2 kids tried to help me but no go. So they gave me a ride to my moms where she in turn gave me a ride home. I will go back and try to figure it out once Nat gets home.
So I was going to write but made the mistake of turning on the TV to see what Christmas show was on Hallmark channel and I got sucked into a Christmas movie about a writer of all things.
Then thought I can't write without my diet Coke but no car...So I walked up to the gas station (Not where my car was) to get a drink, came home, turned on Christmas music and thought to start to write.
But here I am writing this instead of my story. I am grateful for the guy and his 2 toddlers, who tried to help me and I am grateful for the Hallmark movie since it made me cry and feel good and hopeful for Christmas magic. There is greatness in the world still and sometimes I forget that.

November is National Adoption Month
If you know us then you know how Adoption has touched our lives and how much fuller and more complete we feel with Boo in our family. So grateful for her birth mom. A day doesn't go by without me thinking of that miracle almost 10 years ago.

Christmas music
Now I must confess that I have some Christmas music on my phone that I play all year.
I also load my play lists Oct 1 to start listening in my car and such, But come Nov 1 more people seem to be on board with it.

Leafs
We have a few large trees in our yard as well as the neighbors. I love the shade in the summer and watching the leaves change color. I hate raking leafs. But I am grateful for the reminder the hours and hours I spend doing it that I need to get in shape and stop just donating my month gym membership I pay. It also reminds me that my yearly physical is coming up and I know what the dear Doctor is going to say...."You know Scott, if you would drop a quite a few pounds your entire life will change...Heck you might even have a longer life thanks to it. You going to do it this time?" I love my Doctor...

My wife
I have the privilege of having a wife that has several sides to her. My 2 favorite are:
Her Disney Persona- she just glows and seems extra happy when we are at Disneyland or talking about going or talking about our memories of having gone. I love this side of her.
I also love the glow she gets when it comes to the holidays. Her concern for making sure everyone is happy and the thought she puts into each and every gift selection, while I know it frustrates her it makes me appreciate her and the person she is all that much more

Insurance
November is the time we look at the insurance options at work.
With Nat's Cancer and all her treatments from last year I am grateful for Insurance. Every time we drive up to Huntsman Center for her followup appointments and tests, I am amazed at all they do and so glad I don't have to worry about footing the bill all by myself.

Family
We get together with Family a lot in Nov it seems. It starts on Halloween and keeps going. While my family and my in laws some times drive me nuts I am glad I am part of each. I am so grateful for Boo having cousins so close to her.
So grateful for my kids and grandkids as well.

Christmas
November is the opening act to December which I love. Not looking forward to my birthday since I try to forget how old I am going to be. If you want to know ask Boo, she tells everybody she sees. Friend and stranger alike...I think she thinks it's funny.
But I do like the spirit I feel in our home in December, as well as out in public.

Goals
Since November seems to be a time to be thankful and grateful for things I have set the goal to be more active on here. Doesn't mater if no one but me reads it, it at least has been said (as long as I write it)

What are you thankful for?
What little day to day things are around you that you take for granted or forget but know deep down you are grateful for them?
In the coming days I will share some of my crazy ones...let me hear yours.

My Father's Death on Easter

My Dad has been in the VA Home for the last 3 years. He has been healthy(for a almost 90 year old)
But unable to take care of himself and too much for my mom to take care of him.
On Friday before Easter my Mom said that he was not doing well, all of a sudden.

Sunday Morning my Mother called early saying he was not doing well and I needed to come up.
I made sure Natalie was ok teaching our class by herself and then drove the 30 miles.
I spent the morning with my siblings and mom. It was a bitter sweet time since we could tell that Dad was not going to be around very long.

Around 1 I went home to spend Easter with Boo and Nat.
My mom called shortly after saying Dad was gone and it was very peaceful.

I guess the reason I am writing this is that how sweet it was to have him pass on Easter. The day where the Whole Christian world celebrates that life goes on and death is not the end.

My dad was a quiet man who bent over backwards to help anyone that needed it.
Many kids in the neighborhood owed their bomb of a car running to my dad and his expertise with engine.

I am so proud to be part of his legacy. As well as the sure knowledge I have that I will see him again.

Small Blessing and the IRS?

At work I manage 3 contracts that basically take care of AP related items for our clients.
One of these contracts require my team to create, print, mail and handle the 1099 tax process for them
This is usually a busy Jan to get it all done and out the door by the deadline of Jan 31.
We then work through all the errors and corrections people send in and send the final file to the IRS by Mar sometime.
Well a Ops manager on another contract was talking to a friend of his that is an account, they talk once every couple of months, come to find out that the IRS changed the filing deadline to Jan 31 instead of March.
We confirmed it with the IRS (Such fun to call them this time of year) and sure enough it changed.
Because of the 2 friends talking and 1099's coming up I was able to save embarrassment and fines from the IRS for my client...small tender mercy
 

Plumbing and blessings,

Today in our Sunday School class (13 year olds) we talked about items we just take for granted.
We brought up what would happen if you went home and the power was out, no big deal to these kids.
What if the heat was out, again not a big deal.
I then asked "What would happen if you went home and your parents informed you that there was a plumbing problem and you would be without a bathroom for the next week.
The girls gave me looks of utter disgust as they said it would be gross. Some of the boys said we would just break out our port a potty bucket that is in our food storage.
I then asked what would you do with the things that went into the bucket, their response was quick Dig a hole and bury it.
Well I am glad for plumbing. Several years ago in the middle of Jab our main sewer line had to be repaired and it took several days from start to finish where we had no plumbing. Nat and Boo went to stay with her mom but I had to stick around while the workers were here early and late so I spent the nights with our port a potty 5 gallon bucket. NO FUN!!!
I was also grateful at this time that I had keys to the Church near by so if really needed to I went up there to go to the bathroom...
Small and simple things we tend to take for granted...

Simple Things like heat!

I think I need to restart this adventure.
Maybe in the near future I will update everything that we went through in 2016 but not today. Let me just say that my wife was diagnosed with Cancer in her Uterus last Feb and we spent the year helping her get better. From Stage 3 cancer up to recovery where we are now. I had a lot of gratefulness thrust upon me during the past year and I will share it as time goes on. She is well and her hair is coming back extra curly...
As for today, this past week I think the highs for a temp has been in the 20's and teens. A few days it was single digits for the high here in Utah. We got 12inches of snow on Christmas eve, then 3 more inches on New Years then this past week another 12 inches. We have ran out of places to pile the snow, But I am grateful for the gas company that keeps gas running to my house so my furnace can work and give us a bit of warmth. For a house that has not sprung a leak yet (Guess I better wait until thaw comes it could just be frozen over) For sweaters that help take a bit of the chill in the house away (Yup we are not only cheap but live in a house that is not the most energy efficient)
For a micro wave that will heat up a bag of corn that we were given for Christmas that keeps my feet warm all night.
For a pesky 8 year old that demands we snuggle each night as she falls asleep.\
For a healthy wife that tells me that she loves me but hates the ice forming on the outside of the house, I feel like I should do something but know that too must wait until spring thaw.
I now relate to the brothers in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers when the canyon was blocked in till spring thaw...also I now believe House Stark...Winter is coming, in fact it is here and it is a cold friend.


 

Prayer

Yesterday Boo came down with a fever. Nothing else wrong just very hot and tired.

We gave her Tylenol and watch the fever bounce between 100.7 to 103.2 to 102 to  101.

No normally a fever isn't a real big deal but it could be deadly to Nat with her chemo so I was worried all day.
Last night as Boo and I went to bed she asked if we could have prayer. So we went out with Mom and had a prayer.
She then went to sleep.
I have to admit I hit my knees several more times before morning.
I also went out and stuck a look and quick touch of Nat's head asleep on the couch to make sure she was breathing and not hot.

Glad to report Boo's fever has broken and all is well.

I should have hollered at a neighbor and just given Boo a blessing yesterday but I was so involved with non stop calls for work.
Good news on that front is at 6pm last night My main client signed the new contract, so I got work for the next 5 years hopefully.

So grateful for prayer and the peace it brings. 

Miss Big Helper

This is a picture from a couple of weeks ago but it still rings true

Boo is such a help to her mom! (Well most of the time)
She loves to help with the was changing loads from washer to dryer even if she does need to use a stool to get to the bottom of the machine.
Sometimes I think she may get stuck in there.

So grateful for this little helper.

Good Weekend. Family is the center!

We started the Weekend by going up to see my dad at the Veterans home where he is staying.
We were able to be there with my Mom and sibling as well as 2 of my nephews.

 

I go up every Tuesday afternoon for a bit to sit and talk with him. While I really don't enjoy the drive I am grateful for this man whom I call father!

 

Then we went to lunch and shopping then came home and while Nat rested from being out all morning Boo and I went out front. She did not want to be in the house. It was hot and bright.

I told her to put on a hat so she grabbed my big floppy one. Soon however she was complaining about the hot sun on her back.

We figured this umbrella would do the job.

 

 

Then Sunday we went to the blessing of grandchild number 6!

 

What a fun time. We were able to see family and even Cody showed up which was nice.

Too bad Misty had to stay home with a sick Addy but her cake pops were great.

 

 

 

Family is the center of my world! They are why I am who I am as well as why I do what I do most of the time.

 

Finding Dory and feeling Tired!

The last few days have not been good for Nat. She feels like it is next week already.
She didn’t have her couple of days feeling ok before the truck hit her. It seemed that her nausea and tiredness and tingles hit Thursday.
She missed Church on Sun and today was feeling lousy.
We had already made plans to go see the new Disney movie with all the Seabury’s.
As we were driving over Nat felt really bad, in fact so much so that she had what Maggie calls Chemo Brain. This basically means one of 2 things, either Mommy can’t remember things well or that she is extremely short tempered.
This has happened a few times but Boo has been a trooper and as Nat is venting she just looks at me like It’s ok dad I know it’s chemo brain.
Well we got into the movie and sat there.
I was feeling mad and sorry for myself.
I was so tired of not having my wife back
Not having good days at work
Not being able to do anything right it seemed
Just having my own pity party.
Then I heard something I haven’t heard in quite a while and I started to cry from being so happy.
My wife’s laugh filled the air. Not just a chuckle but her fun filled, full of life laugh that I have missed so much.
I was called to instant repentance and told myself to man up and shut up.

So grateful for this.

So grateful that I have my wife\best friend to laugh with me
So grateful for what a great mom she is to Boo
Life is good, we will get through this together.

 

A very sick BIrthday

Well today is Nats 42^nd birthday and she feels like a semi-truck has run her over.

Not only is her nausea there but the tiredness and the tingling are in full force and she just wants to sleep.
So Boo and I are letting her do just that.
The last few days have been worse than last go round, but the Dr said it might be this way. Hard thing is that everyone reacts differently to Chemo.
I guess the effects are worse since the Chemo never fully gets out of her body before she gets hit with another dose.
So grateful we only have 3 left.
So grateful for Nats positive outlook even when I am not so bright and cheery

Little MErmaid

Well tonight we sat through 2 hours of little mermaid themed dancing just to watch my granddaughter dance for 5 minutes.

It was worth it to see her smile after the program and knowing that Papa and Nanny but most importantly Aunt Maggie was there to see her dance.
I am not sure who had a worse night Nat on my right side feeling bad and hurting or the very pregnant lady on my left that could not get comfortable at all.
So grateful for my hug I got after the program as well as for Nat being trooper