Blueprint

My life has been busy and boring, and that is why there has been no updated blog here.  It's been clear that that has been the trend in the family this week however.  Amy of course has done pretty well but even she hasn't been completely on it, so I don't feel too bad.  At least I'm no "Ter Not There".  I get the feeling that she started (and ended) with a gun (amy) to her head (ear).  No forensics needed.  

 

Have you ever known anyone who seems to have a lot of their prayers answered al tiro (spanish for right away)?  Felicia is someone I know.  Honestly, I can think of a handful of times that she's prayed for something, opened her eyes, and voila....there ya go.  Literally just last night that happened to her.  As we were getting ready for bed she got something in her eye.  You could see it right on her pupil, like a piece of tiny sand embedded there.  It wouldn't budge.  She rinsed, flushed, blinked, rubbed and finally called the O.R. to talk to a nurse friend of hers.  She hung up the phone, went into the bedroom, came back and said, "it's gone" with a grin on her face.  Knowing her past I said almost sarcastically, "did you pray?", "ya" with a nod was her simple reply.  That's one of several similar stories.  

 

I once got a fortune in a fortune cookie that reads: God will give you everything that you want.  I kept it and still have it in a frame.  I sometimes think that that was not intended for me but Felicia.  She has more than once said to me, "I always get what want", and not in a stuck-up kind of way but more like she was slightly worried about the consequences.

 

God is so willing to help those who are willing to help themselves when they put their faith in him.  Wasn't that experience that Felicia had like so many others we've read, heard, or experienced ourselves.  Remember when Dad did all he could to find Amy's wedding ring out by the pond and then prayed for help.  Well the rest is history.  If you haven't heard that story, ask Dad about it.  Isn't that the blueprint for life?  We put our faith in God and do all that we possibly can and he'll take care of the rest.     

 

    

Happy Birthday!

I remember the first time I met Chay Porter Clark.  He was riding his little bike around the semi trailer parked in front of his house while somebody was moving their belongings back into the house his dad had built.  I walked down to their house from the Tuft's with Susan and I think Paul, to say welcome.  I was probably only 5 or 6 I guess and on the verge of meeting the only non-blood related life long friend I still have close ties with since I could remember.  He turns 27 tomorrow, or today, depending on when you read this, or even yesterday I guess. It's on the 20.  I'd bet it's safe to say that about 80% of all my childhood memories fit Chay in there somewhere.  Sleeping on the tramp, night games, riding bikes to King's for candy, Christmas morning present comparisons, birthday parties, 4th of July, swimming in the canal, motorbike riding, walking the dogs, hiding behind a giant pillow on the go-cart while he drove so Mom wouldn't see, picking raspberries, walking home from school, rollerblades, trick-or-treating, scout camps and on and on and on.  I was the one riding bikes with him to Casey Swisher's when he got hit by a car, he was there with me during the river rafting accident, he shot the first hoop in my new basketball hoop, Tory and Brutus trusted no other neighbors to not only feed them but walk them when I wasn't there, he taught me how to drive a stick shift in the Jr. High parking lot, him and I were the only ones to stay up ALL night at the all-nighter nintendo parties playing Mario Kart, he always called me to come with him to Dan Armstrong's for sleep overs, we outran the cops once, he was the only person I ever sent a postcard to faithfully while on family vacations, I was at his farewell and he was at my homecoming, I'd cry some nights at the MTC wishing I was with him because I didn't want to go home but I felt overwhelmed, he helped Felicia and I move in EVERYTHING at our apartment including several different trips to RCWilley, home from SLC with a bed frame, and helped move up our large tv.  Chay took me to Burley for one of the most memorable weekends down memory lane I've ever had last summer and he still calls me once in a while to play basketball and we talk at least 2 or 3 times a month.  He's as much a brother as I could have ever had.  Love ya man, happy birthday.    

10 yrs. ago:

That would make me 16 and put me in Burley Idaho.  I was interested in Nintendo 64 with Ross Mitchell (he was also my lawn mowing partner), motorcycle riding with Chay, sneaking around the neighborhood with a laser pointer with Paul, watching David program his computer,  and wondering where I fit in at school.  By the way, girls weren't on my mind much at all but my seminary class wondered who I would go on my first date with.  Little did they know they'd be waiting for a LONG time.  

5 Things on the to do list:

1. Go buy food storage (we already made our list and emergency plan)

2. keep up with homework during spring break

3. get 5 hrs. every night at work

4. do home teaching

5.  make a bus schedule (time to cut back on gas)

5 snacks I enjoy:

1. Edamame (I love 'em, can't get enough. Great alternative to popcorn)

2. Felicia's homemade fruit health shakes

3. Farr Better Ice Cream (mostly the get away from homework to walk across the street and see Felicia's eyes light up with delight)

4. Rice Pudding

5. Cereal of course 

What would I do if I were suddenly a billionaire?

I would help out a few select somebodies close to me, let Mom build her ultimate dream home now that her backyard is going to be developed, let Felicia go hog wild on her dream home out in the country (like on Fried Green Tomatoes) or in a neighborhood like on Home Alone, buy Felicia and Emily a Dog, buy Jared a Dodge something and Dad a truck, trailer and horses, go on an awesome, adventurous trip with Shawn and Emily, prepay graduate school, and so much more.    

5 places I've lived:

1. Burley

2. Farr West

3. Ogden

4. Chile

5. Weber State Library

5 jobs I've had:

1. lawn mowing

2. janitor at Whalquist

3. several construction jobs

4. UPS

5. AOL, Home Depot, office manager for Mike

5 Things you don't know about me:

1. I thought and still kinda think I have testicular cancer (Mike even had a dream about it)

2. I can bench press twice my weight

3. My car is the only debt I have

4. I am very good a singing parts of real songs to much of what Felicia has to say. (just ask her. She call's me the Human iPod.)

5. I have a stupid nack for being able to identify actors at any stage in their life and what other moves they've played in, whether they are very famous or not.  Felicia will say that EVERYBODY looks familiar to me. 

I tag Em and Scott L. if he read my blog 

 

That is a picture of little Wayne when he and Felicia's parents came over for dinner during the  Thanksgiving break.  He had never played before so it was quite amusing to see the awe and wonder in him as he realized he could make Mario do whatever he wanted him to.  It reminded me of when Molly would play and lean one way or the other or swing her arms up and over to help Mario jump.  LOL!!!!  Pretty funny!  

These might be the zombies that Em was talking about!!!!!  I saw them too and  noticed that they had been possessed to walk naked, so I took a picture!  

Accomplishment

I thought you guys would like to see a picture of us scuba diving in Cancun.  Well I don't have one.  But I can't wait to go again!  It was one of those experiences that brought a smile to my face that wouldn't go away.  I know it sounds a little scary or even risky, but you don't even think about that once you're down there....well, I guess Felicia was a little nervous.  How many times do you think of something you'd like to do but never move toward that vision, like it was meant to just be a dream.  Something Felicia and I have made a saying of is, "if you don't do it, you'll never do it".  I'm sure there is something you've been wanting to do that has been floating around in you head.  Well if it's realistic, go do it!  Start by making it a goal with a plan.  I've always believed that God wants more than anything for us to be happy.  "Men are, that they might have joy"  Why not enjoy the good  he has to offer.