Our Bonus Week with Michael

Thanks to some good friends, we were able to have a bonus week with Michael before school starts. He flew in on a Saturday and left the following Saturday morning to drive across the country back to Utah with a friend from here in Nashville. They appreciated him doing it, and we loved having him here for a week. I felt bad that I had to work all week, but we were able to make the most of his time here. Thanks to Michael, the lawn got mowed and our driveway sealed. These are no measly tasks either, especially when you are doing it in 500 degree weather and the lawn is uphill both ways and the driveway is the size of a football field. Actually, Bob made him stop before finishing the entire driveway because it was so hot outside. He tried finishing it himself a few days later after the sun went down. This proved to be a mistake because there were lots of missed spots and required a second coat to cover them up.

This friend of ours is a cardiac anesthesiologist and asked Michael if he would be interested in being in on a heart surgery. He jumped at the opportunity and really enjoyed it.

Here's a few things I learned from Michael while he was here:

• It is much too tempting to have a can of whip cream in the refrigerator.
• It is perfectly fine to take such can and squirt directly into one's mouth.
• It is much less tempting after you've seen someone's corroded arteries.
• They only sell "old men's" suits at major department stores.
• Never ever wear one of those suits where the waist comes up just below the rib cage.
• It's ok to buy at discount stores as long as those stores are The Gap, Banana Republic, or Nautica.
• Driving 15 hours a day is a snap as long as you have the right fuel such as Pepsi Max and Dr. Pepper.
• A driving lawnmower is a "must purchase" item here in Tennessee.
• It would not be a waste of money to hire a lawncare service.
• It's cool to know the owner of Sonic when you've just had poor service at his Sonic in Provo.
• You can survive after working outside in 500 degree weather.
• If you stand in on a surgery, you tend to refer to it as "our surgery".
• You're never too old to have your mom scratch your back.
• Sleeping on a mattress that doesn't sink in the middle makes you want to sleep in.
• It's a bit awkward to be translating your dad's talk for him when he says "we paid good money to have Michael be able to do this."

We love you Michael. Thanks for the good time. We're sad to see you go, but excited for you to have another great year at school.

Caution: Answering an ad

Ok, so I've gotten myself into a little situation here. I was browsing through an old neighborhood newspaper one day and stumbled across an ad that said something like "Dental office seeking hard working team player who never wants a day off for the rest of her life and is willing to make great sacrifices for little pay." Actually, I don't remember exactly what the ad said. I must have thought it read something like..."wonderful dental team seeking fun, exciting individual. Willing to pay whatever is desired, and will give the right applicant whatever she wants...flexibility is our middle name." Of course I immediately called the number on the ad...who wouldn't? Long story short...I get myself hired without really even saying yes to the job. A few phone calls from this dentist while we're on our trip in San Diego and I find myself in his office the Monday after we arrive home thinking I'm just "checking it out". Well it turns out that "checking it out" means you're hired and have yourself a little full time job. I quit a few days ago, but I think he ignored me. Left puzzled by the fact that someone didn't quite understand the words "I QUIT!" (well ok, maybe I was a little nicer than that like, "This really isn't going to work for me", "it's more hours than I want" etc. etc.) Still, he literally ignored the fact that I had told him I was not going to stay. At the end of that day, he even asked me as I was leaving if I had had a better day that day?! I was tempted to turn to him and say "My day was just fine AFTER I QUIT! So here I am two weeks later...working!

Tonight after work he asked if we could have a little chat. Trouble is, he's really a nice guy and seems to be a really good dentist. After talking to him, we have a little understanding. I don't want to keep working...but I will...as long as he needs me...until he finds someone else to take my place...as soon as I know everything well enough to train the next person...as long as I don't leave his office too soon because he doesn't want to start interviewing yet...not until he has gained an appreciation for our religious differences...and basically, even then...just a little here and there. Maybe I did read the ad right...or not?! How in the world do I get myself into these situations!

Happy Birthday "Shout Out" to Robyn

We can't believe that our baby girl is 27 years old today! Robyn was born on a Friday and weighed a whopping 5lb. 15 oz. She was due on August 4th, but decided to make her appearance a few days early. As it turns out, this has been a pattern her whole life.

She has always been adventurous. When she was a small girl, she told me that her favorite color was green. When I asked her why, she responded, "because green means GO!" It is no surprise that Joe, the love of her life, is adventurous and fun too.

She's always on the go. She loves to travel and see new places. She loves people, and people love her back. She makes friends easily and can say that she has friends all around the world. She keeps life interesting and sometimes gets herself into situations that seem impossible, but she always lands on her feet and keeps right on going.

The newest man in her life is very time consuming, but she loves every minute spent taking care of her little Parker. She is a beautiful, fun girl, and we are so glad she is a part of our family! We are just enjoying the ride along with her! We love you Robyn!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

How we spent our summer vacation

We are happy to report that we still like each other after having spent an entire week together. Even Joe and Devon survived their week with the in-laws!

This is the night we've waited for. Luke helped me begin our family night with an opening prayer. We talked about family unity. We'll all think about the story whenever we use chopsticks. Remember we are stronger together just like a big bundle of chopsticks tied together. If someone in our family needs us for anything....remember to say "chopsticks" and then work together to bless one another's lives.

Everyone needs an Uncle Michael!

It was a great day to spend at the beach.
When Michael is at the wheel, it's sure to be an exciting ride!

No wonder Parker has no fear!

nothing like having our own private beach! Oh did I say "private"? You mean we weren't suppose to be there?

Wait...this is a photo op we can't miss. We know the tours of the Midway end in an hour, but we're taking this picture anyway! It's not as easy as it looks to stand like that!

We made it on the ship and went straight to the top so we could see the fighter jets. Devon could have spent three days on this ship and loved every minute of it.

Hurry, hurry, walk a little faster, faster....hurry, hurry, maybe even run! We've put our money in the meter and it's ticking! We only have an hour and a half to do a three hour tour.

Is is really worth an hour and a half wait to ride this thing? How about if you guys go on two or three other rides while me and dad wait in line!!! Actually, we really didn't mind. As it turned out, this was the only long line in the park that day anyway. Great day to go to Disneyland!

There's nothing like seeing Disneyland through little children's eyes.

I never thought a fireworks show could be that amazing!

Warm California nights are the best...especially at sunset at the beach.

Are all California girls blonde and tan? Kimberly finally achieved her goal of being more tan than the rest of us.

I think the guy in charge of this ride loved us! It was the most excitement he's had in days at Lego Land. Nothing like a little competition between family members. I think Dad and Michael's fire truck was rigged!

Michael and Joe continued their search for the most exciting ride at Lego Land. You can tell this one was Waaaay exciting! They look like they are with a summer camp group in the same color shirts.

Taking a break from the heat and the rides....all the adults watched with envy as the kids all played in the cool water park.

Our last night together having dinner at King's Fish House....yummm! The hardest decision of the night was what kind of dessert to surprise Robyn with. We all enjoyed sharing the one piece of chocolate cake that we got especially for Robyn. Thanks for sharing it with us!

"Don't Miss IT for the World"

I never would have imagined myself as a chaperone for Youth Conference in Kentucky. I'll just add this to my list of things I never thought I'd do.

Youth Conference 2007 held at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green Kentucky. The theme for this year's Youth Conference was "Don't Miss IT for the World" ("It" meaning the temple, or at least what the temple represents.) Above is a picture of all the youth and leaders at Youth Conference from the Franklin, Hopkinsville, and Paducah Stakes. What a great group of youth! It is good to know the church and the youth are the same everywhere. Bob and I are in the picture, but good luck finding us. Oh wait, Bob would be the only one with sunglasses on.

Bob took this wonderful picture of me while I was giving some instructions for a game we were about to play. Doesn't humidity do lovely things to hair?

We were given responsibility for 20 kids. Bob had 6 boys and I had 16 girls (how fair is that!). Only four of them were from our stake, so we had to get to know names and faces really fast! We were the "Blue" group which started out having 14 kids and by the end of the get to know you games there was 20. I don't have any idea how that happened, I just know I kept adding names to my list. At the end of the first day, we were able to recognize the kids in our group.

This picture was taken before the last 2 kids joined our group. They were a very "spirited" group (to say the least) but they were lots of fun to be with. Two of the girls in our group were non-members who came with some of their friends (all in other groups) thinking they could have a fun, free food weekend. Both ended up bearing their testimonies the last day of youth conference saying they felt much more, and wanted to investigate why they felt the way they did.

To get this many youth together, they combined stakes from Tennessee, Kentucky, and Illinois. Some of these kids are the only member in their high school, so it was really fun for them to be able to spend a weekend with so many other members.

I am still trying to figure out how the paths leading anywhere on campus from the dorms are uphill both ways. My feet could not walk another step by the end of the first day (which, by-the-way, ended at about 3 a.m. when my body finally slept for about a half an hour in between trains). At 2 a.m. I couldn't help but burst into laughter, so my roommate (who I knew was still awake) and I finally got up to look out the window to see how close it was because it sounded like it was right under our window. IT WAS! It was right across the street! Needless to say, it was a long night and we were glad to see the sun rise. It's a good thing they had amazing speakers lined up for the classes.

Here are a few highlights from the classes on Friday:

• We can tell how we are doing spiritually by the way we feel about sin.
• Two words that describe the secret to scripture study are: consistency, and intensity.
• Get out of the "check off the box mode" when it comes to scripture study.
• Learn to "juice" the scriptures.
• Keep a scripture journal.
• There's more to a picture of David and Goliath than a small guy, a big guy, and a rock.
• If you are a casual christian, someday you will be a christian casualty.
• Write down your general impressions and follow them.
• If we follow our general impressions, more detailed impressions will follow.
• Keep a small notebook and pencil with you.
• Tommy Babylony Figer is not the place to shop.
• You can always tell where something was made whether it be Zion or Babylon.
• So check your music, clothing, movies, books, etc. and see where they are made.
• We are in the middle of the most brutal custody battle ever waged.
• "Who's your daddy?"...you choose.

Great fun, free food, and so much more...

Ready, get set...take a deep breath...go!

Pictured from left to right: Hannah (the bride), Paulette (friend from Florida), Me, Peggy

Bob and I hosted an open house for Tim Morris and his new bride on Friday the 29th of June. He and Hannah were married in the San Diego Temple on June 2nd. Hannah is from Tupelo, Mississippi...she's a doll! They make such a cute couple. This was their third reception. They had one in Placentia, one in Tupelo Mississippi, and this one in Nashville. We just love the Morris' and feel like they are part of our family, so it was a pleasure to do this for them. I think Peggy and I were both giving ourselves positive reaffirmations saying "you will live through this!". We did...and I lived to blog about it!

I wish I had more pictures of this event, but we were in such "high gear" from the time Peggy and Aubrey arrived late Wednesday night that taking pictures just didn't happen. I only posted this picture out of desperation. It does, however, show one of the smaller arrangements we made for the tables and the 7-Up that was used to keep them alive. Aubrey had driven us all over town on Thursday gathering everything together. I was the navigator (which means it's a miracle we found anything). They kept asking me with confidence where things were, and I just kept faking it and guessed my way around.

It was a really nice evening. I was so impressed with how Peggy and Aubrey keep friendships alive. They had close friends drive all the way from Florida so they could be here for Tim and Hannah's open house. These are friends they made when they lived in Florida a long time ago. Such nice people! I feel like they are my friends now! (Paulette, pictured above, and her husband Troy were two of their friends from Florida.) After spending almost a week together, I can see how they make and keep friends. If I'm ever in charge of an event, I want Peggy and Aubrey on my team!

Here's a few things I learned this week:

• Sleep a little, laugh a lot
• it is possible to prepare for a big event in one day (crazy, but possible)
• Costco has EVERYTHING
• People never eat as much as you think they will
• It's ok to stop for a long leisurely lunch with friends and family in the middle of a lot of chaos.
• Positive reaffirmations telling yourself "I will live through this" seem to help
• Chocolate fountains are sooo good, but sooo hard to clean
• 7-Up and flowers are a good mix
• White paper bags with sand and candles inside make a great lighted pathway and patio
• You'll never get it all done, but no one will notice
• People will find your house without the balloons and signs marking the way
• no one will use the pretty paper hand towels in the powder bath if you leave a towel hung
• If you rent tables for outside it WILL rain, if not the weather will cooperate
• They'll know you're not from the South if you wear pantyhose in the summer
• Loreal's Subline Glow really works on even the whitest of legs

It was quite a week!! It's over now and we did live through it. I am so thankful for good friends. Good friends are like stars...you don't always see them, but you know they're always there!! Congratulations Tim and Hannah!!

Happy Birthday "Shout Out" to Blake

Happy First Birthday Blake! It seems like we've barely blinked and time has gone by! For such a small guy, you've had quite an impact on our family!

You were born one year ago today in San Diego, California (or "Paradise", as we like to refer to it...if it's not Paradise, we're sure it has the same zip code.) If your dad had his way, your name would be "Diego". Lucky for you, your mom talked him out of it. Your parents had a hard time agreeing on a name, but once they thought of "Blake", it just felt right. (Although, a blue eyed, blonde haired Diego would have been a good conversation piece.)
You always have a smile on your face and make people want to pick you up and give you a big hug! Your smile can light up a room! You even smile when you have a severe ear infection. Hopefully those are gone for good! What a great year it has been...we've loved every minute you've been with us. There is a part of our hearts that is reserved just for you...we love you Blake.

So, How Was Your Weekend?

Elder Michael Teh, Bob, President Tipps, Pres. Newsome, Elder Tingey

We didn't know any of these men, except Gary Newsome, until yesterday. Interesting how fast you can make friends in the Church.

President Johnson 1st counselor, President Tipps, President Newsome 2nd counselor

(These men will be seeing a lot of each other over the next 10 years)

So...how was your weekend? I'm sure many of you will return to work tomorrow and be asked this question. Perhaps you may be the one to inquire. Whatever the case may be, you can ususally rely on a typical response such as "it was too short", or "it was a pretty good one". I'm wondering how Bob will respond tomorrow to such an inquiry (since none of his co-workers belong to the Church). He is sure to get little or no response from an answer like, "I was called to serve in the newly formed Nashville stake presidency". The explanation may take more energy than he will have left by tomorrow morning, so I think he'll stick with the typical response. Now we just need to hope they don't ask how he's sleeping at night. His response may be similar to that spoken of by Elder Tingey today where he told of a newly called stake president being asked how he slept the night before being sustained and his response was "I slept like a baby....I woke up every hour crying!"

My Sister

My sister Penni and her husband Rick came to visit for the Memorial Day weekend. Rick had to be in Tampa the following week, so they traveled through Nashville to spend some time with us. We had a great time together.

On our way to downtown Franklin, we stopped to show them the Nashville Temple. We hurried and took some pictures outside the temple as there were several wedding parties coming outside. The grounds are very small so there are very few places to take photos...so we hurried and took a few pictures and got ourselves out of the way.

It was fun showing them around the Brentwood and Franklin areas. We went to the famous Puckett's Grocery and Restaurant for lunch, visited some fun shops in Franklin, went to the movies, hung out with some friends in the ward on Memorial Day...in general, we just played all weekend. Bob was still suffering from a little jet lag, but we didn't let him get any rest. On Friday night, just after they arrived, we drove to the Bluebird Cafe for dinner and the show. We ended up at a table for six and sat with a couple from Tennessee. They were a nice couple who were on a date together and had never been to the Bluebird. The lady was quick to let us know that her husband had died several months ago and that this WAS NOT her husband. We were able to have some light conversation before the show began which led to all the questions about where everyone was from. Penni and Rick mentioned that they were from Murray Utah, which I found interesting to hear them say Murray instead of Salt Lake. I'm sure this couple had no idea where Murray Utah was...but the Utah part was totally understandable. (It's like us saying we moved from Orange County and not saying Placentia.) Penni then asked the girl where she was from. She said "Columbia". I could see the look of surprise on both Penni and Rick's faces as they both asked questions such as "What took you to Columbia?" and "How long did you live there?" The girl didn't think anything of it answering their questions with simple answers like..."Work"...and "Until my husband died." I figured out what they were thinking by where their questions were leading and figured I should pipe in with something that would let Penni and Rick know that there is a Columbia in Tennessee. I said..."I think I saw a sign on the freeway to Columbia when we drove to Lewisburg." This stopped Penni and Rick's quesitons in their tracks. I believe the next few questions may have been something like..."Do you speak Spanish?"...or..."Is that where your husband died?"...or..."Were you part of the drug cartel?". We laughed about it all weekend.

Greetings From Yokohama part two

Good morning to all y'all back in the United States. I thought you might like to see a few more pictures from Japan. I'm starting with the important things first. This just so happens to be the toilet in my hotel room. I happen to be staying in one of the nicer hotels here in town. The 70 foot tower is the tallest building in Japan. It also happens to have toilets in each room with a bun warming seat. A fan that turns on when you sit down. The capability to wash when you finish doing what you normally do when sitting on the toilet. Yes, I do enjoy having this feature. Diane and I should talk about having one of these babies installed in our bathroom at home. Those cold winter mornings would certainly be nice when you have to sit down for a short break.

In my last blog I mentioned i had the opportunity to observe a wedding taking place. This is the bride on the left and the groom on the right. This shrine type place is right out in the open where everyone can see. The other wedding party we saw had the bride dressed in white. As I mentioned earlier, I felt funny standing and watching the ceremony. Out of view of the camera is a group playing traditional Japanese music. Also there is a young girl doing a very somber ceremonial dance. Fun for us Gaijin to see, but maybe a little annoying for the girl knowing the world is watching her wedding.

This is a picture from the Shinto Shrine we visited on Saturday. These basket type devices were used for special ceremonies. Our Japanese tour guide didn't provide a lot of details for these units. To me they look like someone would sit inside and be carried by the big Sumo wrestler type Samurai.

This is me on Tuesday morning taking the train to our destination. This happened to be a little less crowded than we experienced some mornings. On occassion the trains were packed. When you get on and they keep coming, you inhale so you can reserve all the space possible.

This was a picture of a crowded train. An interesting note of train riding is the number of people sleeping either sitting down or standing up. I have no idea how they know when to wake up. One morning a young boy was out cold. I wondered if he even knew when his stop came up. I'm guessing they have kids come late to school due to sleeping on the train. As I have said on more than one occasion, you have approximately 1/2 the population of the United States living in the state of California. It's very crowded to say the least.

This picture was taken from my hotel window Sunday Morning. The only time I have ever seen Mount Fuji is early in the morning before any haze rolls in. It is a spectacular sight. The Japanese think it is a special occasion when they see Mount Fuji. Mount Fuji is to the west of Yokohama.

The trip is going well. I'm ready to come home and eat regular food that I know what it is. I've been a good boy and haven't eaten any sashimi or sushi. I like my food cooked a little more than this. The Japanese staff has been incredibly good to us. I tried to find a special gift for Nagahama-san at the department store near the Yokohama train station. No such luck. He went above and beyond the call of duty taking us sight seeing on Saturday.

Today I gave out a Japanese pass along card to Shibukawa-san. Yesterday I was able to teach about the Word of Wisdom at lunch time. This came about after I told the group I attended a LDS church on Sunday. They thought this interesting I would do this. Shibukawa-san told me he really likes the Bible (Book of Mormon) I gave to Ogawa-san last summer. I'll send him another copy when I get home.

I hope all of you are doing well. I miss you and can't wait to be in the same or similar time zones.

Have a great day.

Bob-san

Diane - ILYSM