First Family Ski Trip

Ok well in the interest of playing catchup I wanted to write about our first family ski trip. COVID has the whole world feeling cooped up, and especially me as someone who gets antsy staying in one place too long. With that I decided you were all old enough to try hitting the slopes. I was looking at Telluride but their restrictions were a bit harsh, so we decided on Purgatory ski resort- just north of Durango CO. The weeks prior we spent getting together gear, and adult sized helmets for your heads- Deacon and Quinn!, we rented a little condo which was perfect for our family.

Ok so here’s the deal- day one, and especially hours 1-3 were rough, kind of hellish really. Your mother and I were basically porters for all the heavy gear, and it took some adjusting to get you all dressed and walking in ski boots. Also the ski boots I last used 9 years ago had degraded to the point where the inside cushioning was like glue- which meant by the time I got them on I was burning up under all my layers, and from all my cursing.  Ski school wasn’t open on our first day- so we headed to the bunny slope with some instructions from your dear old dad. Quinn you were in moms care, and Cora and Deacon you were with me.

The bunny hill tapered quickly to a narrow tunnel under a bridge- very poor design, and after had a bit of an abrupt point where you had to go left or right- as going straight would lead over a very sharp and rocky drop off. Deacon and Quinn, I had gotten ski harnesses that went around your chests and over your shoulders with leashes so we could control your speed going down the mountain- or such was the intent. Well off we went. Cora you quickly found your comfort level in a style that involved leaning back until your bottom was resting on the back of your skis, and then dragging your hands to slow down. Deacon the leashes mostly just knocked you down, your skis came off, and due to the snow on your bindings were not going on easily. Quinn I lost you and mom behind us as you were making almost no progress.

Deacon and Cora, we stopped on the far side of the bridge to gather ourselves emotionally and prepare for the final downhill. I decided to quickly ski down, take the lift back up, and get mom and Quinn who were still out of sight while you two stayed and rested. The plan worked, I found mom struggling on the hill and helped bring Quinn down, then I came back and helped you down Deacon, Cora- you deployed your butt slide technique until we reached the bottom. Thus our first, and worst, run was behind us. After our very fun experience we resorted to walking a small way up hill and letting you two get the feel for coming down, working on your wedge and getting a feel for being on skis. I did some runs on my own up the mountain and later we got your courage up to do the bunny hill a few more times.

Day two was markedly better, classes in the morning helped, as well as the opening of another lift with a much better beginner hill. Deacon and Cora you both were gaining confidence and doing well getting to the bottom of the hill by yourself- with just a few falls each time. Quinn, while the older two were in lessons Mom and I took you up the main lift and did a nice long run with you. I actually found it best to keep you between my skis and occasionally lift you up as we went down the slopes. It was pretty tiring, but we had a lot of fun and the scenery was beautiful. You had told us you didn’t want to go on the big lift, but as usual you courage was up to the task.

That night we took you into Durango and rode the “Polar Express” it was a real steam train and you all got a kick out of it, Deacon and Quinn you were fairly convinced we were actually going to Santas workshop. We found a restraint to eat at- which we could not do inside- but could in their tent along with other diners- which made about as much sense as most of the other Covid restrictions did…. In any case as we drove back up the hill the snow had started to fall, I spend the last 6 miles of the drive happily behind a snow plow- as it was pitch dark and I hate driving on snow.

Day three was perfect. Lessons again in the morning so Cora you really got to work on your speed control and turns, Deacon you continued to gain confidence and started getting some small turns down as well. The good news was with that we all went up the big hill together! Deacon I kept you on the leashes, but you did most of the work and really did well on your turns. Cora you were on your own and didn’t fall at all on the way down. You were turning really well, controlling your speed- and even one time a slightly out of control snow boarder was behind you and put his hand on you, he fell but you didn’t. Quinn you and mom just glided down the hill, you with a big smile on your face and your long hair streaming behind you.

The mountains were so beautiful, and watching you all grow and conquer something new was beautiful as well. I loved seeing how your confidence grew with each day, how the accomplishment emboldened you to try even harder, and push yourself to take on more. You all fought some like usual, but you were also there for each other when needed, to carry some burden or offer encouragement and care after the falls. The last time I had been skiing was with mom in Telluride, Cora you were just a 1 year old so we left you with Mimi and Papa. Its strange how time can go by so quickly, that for 9 years we had not been on the mountain together, but it didn’t feel like we had been absent that long at all. I hope these trips can become an annual tradition, and that someday Mom and I can help watch your kids when you go to hit the slopes with your families.

 

Cora, you continue to become such a big girl, at only 10 you seem so confident and mature. It is great knowing I can count on you to help out with tasks, providing another set of hands for mom and I. Now that doesn’t mean you are always patient with your brother and sister…. But such is life as a sibling. When it matters you are there for Deacon and Quinn, and for Mom and I. It was fun watching you go down the ski hills again and again by yourself, working on different aspects each time and getting better. You also made friends two of the days and were skiing down with some other girls. I am very proud of the woman you are becoming.

 

Quinn, I think mom calls you a “fairly child” you rarely stop speaking, with your bright blue eyes, exuberance, and long flowing hair I guess she is right. Your disposition is 95% happy and cuddly, always giving mom and I the biggest hugs, telling us we are the best mommy and daddy, and just generally being sweet and kind. Lately you have been getting a kick out of making us laugh as well, it used to embarrass you, but now you enjoy the attention. Speaking of enjoying attention you have lately been singing a song you adapted from Frozen, with your own words to us- you have us all watch while you perform- its really cute. You were not so much a skier as a passenger on this trip, but I am sure that will change with each passing year.

Catching up on Covid Summer

 

Well, I guess it speaks to the world that was in 2020 that I had yet to write to you three about anything. That speaks to my distraction, but also I guess failure to stay on top of all the tasks and use my time diligently. This year has also proved something that most would want to forget.

It will go down in the history books, 2020, the year of COVID. Not since the 1918 Spanish Flu has something gripped so completely the entire world. This virus originated in China, and due to their lack of communication and secrecy that so defines authoritarian governments the virus spread around the globe in earnest beginning in March. I actually traveled to Asia in February, the virus was well known by then but it is not very deadly unless you have what are called co-morbidities, in this case age, weight, and heart issues seemed to be 3 big ones, the vast majority of deaths in those 70 years and older. It was strange to visit places normally packed with crowds and find them mostly empty. Hong Kong airport was a ghost town, I had the Cathay Pacific lounge virtually to myself. I had a drink with an employee at the top of the Marina Bay Sands (kind of famous building) it was great to have such a small crowd.

In any case shortly after my return the world began locking down, including you two finishing your school year from home. It was great at first, the weather was nice, the days were short, though we missed the quality of instruction and learning you received from in person learning. As I was employed in Aerospace, I was very worried about losing my job. My company did two massive layoffs, very secretly for that matter. In the first I found out on a Friday that my boss, an extremely gifted VP had been let go, I always saw her as a future President at the company. I also learned that I would have to fire all of my direct reports.

Saying goodbye to my team was the worst professional day of my career. I dreaded it all weekend, I felt awful knowing what was to come, and that they did not. They were all great employees, diligent and skilled at their work, none of them was in any was deserving of what was coming. Costs have to be cut, but I would have preferred a kinder way, and better benefits than 1 week paid for every year of service. I cried after my first call, the knowledge I could not protect them, and now they had to worry about providing for their families, weighed really heavily on me. I keep in touch with all of them, and immediately offered to help in any way I could.

Seeing how my company was treating their employees, and having already seen the trend of cutting cost and not investing in products or people solidified my decision to find alternative employment- Ill write about that another time, but thankfully God blessed us with a great opportunity.

Summer vacations- well that was complicated this year. Quinn we wanted to take you to LEGOLAND but California shut down everything they could- as of November its still not open… Thank God for Las Vegas…. Never thought id say that! We did a quick 2 night trip to Circus Circus and had a blast. The first day we hit the pool- main reason for staying there, and rode all the water slides and had a ton of fun. That night we explored some of the hotels and had some great pizza. You guys all loved the fountains at Bellagio, we watched them twice. The next day was the Adventuredome! Its this giant pink dome that has a ton of rollercoasters, rides and attractions inside. You guys were all really brave, Deacon I think you were particularly brave on the rollercoasters- you did canyon blaster like 4 times. Cora you loved one that almost made us sick at first, called the inverter. We thought it was just going to spin around, then the whole seats we were strapped into started spinning, you and Deacon were scared at first but then liked it. Actually, I don’t think Deacon rode it again but you did it about 6 times. Quinn you loved the bumper cars, airplane ride, and carousel. Deacon you also really liked laser tag, it brought back memories for me because my mom had taken me there when I was a kid. I remember how excited I was, you were the same way!

Next up was Lake Tahoe. We made the journey again, to a different better house this time. It was great as always, beautiful weather, bike rides, hot tub at night and in the morning, and some fun hikes. We rented a boat and hung out with the Barretts while we were there, in fact they bought a house this year so that was pretty amazing. The hike to Emerald Bay that you all struggled with last year you did awesome on this year, those legs are getting stronger, as is your belief in your abilities. Quinn I didn’t have to carry you up very much of it at all this time. This year we also rented a little condo in a place called Kirkwood. It is a ski resort in the winter, those slopes looked steep! But in the summer it’s a great place for hiking and to use as basecamp. Cora I don’t know if you will remember but you and I swam out to this cool rock in the middle of a lake and got to the top- it was tricky, we stood up there and celebrated and then jumped off, into some freezing but beautiful clear water. One evening we all went for a walk on the ski slopes, it was magical. The ski runs become meadows in the summer, filled with flowers with little streams flowing everywhere from the melting snow on the mountain. All kinds of beautiful trees line the meadows and it was like we were in heaven. We took a bunch of pictures and Cora you kept remarking on how beautiful it was and how you didn’t want to go home, I was so happy you could enjoy it like mom and I did.

All in all the summer went by quickly…. So quickly I am writing this in January of 2021…. So I have another entry to make, there were birthdays and a ski trip to still write about, next time- but before 2022!

Cora- this summer it was so nice seeing how grown up and confident you have become. You take on new challenges and situations so well, and love to travel. It is such a change from the shy reserved little girl you were. You have also been enjoying volleyball and really improved your serves and play on the court. You are as fine a student in lockdown as you were when school was in person, always organized, on time, and getting good grades, you even helped me out with Deacons schedule. You make life easy on us parents, and do a good job all the time of reminding me that I am “and old man”.

Quinn, you give the best hugs! You are always telling me what a good daddy I am and laughing and playing with your sister and brother, but especially your brother. You guys make up all kinds of games, and though you don’t quite get it- you try and play Pokemon with him. You always say your favorite card is one that sounds like Suck A Lego, but its some other name. You just started dance classes and Mimi has been taking you to ride horses a lot, you always tell me how you ride them alone, “like a big girl”. You are so kind and smart and generous with your affections, you also can naturally manipulate people into getting what you want- less effective on mom and I, but it doesn’t mean you don’t try. You turned 4 on our trip to Tahoe, which you were very excited about. Our baby of the family is growing quickly, its fun- but makes us all feel older at the same time.

 

Outside Looking In

Well, Christmas has passed, it was wonderful as ever. One of my favorite things about Christmas is decorating the house, for me that means exterior lighting. Every year I am a mix of satisfied and dissatisfied at my efforts, and most years involve trips to Home Depot for 50% off lights after the holiday has passed, this year was no exception. I have big aspirations for next year!

Inevitably, I wander out during the darkness of night, to admire the illumination cast upon our house. I remember doing it at every house we have ever had except for the one in Georgia, because we were in Phoenix for Christmas that year. I stand there and take in the view for a while silently, alone, reflecting not on the work it took to do, but on how lovely it looks, and how warm it is inside the home I gaze upon, how grateful I am for its walls and what they contain. You pass so many homes that look lovely and inviting from the outside, and you wonder who lives there, if their lives are a reflection of the house they live in. Often homes, like humans, project one thing but hide another. Our walls, be them brick or proverbial hide the secrets of what lies behind.

I will tell you behind our walls there was warmth and love. There was at times anger and sorrow and things all families and people deal with, but I love our home not because of how it looks, but how it feels to be inside of it, with all my family, living a life that is so good I couldn’t have imagined it when I was younger. We are blessed by the Lord to have such a home and your mother and I are blessed to have you. Now, we might have had the Lords blessing, but never forget how hard your mother and I worked for it as well. We worked on our love, and we worked to provide, and it has been worth every effort.

I made terrible mistakes for two of you this year and got you bikes and Razor dirtbike/ vespas for your birthday- which left me completely out of Christmas ideas. I have to be careful not to spoil you as it is my natural inclination. I really want to get you everything you want, but that doesn’t make for the best outcome in adults most of the time… Quinn you ended up with all things Frozen related, dresses, dolls, and candy. Deacon we got you a Red Ryder BB gun, and some Bakugan figurines you like. Cora you got a makeup kit, and some other art and science projects. You three were excited as ever, and Christmas is always so much fun, time with the Grandparents, and time with one another. I really enjoy the pause at the end of the year to catch my breath before the intensity of January with work.

For New Year’s we once again went up to the Bishops cabin in Forest Lakes outside Payson. This year the Coberly family went with us, Cora you enjoyed having Hanna and Wes to play with as they are closer to your age. Deacon, you, Quinn and Cash spent most of your time together, and a lot of it was eating icicles you continually had me fetching from the roof. We also got to do some more serious sledding this year, and had two feet of snow to do it in. Cora you were super brave and took on some hills I was impressed by. Deacon and Quinn, you guys had a much better time as mom got you set up with the right gear to keep you dry and warm. It is a huge blessing to be able to spend time with great friends in beautiful places. Mom made a standing rib roast one night, and we all lit of fireworks in the snow on new year’s eve, the dads smoked some cigars I brought and it was just a great 3 days. Friends are such a blessing in life, and enrich it so much. I hope each of you are as blessed as we have been in our friends.

Cora, I think one of your friends got or had a rabbit, in any case you said you wanted one, more like needed one. My challenge to you was “ok, but you pay for it”, and you did a great job of saving your money and brought home Marshmallow in early December. She is a very sweet and fuzzy soft rabbit. She is also a little beggar and would most likely be 60lbs if we let her! Hungriest bunny I have ever seen. You have been very responsible with her so far, though you did protest quite a bit when it came to cage cleaning that prior to getting her you assured me would be no issue. I drove darn near to Tucson to get an outdoor cage at a good price for her, and we found a great indoor cage, and the rabbit is getting lots of love from everyone, though you take great issue with Quinn repeatedly calling her a “little stinker”. Cora you are fiercely independent. You tend to go your own way regardless of what others are doing, and you are not constantly seeking validation. You have a good sense of confidence- which at your age can be troublesome- but overall, I am impressed with how well you carry yourself. You also have shown zero interest in boys for now, which I am in no way upset about. You love your guitar lessons, and playing volleyball and tennis. You have a great group of friends at church and school and I really feel you are growing into a lovely young lady. Lastly, you continue to do so well in school you require very little assistance, except occasionally in math, which was also always a struggle for me. Love you tons. 

Quinn, I feel at the tender age of three you are already a master manipulator. You have a way of looking at people with your big blue eyes and getting them to do your bidding. You have so many ways of holding your head and showing approval/ disapproval its really funny. When you get your way you tend to give me giant hugs and proclaim “you’re the best daddy, you’re a good daddy, or thank you daddy boy”, when you don’t get your way you mostly scream and run to your room to pout until you figure out we don’t care and then you come out like nothing happened. You adore Deacon and love to play with him, you have a love hate relationship with Lulu across the street- you two play so well and then fight so hard its pretty funny to watch two third born’s battle it out. Your favorite things right now are, Frozen, Sophia the First, and Unicorns. You eat voraciously at every meal, which is a godsend seeing as how I still battle with Deacon nightly to eat his food. You are our sweet and very spunky girl, very sharp and observant, and so funny with the things you come up with. You are our Quinnsters, and we love you deeply. Last note- you got a bad fever this week, and someday you will know how sad and scary it is to watch your kids suffer through illness. I got up at 3:30 to give you some meds when Cora said you were getting really fussy. I just sat with you by your bedside, you grabbed my arm and held it to your face and said in a quiet voice “thank you daddy”. I sat there for the next 40 min watching you breathe and taking your temperature as you slept, praying for you and wishing there was more I could do. Mom had checked on you and assured me you were fine- so nice having a nurse in the house who has seen it all with kids. I just included this note because its one of the small things you don’t remember when you get old, but I sure do love you, and sure do hate it when you suffer. 

Lake Tahoe

I seem to perpetually be behind on writing about our adventures, this one is about our second road trip of the year- to Lake Tahoe! Also a note, most of my writing has the same main entry in each blog, but girls you will find specific messages in your blog and Deacon you will find them in yours at the end of each of my entries- just so you don’t miss them.

We have friends, the Barrett’s who travel to Tahoe every summer. Their pictures always looked so great that this year we indevoured to join them, and boy am I glad we did. We went in late July, it was a 12 hour drive door to door but we made it in one straight shot. You guys did great in the car, maybe you got used to it from driving to Idaho. We rented a nice little house in South Lake Tahoe, we were all very happy it came with a hot tub- my muscles were especially happy after that drive. The night we arrived we actually joined the Barretts on Baldwin beach for dinner. Watching the sunset while you played in the sand enjoying the 70 degree weather was a nice change from 115 humid degrees back in Phoenix.

The week was just a wonderful mix of adventures. We rode our bikes to the beach, stopped by and got ice cream from Camp Richardson almost every day, had lazy mornings and late nights. One of our favorite days we went to Heavenly Ski Resort. During the summer they have ropes courses, a mountain roller coaster, and tons of other activities set up. Cora, you and Mom did a ropes course that there is no way on earth I would have done as an 8-year-old! It frightened adults, you were afraid, but you did it anyway and overcame that fear, which made me so proud of you. Deacon you loved the mountain roller coaster- as did Quinn- you guys don’t scare easily either. All of you got to pan for jewels which was fun to watch, that night some trading took place, somehow Cora ended up with a lot more than when she started…. We had such a great day as a family running around the mountain.

Lake Tahoe is stunningly blue and clear, so of course we had to rent a boat and check it out. We shared the boat with the Barrett family, and did a lot of tubing. Deacon your ideal speed was about 3 ½ miles per hour, you rode with Will. Quinn, you rode with mom and decided 2 miles per hour was your cutoff, guess you didn’t trust my driving. Cora, you and Anna Jean wanted full speed ahead and got it! I didn’t manage to shake you two off, but I got close a few times. We checked out quite a bit of the lake and found an awesome cove on the north-east shore to do some swimming in the clear but chilly water. On the way back we got caught in a bit of high seas adventure when the wind stirred up some pretty good swells. There wasn’t one of us left dry by the time we made it back, we were all so cold I think we forgot what summer even felt like for that hour! It was kind of fun riding the waves though, just another adventure.

Bike rides were really great, the weather was so nice it felt good to get outside as much as possible. Deacon I want to say you did awesome riding a lot further than I thought you could manage. You are already outgrowing the bike we got you two years ago. Quinn, you were in the trailer hauled by yours truly, often with our beach chairs and your trusty horses you never wanted to leave behind. It was always satisfying passing long line of cars waiting to park as we zoomed by to the beach. We also did a hike down to Emerald Bay, it was about a mile down, which meant it would also be a mile up. You guys did great on the down part…. The up part took a bit more encouragement. Quinn, I carried you a good deal of it up, but had to ask you more than once to hold off on incessant questions as your out of shape father huffed and puffed up the trail. Deacon and Cora it was a mental game for you two, but once you reached the top I could tell you both felt a great sense of accomplishment that you had made the climb. Its really cool seeing your successes, even in the small things. The woods in that area were so beautiful, such a lovely mix of redwood, pines, even a sequoia or two.

You guys loved time in the hot tub when we got home from bike rides or nightly adventures. Its so much fun seeing the three of you interact and play. Quinn, you certainly never back down from anyone, Deacon you love your sisters, and Cora you are very playful and at night would be sweet and read Deacon and Quinn books. I don’t want one of those mean families you see so much in the media, damn Hollywood jades me into thinking all families are perpetually fighting and hostile towards one another. I feel like all the writers hated their parents, or hate their kids with most of the stuff that comes out these days. I am so blessed by the family we have, and I will really work on keeping us all close through whatever may come.

Cora- I have so much joy in watching you grow. You are so appreciative of the things we get to do and see. You always comment on the beauty of places, and how much fun our adventures are. I took you out on a paddle board and it was just great having some time to talk about all the fun we had been having and what parts stood out to you. You seem to be my fearless adventurer, and my very silly girl. You are starting up school again, you are so smart it seems to be easy for you right now. You are also doing guitar lessons and volleyball. Sometimes I catch you playing the guitar when you don’t know I am watching, it makes me so proud to see you finding beauty in music, expressing yourself, and discovering new things in this wide world. I love how outgoing you are in life, making new friends, but always going your own way. You are not a follower that is for sure, you make me proud all the time, and I love you so much.

Quinn, oh where to begin. Lately when we anger you in the slightest you say to us “I don’t love you anymore, I love Mommy- or Daddy”- depending on which one of us you are angry at.  You don’t look us in the eye when you say it, you kind of turn your head to the side and down and do your best to express your disappointment with us. You scream loudly whenever wronged by your brother and sister, you laugh the hardest at what Deacon does, and desire to play with him as much as he will give you the time for. I toss you up in the air, and practice swimming, and play horsey, and after it all you always say “again daddy”. This world appears to be yours, we simply live in it. Your bright blue eyes, mane of hair, and strong spirit are so beautiful. We all love our Quinnsters, or Quinny.

The Flying B

you rode along for, a 1,000-mile drive to Challis Idaho. Cora and Deacon you did great, Quinn…. you did good. Sometimes you felt the need to remind us of your unhappiness during our car ride odyssey by screaming/ crying for about 20min or so before falling asleep. We stayed in Cedar City UT on the way up and back. You all got a kick out of the hotel as usual, and eating out at “fancy” restaurants- aka Chilies! We did have ice cream at a cool place where they freeze it in front of you with nitrogen.

We accompanied the Bishop family for this trip. Mr. Sean as I call him has been going ever since he was little to a ranch called the Flying B. The “B” is located in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness along the middle fork of the Salmon River. To get there we took a Cessna 210 which was piloted rather excellently by a man named Mark- mostly good people share that name.  I was a little nervous about the flight as if something goes wrong in mountain flying you don’t have a ton of options to get it fixed…. Or to land somewhere flat. In any case we made a smooth landing on the grass field by the river as intended.

The first thing we went to do was catch some fish. Deacon and Cora, you had not yet ever caught one, despite at least two attempts at Lynx Lake in Prescott. Well it only took about 10 min before each of you got to reel one in! I was relieved as I had promised you we would all catch at least one. The best way to catch them was fly fishing so Mr. Sean let you each reel in a few more that he hooked. I actually caught my first fish through fly fishing there as well, it was pretty fun. You guys all crashed hard that night after running around and playing all day. We had a beautiful cabin overlooking the river and hills surrounding it.

Horseback riding was next on the agenda. Cora, you had been eyeballing a white horse with some light black markings named Paul, and sure enough you got to ride him. Deacon you were on Fuzzy, with a lead rope connected to Mom who was on Ziggy. Quinn, you sat in my lap and we rode Clancy. We crossed the river over a narrow bridge, at which point Mr. Seans horse, Digger started acting up and wanting to go back home. He was not a very good horse but thankfully Mr. Sean knew how to handle him. I ended up leading the pack as Clancy was a pretty good paced lead horse. We rode along some beautiful country following the river. In one spot I was not particularly fond of we were basically on the side of a steep drop off down to the river below- didn’t enjoy that too much at all! Thankfully we had a snack and returned home safely and I was fairly relieved after getting off! I don’t know if I care too much for horses at this current time in life.

We spent our remaining days fishing, playing at the beach, playing with other kids that were guests and just generally enjoying being outdoors and disconnected from the world. The ranch had no phone or internet service. I read my book on the French and Indian War, talked with friends and travelers as they came through and just enjoyed the downtime. There were two backpackers that came in from Hamilton MT, a place I have thought about moving before… perhaps it was a sign! It was strange not seeing any news or generally caring about what else was going on. Being disconnected really helped you just be present in the moments and enjoy a different pace of life. One of those things I often think about when I consider moves to a smaller town or less demanding career.

Being out in the wild has always been a place of joy and peace for me. Now in this circumstance we had most of the comforts of home, but regardless its just being outside the hustle of the city and its demands on your attention and mind. I often wish I could just work a small plot of land and do a side job to make enough money to live comfortably. The longer I live the less I want riches, unless the end of them is to bring me the freedom for my time I desire. It was great seeing the three of you enjoy it so much as well and be brave and adventuresome. I loved the family time and can’t wait until we go to lake Tahoe in a few weeks.

Cora- you cried the night before we left and the morning we left. It was so sweet, and reminded me of how I often feel when things that bring joy are coming to a conclusion. You were going to miss Paul, and all the other horses, miss fishing and playing by the river, and just being outdoors. You were such a big girl this week, riding your own horse, feeding all the horses, helping in the kitchen, holding a fish without flinching. You made me very proud, like you always do. You also helped me in my Frisbee throwing skills which I seem to have forgotten from childhood! The day before and morning we left you took around your camera we got you for Christmas and took a bunch of pictures. What interested me is how much you cared about the lighting, the angles, and setting. You have a good eye and were very keen to capture the things you thought were beautiful and worth remembering.

Quinn- my sweet and sometimes full of attitude little girl. One thing ill say before it slips my mind, one day at the ranch you were upset with Cash and Deacon as they were evidently not paying enough attention to you- so you walked away a little bit and laid down in the dirt to show your disapproval. It was pretty funny, we left you there until you realized no one cared about the fit you were pitching. You have all this hair that just bobs around with you as you fearlessly take on the world. You loved the horses, I think they were just big dogs to you. You complained to mom when they wouldn’t come to you a few times- but they often did and when you had food that helped even more. Cash and you had a few quarrels but overall you were often side by side playing. The first morning we were there you woke me up in the morning bright eyed and ready to go. You give us all sweet hugs and kisses when it suits you, and you act like the boss most of the time. My fearless little firecracker.

New Job, New Places

Well my new role at Honeywell is off to a busy start, I cannot remember being as stressed by a role in my career. There is a lot to be learned and a large amount of responsibility that comes with this role, I am looking forward to a few months from now when I have my bearings, and when someone takes my last position so I don’t have to do both roles at once. Last year I hardly traveled, and so this year it came as a welcome surprise to be able to do several trips internationally, downside being that they were back to back!

My first trip took me to Milan, Italy to negotiate a deal with a company called Leonardo that manufactures helicopters. The negotiations went well, I found that Italians primarily try to wear you down through excessive talking, repeating points time and time again until you wish to argue no longer… I stuck to my plan though and walked away with the deal I wanted, in negotiations the most organized often wins. Since airfare was inexpensive I decided to have mom join me at the end of my work trip, she flew out all by herself all the way to Milan, her first time traveling alone internationally.

Mom and I rented a car in Milan, a bright red Fiat 500- most cars in Europe are stick shift, thankfully I learned to drive one in high school, my first pickup truck was a stick. We started our adventure with a drive to Lake Como. Lake Como is primarily a summer destination, as people flock to the lake to stay cool and have fun doing watersports. Therefore, arriving in the winter we found it mostly empty, we were the first to stay at our hotel in 2019 (Hotel Olivedo) they had just opened. We had a great couple of days exploring the lake and the sleepy towns that dot its shores, we took the ferry to a few different ones and rode a funicular up to the alpine town of Brunate that overlooked most of the lake. The views were spectacular, and the building style and large pine trees made it feel more like Switzerland and less like Italy.

After Lake Como we headed to Bergamo. Bergamo is perched high on a mountain and surrounded by massive walls dating back to the empire of Venice. It was a great stop for a few hours, I could have stayed the night easily. Really beautiful quiet streets, fascinating medieval architecture, and magnificent views over the valley below. Moving on from Bergamo we arrived in Verona for the evening. Verona was made famous as the setting of Romeo and Juliet, it has a lovely old town with twisting streets to explore, a Roman amphitheater, and bridges running over the Adige river. That night at dinner we happened to sit next to a man from Utah. He heard us speaking English and introduced himself and we had a nice little conversation, he was a stone importer and so traveled to Verona often. One of the fun parts of travel is the interesting people you meet, often in the strangest places.

We departed Verona and stopped by Parma on our way to Milan. Parma is at the heart of the region where Parmesan cheese comes from, I guess every regions soil, and climate have effects on the final product hence the regional affiliations with most of the food in Italy. It was a sleepy day in Parma with some rain so we were able to stroll most of the town and have a wonderful lunch before heading to Milan. On our arrival mom found out about the last supper painting, which she really wanted to see so we went straight to the church where it is housed. Issue was the tours were sold out for two solid weeks, while we were milling outside trying to decide what to do I saw one of the tour operators looking around so I headed towards her, she had a ticket so sell from someone who didn’t show up! I grabbed it right away and so mom got to see the painting after all, worked out perfectly.

We spent the rest of the night exploring the fortress and stopping in small cafes for a glasses of wine as we meandered through the city. The last and final day we saw the famous shopping areas and the first indoor mall, went by stores where they sold handbags as expensive as my truck, and generally had fun exploring the city. Our final stop and tour was the Duomo. The church was a mass of marble and granite, every inch embellished with sculptures and figures with no two repeating. You can tour the rooftops, which we did, and find amazing views over the city. It always strikes me that many of the stone masons and other trades most likely worked their entire lives on one project at so many of these places mom and I have now seen. I am not sure if I would have liked that or not, but I am sure those who were able to create structures such as these were very proud that their work would be admired by so many for so long.

All in all it was one of our shortest trips, but wonderful. Travel is really one of my favorite things in life, the adventure and experiences really energize me and keep me going. We flew from Milan to Heathrow and while we were waiting in Heathrow we went to one of the lounges I used to frequent for American Airlines. I remembered one time as I was waiting to check in I saw a little boy that was battling a cancer known as DPIG. It seems to be fatal in almost every case, his mother and he were in Germany for an experimental immunotherapy treatment as there is not much they can do conventionally, though I hope they make rapid advancements for treatment in the future. I remembered sitting there speaking with him and his mother. He seemed fine, like any little boy, focused on his games and telling stories of their trip, I could remember exactly where he was sitting having a snack. That might have been one of the last places I saw him alive.

I don’t mean to end this entry with something sad, I mean to keep you aware that life changes slowly, and then all at once. It is good to be filled with joy, and live life with passion, but it is also important to remember that others are suffering, and we should do all we can to alleviate it. Sometimes we cannot change it, or help, but we can care, and remember, and show them love and compassion. I will never again fly to Heathrow without thinking of Hollis. When I am in a joyful time of life I temper it with remembering that others suffer. When I suffer I know others are too, and that joy can come again, and should it not, that no amount of time or pleasure on this earth will compare to what waits for those who love God after this life is spent. In the meantime, I make of this life what I can with your mother and the three of you, being grateful for the good, and taking joy in the many sweet moments we have. I always think of a line from some poem I once read “arriving early they stayed late, theirs was a long day in the sun”.

Love you guys.

Deacon Turns 5

Well Deacon you just turned 5, figured I would write you so you could remember a bit about what life was like around this time in your life. First of all, you requested a dinosaur themed party, and we delivered. Mom and I dressed like Jurassic Park Rangers, rented a Dino bounce house, and decorated the house with a lot of Dinosaur themed decorations. Pretty much all your little buddies showed up- Micha Butler, Aneas Quijano, Jude, Weston Tomich, Marco Bazilus, Winston, Hank Zuk, Lucas Bevens, and Wyatt Stevens. You were so excited to hang out with your friends and have a boys only party- up to this point we usually combined parties for you and Cora. You got a lot of gifts as usual, favorites being a raptor mask that scared Quinn- that one came from Grandpa Ken and Grandma Patty. You also liked the Lego sets that were pretty much all dinosaur themed as well.

I don’t really remember anything from when I was 5, and I don’t think there are memories written down about it either. This will be your last year before school starts and so it is kind of bitter sweet. Right now, you love movies with monsters and dinosaurs, you don’t seem to scare too easily, you like fighting and wrestling with your friends, and you will ask 500 questions about whatever it may be on your mind. You are so handsome and sweet, you share with your sisters and play so nicely with them most of the time. You and Cora will get into it from time to time, but I can tell the desire of your heart is to just love on them and have fun. One quick memory, you hurt your hip the other day and you said “my tummy ankle is hurting” that was a good one! You have also figured out riding your bike and are nearly free of training wheels- you most likely already would be if we pushed it a little harder.

Five years goes by so quickly, I look at you now and wonder how much I will remember of it when you are a man someday. I guess I just want to remember my sweet brave boy, who saw the wonder of the world untethered by the realities that come with age. I am so happy that you have gotten to live this life of adventure, full of people who love you and surround your life with blessings. I still think about how God reached out and protected you in your mothers womb, and how terribly I would have missed you if you had not made it. I kiss you goodnight after prayers every night, if Quinn is still awake she kisses her DD (as she calls you) goodnight also. I think of how blessed I am to have you in my life and as my son. I love you forever and always.