Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Old Photos

We are in the middle of building a couple of bedrooms and a bathroom in our basement for the move in of Cecile (mother-in-law). In the effort of doing this we have been forced to do some cleaning. While I was looking into old boxes and trying to figure out what to keep, chuck, or give to DI, I fount a ton of old photos. Some from when Colbyn was a baby and others from my mission and Julie's high school years. I love old photos, it brings back such a rush of emotions from that one instant caught in time. I am so glad that I caught a lot of those moments on film, I can not imagine living before the camera when all you had was your memories and once they were lost there was nothing to retrieve them. Photos remind you of those memories that have faded, it was a good time and it showed me how blessed I really am. I know that this blog is ironic, figuring that I dont have any photos up yet. But I will get some up soon.
On another note, I just found out that my sister Tracy is going to have a baby. That is awesome and I look forward to having another NIECE/nephew. Tracy is a great mom and Matt is a proud Dad and this one will be lucky to call them Mom and Dad. With this good news we also are reminded of some in our family that are having a tough time having childen. I dont know why this is, why Father in Heaven has blessed some with children and others with the challenge of not. But I do know that He loves us, and all things are possible. I could go on and on about this but I dont think I know enough to shed any more light on the subject. But I do want to say this. I pray for those in my family that can not have kids every day. I pray for their faith to continue and the hope to endure this time of trial. I can not sympothize, for I have no idea what they are going though. But I have felt pain, pain of the spirit and there is no cure besides the light of our Savior. May God Bless.

Just a few thoughts in my words,

Lance

Thursday, January 22, 2009

It has been a few weeks since my last entry...Please forgive me. We are now in 2009 and January is 2/3 over. What has happened lately.
Alix had is 9th birthday on the 10th. He is such a ham. He is playing basketball, I need to work on his skills. And he did a good job for his first game. There are some older boys on the team that are pretty good and so he thinks that he is not that good. I told him to give it some time and some effort and he will be just as good. I just love his sweet attitude on life, he is a love muffin. I am proud of him. He is always coming up to me or Julie and telling us how lucky he is to have us as parents and how much he loves us. He is a good brother as well, he tends to be over lovey with his baby brother and the Ian lets him know it.
In other news, we got to see a little of Obama's inaugeration. It is cool to see the first Black president of the united states. I am a hard republican but I hope Obama can pull this economy around without hurting the constitution or our God given rights of freedom. I am happy to see Barock as president but the leftest media keeps pushing it down our throat that he is black. I know he is and I am proud of this milestone but lets conentrate on what he is doing and not his skin color. Lets look upon the "Character of his heart and not the color of his skin". Sorry to vent but I am tired of all that he is an not what he has done.
On a better note, I am glad to be an american with the fullness of the gospel. Times are tough but we are a blessed people with a loving God...That is the reality of it.

I will try to write more often..

Just a few thoughts in my own words,

Lance

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Holidays Are over

Well it is back to work. It seems like you can take a vacation but the work just piles up. Things are starting to back into their routine.. School, work, and church callings.

Colbyn has been doing home school for the last couple of months because he was getting sick a lot. We took him into the doctor and we were not able to figure out what was going on. So we think it has to do with anxiety (going into Junior High). He is going to be starting back up in a few days and he is really excited.

I can not blame him. When I was a kid, JH scared the crap out of me. I remember catching the bus at 5:30 Am in Willow, AK for 6:55 AM class at Wasilla Junior High. I would wake up around 5 AM to the sweat voice of my mom telling me it was time to start the day. We were 30 miles from the school so the bus ride took about 45 minutes. Junior High was a lot of fun, I did not have to stay in the same class with the same kids. So many more things to do, but that dang locker. To this day I get frustrated with those stupid combos.

One of the reasons we started so early was because there was only one Junior High for our area and we had to double shift. That made is so I would get out at 12 and home by 1. The rest of my brothers and sisters did not get home for a couple more hours. So Mom and I had some good moments together, we even got hooked on a soap opera (one life to live). And to this day that is still a close thing between my mother and me...I love her so much.

That is just a few thoughts in my words,

Lance

Sunday, January 4, 2009

9 AM church, 4 kids ready in 90 minutes

Today we started Church at 9am. This used to be a lot harder then it is now. But our kids are getting older and more self sufficient. Colbyn even helps out getting the other kids ready, that means I can sleep in an additional 5 minutes.
I am teaching the 11 year old class. We got some new students today and they are a good group of kids. My last bunch were 6 boys and they all had ADD (not really but I swear they could all use some drugs). The hard part about today was that our baby (Ian) is now in Primary. We no longer have any kids in nursery. In a way it was hard but it is good that a this chapter of our life has closed and the next one opens.
Colbyn and I did fast offerings today in the zero degree weather. It was cold but I love going out with Colbyn and watching him exercise his priesthood. He truly is a good kid and so much better then his Dad was at that age. I was a good kid but was clueless as to the deep secrets of life, Colbyn aspires to know all things and practice that which is good.
Julie substituted with me today, I still do not have another person called to teach with me and the church has a policy that you can not have one teacher. I love having her by my side.
After Church I took Norma (our golden retriever) our for a walk. It was cold but I had to get her out so that she could get some exercise. While I was out I took a moment to look at the lake and there was such a peace (freezing peace but a peace nonetheless). I truly am grateful for all I have. I give thanks to my Father in Heaven for the small things that often go unnoticed, they are countless.
Just my words, Lance

Friday, January 2, 2009

2009, so far so good

Today was the second day of 2009. I had the week off and I enjoyed the time with my wife and boys. We are in the middle of building a cool snow fort and will finish it up tomorrow. The fort reminds me of when I was a boy in Alaska and we would spend days building the awesomest forts. Sometimes I wish my boys could taste a little bit of my childhood. Don't get me wrong, I am glad that my boys have what they have and are growing up with lots of family and friends here in Utah. But I had it good as a boy. We lived in Willow, Alaska next to a big blue lake. We had four wheelers and a canoe to explore many of the lakes that Alaska has to offer. If you had any type of adventure in you then it was your paridise, and how I basked in it.

Enough about that, I will reminis later. Tomorrow should be fun. I am going to go shooting with the boys. My dad gave me a new gun a couple of months ago and I have yet to shoot it. The boys are going to take their 22s and BB guns out. I am going to try and get Julie to fire a shot or two.