Christmas Eve..

Here we are. Christmas Eve is here. I love this day. The big Yeates family party, the Holiday is here. The magic of Christmas is still alive for me. Just 24 hours till I can play with my new toy. I am getting more and more excited. Tomorrow we will get a call from Jordan and then just have a quiet day.

I am grateful for this this season to spend time together and most important to celebrate the birth of the Savior.

Happy Christmas Eve everyone!!

So Much to be Thankful For

This Thanksgiving day I have so much to be thankful for. I am often amazed that I am where I am in life. I look around me and wonder how did that shy kid end up here?

To think that I am married to a beautiful, wonderful woman for 26 years now. That I have a true partner in my life who loves me and supports me in all that I do, is overwhelming.

To be the father of my children is one of the greatest joys of my life. To watch them progress in their lives and make great choices is what life is all about.

I have watched Amanda go to the temple and marry a man who truly loves her and treats her as her dad wants her to be treated. I watch her and Scott serve in the church, go to the temple and be a great example to their friends and family. I am so proud of the strong and truly good person that she is.

I rejoiced when all five of us were in the temple the day Jordan took out his endowments. I have been so impressed by his desire and determination to serve a mission. He worked hard and saved all he could before going. Now we read his letters and watch his progress and love to watch this part of the Lord's plan work. There is no other place on earth I would want him to be and nothing else I would want him to be doing.

I am grateful that Jane and I have jobs where I feel that we do meaningful work. That we add to the world in our small way. I am grateful for the church service we are able to be a part of and all that I have learned and the people I have come to know while serving over the years.

I am grateful for all our extended family. For the ever growing circle of love that they bring to our lives. Each new child and each new marriage just extends the circle.

I am grateful for great friends. Both at work and at church.

I am truly blessed. The Lord said "man is that he might have joy". This day as with all days of my life, I can say that I do indeed have joy.

For Unto Us...

As I begin this week of Thanksgiving I want to first start with the thing I am most grateful for. Let me explain.

We went to see Mainheim Steamroller in concert on Thursday night. The program began with the Hallelujah Chorus. As I listened, I was overcome by the reality of the fact that he shall indeed "Reign Forever". Truly King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The greatest gift ever given to man.

This was a Christmas concert, but it seems such a great way to start the season of Thanksgiving. Because of this blessing, all other blessings that I enjoy are possible.

Let us all shout Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hal-le-lu-jah.

A little part.....

Last night Jane and I got to join a few others from our ward in cleaning the Jordan River Temple. They gave us white scrubs to wear and had the two of us go vacuum the chapel and the sealing rooms.

We started in the chapel. I did the stand first and then we worked our way back through the benches meeting in the middle of each. It was fun to work together on this. As I went I started to think about what would be taking place in this room the next day. I thought of all the people that would come into the chapel, sit and listen to the music and maybe read the scriptures. They would sit with friends and family as they prepared to go on a session.

In the sealing room hall way, I first took care of the office where I could envision the workers tracking the work that is being done. Then I did the waiting room and I thought of those who would be there. Next, I started on the sealing rooms. They had us start at the back of each room and work our way to the door so as not to leave foot prints in the room. I started behind the small desk and worked my way around the alter and through the chairs. I thought of the times I have been in room such as these and how special those times were.

I am grateful that we had the chance to play a small part in the great things that will take place in the temple today. If we did our jobs well, no one will think about what we did. They will have no distractions to take their minds off the great things they are participating in. For some, it will be the most important day of their lives, as they make covenants with those they love and with the Lord. For others it will remind them of when they were the ones making those covenants. The day I was able to kneel at an alter with Jane was certainly on my mind as I was doing my little part.

San Diego

Last week Jane and I went to San Diego for a few days. We stayed on Harbor Island where we were surrounded by water. Out the one side of the hotel were hundreds of boats. Out the other side was the main harbor. It is a beautiful place to stay.

We went to Sea World and had a great time. We loved the shows. The highlights for me were the following shows: The Sesame Street 4D movie, brought to you by the number 4 and the letter D. The 3D was great and the 4th D included getting sprayed with water and the seat shaking. The seal and otter show is always great and of course the Shamu show is incredible. The most amazing show had nothing to do with the sea. It is a show called Pets Rule. The show is done with cats and dogs rescued from local animal shelters. We have all seen dogs do amazing things and this show was no exception, but I had no idea you could train a house cat to do anything. (I have always felt that our cats have trained us, not the other way around) They had cats doing things I could not believe. They had one climb a pole and then cross the stage on a high wire. It was truly amazing.

We went to the San Diego zoo and were amazed at the size of the place. You would need at least two days to see everything. We took the bus tour around the zoo and then decided to see things that we could not see at our zoo. The pandas were indeed the highlight.

We went to Sea Port Village one evening, Old Town another. Our last evening was spent on the beach on Coronado. We watched the sun go down from there. It was beautiful.

The highlight of the trip was the temple. We went to a the temple Thursday morning. It was a very small session. Jane and I were asked to be the witnesses. It was a great experience and such a beautiful place.

I am glad that we were able to get away for a few days.

I guess I am getting old

There are times when you realize that you are getting old. Last night was one of those for me. We went to dinner for Dylan's 14th birthday to Buca di Beppo and found ourselves in a room with 60 kids from different high schools on their homecoming dates.

The first thing I noticed that was there were only two or three girls that had dresses that I would have let my daughter out of the house in. The others must have been on sale due to the lack of material. The next thing I thought was how grateful I am to be done with this type of activity. So, I guess that means my kids are old. The noise level was off the chart, and that is saying something since we can get a little noisy by ourselves.

The last thing I thought of was yes, I may be getting older, but I really don't care. I have no desire to go back in time. I especially thought of how I would never want to go back to the high school days.

Like everyday, there is something to enjoy just being in it. This day was no exception.

A "Fair" Evening

Last night Jane and I did something we have not done for years. We went to the State Fair. We saw the cows, the sheep, the goats, the pigs, and the pigeons. It was fun to watch the little kids get so excited to see these animals up close. To quote one little girl "Look at the great big cow!!" She was right. They had a 3000 pound steer there who was indeed "great big". The goat judging was going on while we were there, and is was cool to see these young farm kids lining up with their prize goats. There were no messages in spider webs in the pig area, just lots of flies. It is amazing that even washed and cleaned up for the fair that pigs are still just pigs. I have to say that I have no idea what sets one pig or goat apart from another.

We enjoyed the fine art, the floral, baking and sewing exhibits. After looking at the bread on display I'm thinking that I should bake some zuchini bread and send it in next year. I think that Spencer should do some real bread and enter. We saw Janice's quilt hanging with it's ribbon.

Of course the main reason to go to the fair is the food. We sampled a few of the finer selections. I had a braut with grilled onions. Jane had a chicken fry bread something. Then we shared a big soft pretzel. There were so many stands with giant corn dogs. There were frog legs and alligator on a stick. The guy who sells the grease for the deep fryers was making a killing.

The people watching was great. It looked like Jazzy heaven. Also, the "odd person" bus must have made a few trips. They were all there.

As I said, it has been years since we've gone to the fair, and it may be a few more before we go back. When we can be grandpa and grandma watching our grandkids see the big cows, then we will be ready.

DOOM-ed

Years ago I was pretty hooked on the video game DOOM. I would play through the free version from end to end about once a month and had done so for over a year. Slowly my interest faded.

In the last few weeks, I took Jordan's XBox 360 and hooked it up to my little HDTV in the sew-den (half sewing room and half den). I noticed that Jordan had gotten the XBox version of the old classic and had installed it. I thought I would give it a try. It has taken me a while to get used to the controls but going through the first episode that I still know so well was a good way to get started.

So, here I am well on my way through the second episode and having a great time. I am still hitting wrong buttons at times and suffering the consequences. I also am working hard to not roll my chair left or right when I want to move my character.

I am happy to say that the fun I remember is still there. Who knows, once I am done with DOOM maybe I will give Halo a try. Everyone should sleep better knowing that I am once again keeping the world safe from the alien menace.

A little trip

There was a new doctor in St. George who needed training on the 23rd, so Jane and I decided to come down and spend a few days while I was at it. We got to spend Pioneer Day the Washington Utah way. The little parade started at 9am. My folks got to ride in the parade as the Grand Marshals for their ward. (each ward has one). We sat by Mike's Barber Shop where Mike was also the MC for the event. It was a lot of fun. We then went to the park where there were booths setup. We tried to sample everything. We had hot dogs, nachos, corn on the cob, water melon and a snow cone. The main attraction was the foot race by age. My favorite was a 3 year old girl who wanted none of it. She ran about 10 feet, threw herself to the ground and sobbed. That evening we did the home fireworks show. It was a fun day.

Saturday we had a BBQ at the Jensen's and then Jane and I went to Tuacahn to see Foot Loose the musical. It was a lot of fun. They always do such a great job. With this venue you always get things you would never see on a regular stage. They had a Chevelle, two tractors, a motor cycle, a horse and even goats. A few fireworks at the end as usual. It was really warm. We normally go to Tuacahn in the fall and I think that is better. Next year they will be doing Tarzan the Disney musical. I think we will have to catch that. There is just something about live theater that I love.

Thanks to our family for having us. We always enjoy our time with them and appreciate their hospitality.

Father's Day

On this Father's Day so many thoughts and feelings are running through me. I think I will start with talking about my grandfathers.

My grandpa Milo Bracken was born in Star Valley Wyoming. All my memories of him are of a quiet, smiling man. I remember fishing with him at Flaming Gorge. I remember going deer hunting west of Nephi in his green truck. I can't remember a cross word coming from his lips. I think of his look of joy when he was around his family. He was a man who truly understood what hard work was and was never afraid to do what needed to be done. I always felt important and loved in his presence.

My grandpa Silas Crosby was born in Panguitch Utah. He was more cowboy than about anything else. People saw him as rough,, tough and gruff. I saw him as someone who wanted people to think that, but to me he was not that at all. I caught my first fish with him. He was always patient and kind to me. Watching my grandma and him taught me how a great love story should unfold. He was always a kid a heart and loved a new toy as much as anyone. I remember the robot bank that he would give the kids money to feed. His mongoose was a famous prank for most of my life. I never questioned his love for me.

Last year I did a full post on my Dad and my Father-in-law, but I could not, not write a little this year also.

My father-in-law Richard Yeates was also a great example to me. He shared a lot of traits with my grandpa Crosby. He wanted everyone to think he was the meanest man on the street. But, nothing could have been further from the truth. His love, devotion and caring for his family were as great as anyone I have known. His acceptance of me as a son was a real as could be.

My Dad gave me everything a boy really needed. He taught me respect for women, respect for God and respect for others. He showed me how a real man puts others first. Tomorrow he will celebrate his 75th birthday. He is still working hard, keeping in shape and going strong. I hope that I can follow in his foot steps.

Sitting in church and listening to the talks about father's day, I was filled with gratitude for the privilege of being a father. Nothing in my life has brought me more joy. I am grateful to my Father in Heaven for allowing me to share in the great experience.

What a month

I can only say that we have been looked after from above. A couple of months ago I noticed that I had something that looked like a wart growing on my cheek. Needless to say I was not happy about it. I called and made an appointment with my dermatologist. About a week before the appointment, I was sitting on the couch and Jane walked by me and said, "You have a spot on the top of your head. Have the doctor look at it while you are there next week". At the appointment I had the doctor remove the "thing" from my cheek and had him look at my head. He said that the spot did look questionable and wanted to do a biopsy of it. A week later I had a call from him. (not from the staff, but from him). He told me that I had tested positive for melanoma. He referred me to a specialist. He also told me to have an eye exam and to let my children and siblings know that my testing positive increased their odds. The eye exam was totally clear.

We then went to see the specialist. He told us that what they had found was a level 1A which is the earliest stage of melanoma. He said that I would need to have surgery to have a portion of my scalp removed to insure that all the cancer was gone. He also said that I might have to have a skin graft to cover the area.

On Tuesday I had the surgery. I struggled with the knock out stuff and was unable to keep anything down the first night. Wednesday we went back to the specialist to get the final results. It was all good news. First, all the cancer was removed so I would not have to lose any more scalp and he was able to get the wound closed so no skin graft. I have a neat trail of staples across my head, which will stay in for another week.

We are truly blessed to have been able to find this so early and get it taken care of.

Talking to Jordan

Since they don't have 2000 phones at the MTC, Jordan was not able to call home on Mother's day. So, they let him call during his lay over at the Denver airport on his way to Oklahoma. It was nice to hear his voice. He is excited and I think a little nervous to get a new companion and get out in the field. It is amazing to think of our little boy doing all this. When it was me, I was totally grownup and ready for anything. I think he feels the same way. That's perspective for you. We are very proud of him and the choices he is making in his life. But here we sit on pins and needles waiting to hear how his first week in the field goes. Of course when I was in his shoes I had no idea my parents would be feeling this way.

We will update his address on his mission blog as soon as we have one.

Happy Mothers Day

Today I want to take a moment and honor some of the most important people in my life. I will start with the mother of my children. I often look at my self and wonder how did that little shy kid end up here? Married to a wonderful woman for almost 26 years. Two great adult children and one "Mighty" son-in-law. So many blessings in my life. Jane is the cornerstone to all that is great in my life today.

I think of my mother and all she has done and continues to do for me and all of her children. She taught me so much. She was always there in our home. It was always a place of comfort and peace. I am so grateful for her and her sacrifice and love.

Jane's mom has been a great blessing in my life. We often hear people talk about the "Mother in Law" in less than loving ways. I have no idea what they are talking about. She has been so kind to me from the first time I met her. She taught her children what a mother should be.

I am so blessed to have these women in my life. The legacy of true motherhood is alive and well in our family. As I see what the world is becoming I realize the solution is simply in being the kind of parents that we had our selves. So many children today have no idea what real parents are.

Empty Nest Report - Week One

Well, Jordan has been in the MTC for a full week. We got another letter from him and he is having a great time. I was sure that we would be totally bored, so we planned a Doso De Mayo party for Saturday. (We were busy on Cinco De Mayo so we moved it to the 2nd.) There were 20 of us eating tacos, chips and salsa, yummy desserts and watching Nacho Libra. It was a fun evening. Then Tuesday Jane's Mom's water heater started to leak so Steve and I spent the evening changing it out. Then yesterday at school Jane found out that they will be getting a new principal next year. That has upped her stress level to red.

So, not the nice quiet week that one would have expected. But hey, it keeps life interesting.

Empty Nest - Day One

So here we are. It is a strange morning. Last night Jane said "why is there light coming from the hall?". It was simply Jordan's bedroom door open and more light coming in from outside. This morning is quiet and we really have a good case of the "I don't want to's". After taking two days off we both know that today will not be pleasant at work. It often seems it can take two days to recover from taking one day off, so after taking two off it should be a real treat.

A Farewell to Jordan

Yesterday was the day for "Jordan to talk in church before leaving on his mission". The way the program was setup we were worried that he wouldn't have enough time to give his talk. First there was a song by the choir then the first speaker then another song by the choir. After all this I looked up at the clock and it was only 20 minutes till the hour. Then Jordan got up and gave a really good talk. But he only took about 7 minutes. Well, then the bishopric member who was conducting got up and "invited" a few people to come up and share their testimonies. Jane and I were lucky enough to be included. Despite that, it did end up being a really good meeting.

Then we had everyone come over to the house. We are very grateful for everyone that could come and show their love and support for him. It is always great to spend time together. It truly is what life is all about. It was pretty crowded but I hope everyone had a good time. Thanks for sharing this special day with us.

For the Greater Good

Jordan and I just got home from the Stake Blood drive. Jordan was rejected due to a mild fever. I was able to fill the bag in 5 minutes flat. I went over to the treat table and found absolutely no Fig Newtons or Famous Amos cookies. I had to settle for trail mix. I think there should be menu for blood donors to select their treats ahead of time. A little lobster or maybe some crawfish would be great. But, at least I am simply following orders when I take it easy this evening. Other days I am simply in training for the resting required the next time I donate.

Time Goes By

Here we are with only one full week before Jordan leaves. Next weekend we will be fully engulfed in getting ready for his farewell. Then the gathering everything together, list checking and packing will take over.
Two months seemed like a lot of time when he got his call, and indeed he does have everything purchased. But, I guess as all parents, we are not sure we are ready for this big step in his and our lives. Jordan though is ready to get on with it. Having been in his shoes, I understand. You spend so much of your life preparing for that day. Once you have your call and have everything you need, you are ready to get going.

Easter Morning

This morning my thoughts turn to a beautiful and peaceful garden. An empty tomb and a single word, "Master". I feel the joy when the realization that all Jesus had told his disciples had come to pass. His mortal mission complete and the victory won. I am so grateful for this knowledge and the hope and peace it brings to my life. As I see the sun rise this morning the dawning of a new day means so much more because of that new day.

Priesthood Session

Last month in our meeting with the Stake Presidency, they told us that the Ward Clerks should stay after and get conference tickets for their ward. I asked ours to see if he could get a pair of priesthood session tickets. I was hoping to take Jordan. Our ward only got a total of 10 tickets but he was able to get the pair for me.

So, yesterday Jordan and I went to the session. It was the first time for either of us to actually be in the Conference Center for Priesthood. We got downtown early and went to the Nauvoo Cafe in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. The food was really good, but a little pricey. We then went over to the Conference Center. It was a great session. The story of the light bulb will stay with me. It was great to be there with so many priesthood holders. I am grateful for Lords plan and the strength that we can gain together.

Little Update

We received a letter from Jordan's mission office the other day. We were surprised to find out that we needed to purchase a bike here and have it shipped there. It is expected that it will be to the mission office before he gets there.

So, today we went out shopping. It was a larger purchase than I would have expected, but it is done. This is a normal thing now we have found out. He bought a Liahona bike and they will ship it directly to the mission office. Little different than back in my day when you simply went to the bike shop in your first area and picked something up.

Also, we did get official word that Jordan will be speaking in Church on the 26th of April. Our church is at 11am. We want invite everyone that would like, to come over to the house after.

Temple Weekend

This weekend was all about the temple around here. Yesterday we took Jordan to the Bountiful Temple for his endowment. (he really just wanted it to be the five of us) I hope everyone will forgive us for just going as he wanted. It was an amazing experience for me as a dad. It is a wonderful thing to have both our children in the temple. (and of course Scott). I love the relationship that the five of us have. Jordan is still not sure what to think about the whole thing, but is excited for us to go back so he can get more answers.

Today we all went to the dedication of the Draper temple at the stake center. I sat there and wondered how many other members of our families were sharing the same experience. What a wonderful thing to be a part of. I am so grateful for God's plan and the blessing it brings.

O K L A H O M A

Jordan has been called to the Tulsa Oklahoma mission. He will be going into the MTC on April 29th. This mission covers the east third of Oklahoma, the southwest third of Missouri, a small part of both Kansas and Arkansas. This mission includes the part of Missouri where the Garcia's lived. He seems excited. I am excited for him to have this experience.

We are now ready to start the shopping and get all the "stuff" that he needs.

False Start

Tonight we received an email from the stake. Here it is:

Jordan’s papers were finally submitted tonight (Sunday Feb 15^th).

I would think that his call would be at your home on March 4^th if all goes normally.

We’ll keep you informed.

I don't know what happened. We are starting to feel like little kids waiting for Christmas. Not sure if the day will ever come.

Finally Submitted

Jordan's mission application is finally on its way to the church. It has been a real struggle to get here. There has just been one thing after another to get in the way.
Just a couple of examples:
First, when I called the dentists office to ask about bringing the form to them they decided that it had been a couple of days too long since his checkup (even though he had been back since then for a filling) and he would have to been seen again. But no problem, they could get him in in just 3 short weeks. I then scrambled to find a dentist that could see him. We did get him in in the next few days, but when they mailed the form to the bishop they did not fill it out fully. The bishop had to take it back to them to get it completed.
Second, his physical. Once again his regular doctor could not see him for more than a month. We did get him into another doctor, but they forgot to do his TB test. Jordan went back to get it done, but they sent the papers to the bishop without that information. We got a call from the stake Thursday night that they could not proceed without that. Yesterday I ran to the clinic to get a copy of that report. To be sure that it got in, I scanned it and emailed it to the stake. I did get a message back that they now have everything and can submit the application.
It has been clear to me during this process that the adversary does not want Jordan to go. More reason than ever that he should. The stake said that his call should come in about 2 weeks. We are thinking either the 18th or the 25th of this month. We now wait and are excited to begin the next step in the process.

Ramblings

I am not sure what the deal is, but I just have not been in a "blogging" mood for a while. In an effort to do better I will try to catch up on the last month.
First, we went to the open house at the Draper Temple. It was great. Beautiful as you would expect and a great spirit there. They did something that I have not seen done before. They took us in groups into a sealing room and talked to us about what happens there and what it means. I felt that this was a great addition to the tour. I am so grateful for the blessings of the temple and the peace that it brings to me.
Second, Jordan is in the middle of his mission application process. He will be meeting with the Stake President on Thursday evening and then the application should go on to the church. We are expecting his call to come by the end of the month. It is amazing to reach this point. His life long goal is being realized and we are happy for him. His friend Ben got his call last week to New Zealand and that has really increased the reality of this for us.
Third, our water heater is on the outs. It is only a year old and is under warranty. In fact the problem must be wide spread because when I called there was an option just for these models. I just got out of an eye opening, cold shower. It is amazing how pampered we are. Our homes are kept warm or cool without much thought from us. We expect to have power at the touch of a switch. We don't even think about hot water most of the time. Times like these make me grateful for those who came before us. Today the part should arrive and then we can schedule its installation. Three days without hot water will soon be a distant memory.

Exciting Day!!!

Yesterday Jordan had his mission physical and today he is gone working a 10 hour day. This idea of becoming empty nesters is getting more real all the time. Right now Jane and I are each sitting in the family room each with a laptop. Wow we really live on the edge.

Happy New Year

A new year is here. I am amazed that it is the new year already. I know I am getting old because it seems like such a short time ago when we were preparing for Y2K. This year I will have been out of high school for 30 years. Yes I said 30 years. How in the world did this happen? I remember when my parents were going to their 30th reunions. (I was amazed that they could be that old) Well here I am at that same milestone.

We are now looking to become empty nesters. Good thing we kinda like each other. Who knows what other changes this year will bring. I guess we just need to keep enjoying the ride.

I am grateful for everything in my life. The wonderful people, the challenges and opportunities, the surprises and even the everyday routine.