Fields ...

Last week we found ourselves leaving...
QUICKLY...
UNEXPECTEDLY...

We threw some things in a bag and we were
OFF!

Jeff drove us.
He's a good driver.
He can stay awake for
a long time.
Well, as long as the sun is up.


Others couldn't stay awake.
Even with the sun up.

Even with blasting in their ears.

But in all fairness,
have you ever driven through
Wyoming?

Enough said.




And if you haven't
ever driven through
Wyoming...

Well, enough said.


We thought we'd brought all the necessities of life.

However, we did not!
A quick stop...
A Walmart run...
An arm and a leg later...
We were back on the road.

The stop was good for me.
I suddenly became fully alert.

I became intrigued with the
CORN.
Have you ever driven through
Nebraska?
There's a reason they're called the
"Nebraska Cornhuskers".


I begged Jeff to stop and let us get a picture with

the corn.

Jeff said it was to dangerous!

Then he almost KILLED us.


He spotted this...
He flew past 2 lanes of rush hour traffic to take the exist.

The back seat cheered.
The passenger seat screamed.

It was
Rosenblatt Stadium
where The College World Series is played...
where The College World Series was being played...
that VERY day.

The passenger seat had never heard of this event but suddenly found herself taking a picture when the driver...
pulled into the turn lane...
threw the car in park...
and ran into the street...

Not alone...

but with the back seat!

Ummm, hello ... driver who
said the CORN was dangerous!

My heart was pounding after the near death experience
so, in fairness, I wasn't all there when
this came out of my mouth...


"They sure like OBAMA around here."
Jeff: "Why do you say?"
"Look at all the OBAMA bumper stickers"


Laughter erupts from the back seat
"Mom, those say OMAHA!"

To be continued ...

Still Senses ...

Hello My Friends!
Here I am … 3:37 AM
Why am up?
Because I can’t sleep.

Why is that?
I was thinking it was because
I have much on my mind
But then I realized … No.
It's the Excedrin I took at midnight.



Why did I do it?
Oh yes, now I remember.
I said to myself,

“Any lack of sleep I may suffer
is better than this headache.”

It’s true.
So here I am.


I’ve already watched a movie and hung out with the ipod, playing games.
(Hey, did you know you can now play Farmville from the ipod?)

I tried to read but alas, the jitters from the Excedrin didn’t really mesh with that.

I feel... ODD
(and not just because of the Excedrin)

The oddness is coming from the
complete silence around me.

And now I know when you're
very, very still
your 5 senses kick into high gear.


Speaking of senses ...

HEARING ...
The kid across the hall
talks in his sleep
but also talks of great things
when he’s awake.

Speaking of awake ...

SIGHT ...
The kid in the other room
can stay up 24/7 .
He fights going to sleep
just like a 2 year old does.

Speaking of sleep ...

TOUCH ...
This fellow snuggled next to me has no problem falling asleep and has no problem with me putting my cold feet on him.

Speaking of problem ...

TASTE ...
My tummy hurts a tad,
some from the Excedrin,
but mostly from the delicious
fresh fruit in my fridge.

Speaking of delicious ...

SMELL ...
Isn't the smell of Downy
deliciously divine?
These lovely, lovely sheets
smell of that divine-ness!

Speaking of sheets ...


Mine are calling to me.
The Excedrin has worn off
and this handsome,
very sleepy man
just came looking for me.

Over and Out

5:45 AM

Hence, my afternoon.

This morning
well, beginning last night,
I climbed up on my
soapbox.

Everyone on the whole earth was
WRONG!

This man listened to me.
He admitted he was wrong,
even though he wasn't.

Then we went out.
We were looking for peace.
I wasn't finding it and was
wishing we'd stayed home.


Then a literal
NIGHTMARE
came up behind me,
trying to take my hand.
I didn't like it.

It caused me to turn,
searching endlessly for
my greatest blessing.

When I found him
I looked into his eyes,
never wanting to blink again.


Then I cried... sobbed, really.

I climbed down off my soapbox.
He wiped away my tears.
I said I was sorry.
He said he was too.

Then we turned our backs
on the nightmare.

We walked hand in hand,
counting our blessings
and went to lunch.

I anticipated DEATH ...

I've been away for the past few months.
I've not been doing anything life shattering.
Just living.
Just cherishing.
Just taking in every moment

with THIS BOY.

I've been anticipating what the spring of 2010 would bring...
for I knew it would surely kill me.

Yet, here I am.
I am not dead.
I am very much alive.
I am HAPPY!
And I have learned one truth, a truth
I wish I'd known before the Spring of 2010:

"The ANTICIPATION of doing something hard is, almost always, far worse than the REALITY of it."

The anticipation and dread of
Tyson's Senior
Year of BASEBALL
has haunted me.

I sobbed that first opening day
but, surprisingly, not since.

For baseball of 2010
quickly became less about
the game and more about life.

And we had the honor of watching a boy...
Our Boy
grow into a man right before our very eyes.

During the Spring of 2010 he learned:

...to adapt.
...to accept change.
...to lead through example.
...to relish moments,
not seasons.
...to love the TEAM more
than himself.

By the time the season ended
LIFE was different.

For you see, the boy
who walked on the field
that cold day in March
was not walking off it
in the warmth of May.
Walking off it was ... a man.

A MAN who'd learned...
Hitting a home run isn't nearly as fun as cheering for a team mate who'd just hit one for the first time.


A MAN who'd learned...
It's not the end of the world if you get picked off at 2nd. Life will go on.

A MAN who'd learned...
No ONE person can take the blame for a loss or the credit for a win.


A MAN who'd learned...
The players on the other team are not the enemy. They're just regular guys, trying to do their best.


A MAN who'd learned...
Heavenly Father is really in charge of the game and can do more with it that you ever could.

A MAN who'd learned...
He had fans who were always there. Not because he played baseball but because they simply loved him.


A MAN who'd learned...
Coaching is his ultimate dream and what he aspires to do because of good men whom he has called "Coach".

A MAN who'd learned...
Winning isn't the best part of baseball, the best part is just being able to play even though sometimes it rains.

A MAN who'd learned...
His biggest fan has always been the one who sleeps in room next door and nothing will ever change that.

A MAN who'd learned...
Baseball really never mattered to the two who were always in the stands. He was the one who mattered, it was never about the game.

Together, we walked off the field that warm day in May 2010
having laughed much...

having cried much...
having smiled much...
having appreciated much...
and having learned that...
life would only get

MUCH

better from here.

Lessons

Tyson is giving

HITTING LESSONS

$15/hr.

If you're interested

call or text him

(435) 840-3920.

He'll work around your family's schedule
and is willing to pick up/drop the boys if needed.

Why? ... You tell me!

Dear Blog Friends,

Oh, I've been away a long time and how I've missed you. In another post I might tell you where I've been, maybe not, we'll see. But I'm back today and I'm thinking deeply. I want your opinion on my thoughts, so please share.

It's been an emotional time.
So many changes.
So many swirling thoughts.
So many HUGE decisions.
So much stress.



And yet...
Lots of smiles!
Lots of GREAT joy!
Lots of "Miserable-Joy"!
Lots of JOY, none the less.

But beyond the JOY...
The STRESS has been a little over-powering.

I was angry the other day.
It was anger I usually don't engage in.
I found myself BLASTING emails out...
Getting others on my "Anger Bandwagon".

It wasn't a good idea.
Later I felt bad.
I told my best friend because he knew it was a rare occurrence. He told me it was going to be okay. I'm sorry if I wanted YOU to be a
"Bandwagon Jumper".

Through all of this I've found myself ticked at...
Nephi
"I will go, I will do, the things the Lord commands"

Seriously Nephi?
Did you really never question?
Did you really have such

unquestionable FAITH?

This morning I caught ya!
I found out NO,

you weren't unquestionable!

I smiled.

The Lord commanded you to kill Laban
YOU hedged
YOU questioned
It took YOU time to decide if you would
"Go and do as the Lord commanded"

I smiled.

So this my question to you, my Blogger Friends, is ... Why did the Lord command NEPHI to kill Laban? Why did He not command Laman? It would have been an easy task for Laman, he would have smiled at the opportunity to do it. Yet, it was a commandment to Nephi.

Why?
How does this all fit together?
You tell me.

And...
Why does the Lord command me
to do things that would be easier for
YOU?

If you have no idea what I'm talking about you can CLICK HERE to the to get an idea or click to the right for the full story.

The things you don't say ...

to your WIFE!

Jeff and I needed a good laugh.
Mark sent one over.
Laugh with us, it's so good for the soul!
Thanks Mark!