Friday, July 4, 2014

"When you choose whether to make or keep a covenant with God, you choose whether you will leave an inheritance of hope to those who might follow your example."

-President Henry B. Eyring

Room 338 at the Hampton Inn in Chandler.

We had a nice breakfast this morning before Adam picked up James to go to work.  Adam joined us for breakfast. 

 Trina was scheduled to go in at 7:30 to Gilbert Mercy.  They told her to call first and when she called they said they had no beds available.  She finally gets to go in around 12:30. 

James finished work around 12:30 and we went to lunch at Olive Garden.  I had the stuffed chicken marsala.  

With a lunch like this who needs dinner.

After lunch we went to see Trina at the hospital.  She was taking a 40 minute walk per the doctor's orders.  We left and said we would back in a couple of hours.  This was at 3pm.  James was tired and wanted to go back to the hotel for a nap.  We stopped at Deseret Book and bought Brad Wilcox's book "The Continuous Atonement."  I am almost finished with "The Continuous Conversion".  

As we were resting at the hotel I got a text from Darrel around 5:30 saying that the baby had been born.  We were back at the hospital by 6pm.  Trina is so awesome.  Although she was in hard labor she didn't have an epidural.  She had said she didn't want one and then she changed her mind but it was too late because the anithesiologist was in a helping someone with a c-section.  Trina gave birth in room 317 at the Mercy Gilbert Medical Center in Gilbert, Arizona.  

 Lola Suzanne Lambson

 Lola looks alot like her sister Ruby when she was born.  They were born in the same hospital.  We are so happy to have the newest member of our family here.  What a way to spend the 4th of Juy!!

Grandpa and Lola

Aunt Sheri

Hey guys, just let me sleep.

Rosy red cheeks.

Daddy and his newest addition.

Big brother Rowan

Big sister Addy.

Ruby and Lola

The whole family.

Mom and baby

8lbs 8oz and 20" long

On the way back to the hotel we stopped at Sheri's for some blueberry pie.  It was delicious!!  The crust was the best I have ever tasted.  I need to get the recipe from Sheri.  

We watched some fireworks from our hotel window, but who needs fireworks when you have a new baby.  Best 4th of July ever!

Thursday, July 3, 2014

"Our feelings about the temple are the truest indicators of our deepest feelings about Christ."

-Elder Robert E. Wells

Love the clouds and rain

Happy Birthday Wendy Marie

 Wendy and Charlotte probably

around 1977.  Wendy and Charlotte are James's

brother Dave's daughters.

James had an accident at work today.  This is the text I received:

"Twenty minutes ago I was standing on the trailer unloading rebar when I stepped onto a broken plank which broke off and my bad leg fell through and was wedged between the boards and I fell forward over the edge and hit my head on the ground.  I was in pain and couldn't move and two men had to help me out."

I also got a call from Stacy.  She is freaking out about all of the messes in the house.  I called James and asked why he took all the cabinet doors off in the kitchen when the bathroom and laundry room aren't finished.  He says I yelled at him but I say I didn't.  I made him feel bad so I apologized.  He has been pressuring me to come today when originally I hadn't planned on coming down until tomorrow.  Trina is being induced tomorrow but probably won't have the baby until later on in the afternoon.

Kim and Brian are coming up here today and so before I leave I have to clean out the refrigerator.  I cleaned the frig, paid some bill, had lunch, did laundry, vacuumed upstairs and answered phone calls.  Stacy is excited about a new business venture with her friend Elska who is a realtor.  

I sure hate to leave today.  I am enjoying the rain and the 70 degree weather.  I booked a room for $63 a night at the Hampton Inn and Suites in Chandler.  I don't want to stay at the house because the bathroom is still torn up.  I leave for the valley around 4:45 and Kim, Brian, Joe, and Alex leave to come up here about the same time.  We were going to meet in Payson but they were slowed by traffic so it didn't happen.  

There is a steady stream of traffic coming up here for the weekend from the valley.  In Show Low people already have their chairs set out on the side of the street for tomorrow's parade.  I make a stop for a Big Hunk candy bar which helps keep me awake and then I had dinner at Sonic, a New York dog.

There is a dust storm as I am coming into the valley.  I tried to take pictures but they didn't turn out very well.  

James already check into the hotel.  We are on the third floor in room 338. 

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

This tree has three large black ravens in it.

It looks like something out of an Edgar Allen Poe novel.

"the Holy Ghost is the messenger of grace by which the blood of Christ is applied to take away our sins and sanctify us."

-Elder D. Todd Christofferson

The Heyman's were released from their mission in Argentina yesterday where he has been the mission president.  They will be returning home to Chandler on Thursday. 

I filled up 100 water balloons today and carried them to the back of my car.  We are playing water balloon volleyball at Mutual tonight.

The fire is pretty much over now except for the cleanup.  The town of Vernon is helping to fill sandbags for people to use in case of flooding.  We are grateful for the rain but we are also a little apprehensive.

I had YW presidency meeting tonight with Diana Curtis and Analee Hunsaker.  I gave the above quote by Elder Christofferson as my spiritual thought.  

We had a poor turnout for Mutual but those who came had alot of fun.  Tyler Hunsaker was the only young man.  We had Alice Wilhelm, LeeAnn Hunsaker and Maddie Carroll come.  Leaders were Diana, Analee, Collin DeWitt and myself.  

 Oops Maddie, those shorts are a little short.

The sky was absolutely gorgeous tonight.

Water fight after water balloon volleyball.

The sky almost looked unreal is was so beautiful.

LeeAnn is a real target in that red jacket.

Sunset

Diana, Analee, Stefani Hunsaker, and Collin DeWitt.

A gorgeous night to be outside.

LeeAnn Hunsaker made me a candle and gave it to me tonight.  She said she was grateful for all the handouts I have made over the last two years.  

In the way of family news James finished laying the tile in the bathroom in Chandler.  Now he has to wait and grout it after it sets for a few hours.  Trina called and said she was going to be induced on Friday, July 4th.  That means I will be going down probably tomorrow.

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Smoky sunrise.

"Those who read the Book of Mormon will be blessed with an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord, a greater resolve to obey His commandments, and a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God."

-President Gordon B. Hinckley

Happy Birthday to Max.

He's 11 years old today.

I was going to go for a walk this morning but I stepped outside and nearly gagged.  Smoke had settled in and so had the smell.

 Clouds and smoke mixed together.

More clouds and smoke.

I wish/hope those clouds have some rain in them.

Something strange is going on in the world of illegal immigration.  Somehow the word got out in several countries south of the border that if you send your kids to America they will get an education and be well cared for.  Since last October 52,000 children have come across the border illegally.  Recently they arrived in Texas only to be shipped to Arizona.  Governor Brewer is furious.  They tried also to ship them to California but the people in California came out in droves and wouldn't let them off the bus.  What is going on in our strangely sad world?  Wouldn't it be sad to be so desperate that you would send your children to a foreign country alone?

I made a trip to town today.  I got a call from UPS that they had tried to deliver a package to our house but they couldn't get through because the road was closed due to the fire.  They told me I could pick up the package at the UPS depot in Show Low.  The package is James's new glasses that he's been waiting for.  Frankly, I was expecting more.  I was a little disappointed in the primitiveness of the UPS depot but mission accomplished, I got the package.

 I made the mistake of going to Walmart to get some balloons for our Mutual activity tomorrow night.  We are playing water volleyball and since it was my idea Diana put me in charge.  I bought a huge container to put the balloons in but when it came to finding the balloons I was at a loss so I called Diana.  She suggested the Dollar Store.  Now why didn't I think of that?  I was so glad to get out of Walmart because it was a madhouse.  Diana was right, the Dollar Store had lots of balloons.  I got enough packages to do over 100 balloons.  

Today is the second day in a row that I have not had any diet soda.  I have a slight headache and I binged on snack sized Snickers and cinnamon roasted almonds on the way home.  

James told me a funny story about Joshua this evening.  He said Joshua came up to him and said:  "Grandpa, I have something serious that I need to talk to you about.  You know how you said no one should eat or drink on the new carpet.  Well my mom takes her drink in there even after I told her not to.  I don't know what to do.  I guess you need to talk to her."  Stacy busted by her own kid.

 

Monday, June 30, 2014

Sunrise

 

 Happy Anniversary #25 

Stacy & Paul 

There was an article on Facebook about how those who drink 2-3 diet sodas a day have a 30% higher risk of having a heart attack.  This was enough to convince me that I need to change this habit of mine.  It is interesting that I read this article on the same day I read about the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's buring their weapons of war.  Both were necessary sacrifices to greater serve him.

James and I left this morning for Globe around 9am.  We are meeting Adam and Alex there and they will take James back down to the valley.  We met and Burger House and had lunch together.  I forgot Max's birthday card but I remembered his birthday money and sent it down with James with instructions to go by a card and sign and deliver it with the money in it to Max.  

So proud of Chelsie Hightower, an LDS girl who has been on "So You Think You Can Dance" and "Dancing with the Stars." This is what she says about being a Mormon:

"My religion is what I hold closest to my heart and has made me happier than anything else in the world.  It is more than just a part of me but it has made me who I am."

Chelsie's caption under the above picture:

"These two angels were both tragically victims of sex slavery.  Living in that reality would be such a horrific nightmare that I wish no one had to ever go through, especially kids at this age.  Amazingly, they were saved by the charity that I am an ambassador for called OUR (Operation Underground Railroad) a little over a month ago along with 30 others.  But there are still over 2 million kids out there that need our help around the world and that's including the United States.  I am raising $25,000 with OUR charity to help save kids just like these from this awful reality and I'm asking for your help.  If you can donate please go to OUrrescue.org and or text the word "chelsie" to 71777 with your debit card with the amount you can give. Any amount is greatly appreciated!!!  Let's save these kids together!"

This charity is run by Brother Tim Ballard who wrote the book that James just read, "The Lincoln Hypothesis."

 

Sunday, June 29, 2014

"How tragic that God so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son, and the world is so blind and apathetic that it does not care.  It turns away from the gift as if it were of no consequence whatever."

-Elder Gerald N. Lund

A smokey sunrise.

Although James said he knew that our home would be okay and we would survive the fire just as a precautionary measure he went around yesterday and took pictures of almost everything in our house of any value at all.  

President Williams, our stake president, spoke to us in our sacrament meeting this morning.  He was there to bring comfort and lend his support.  He said that within just a few hours after the fire began on Thursday he received a call from Church headquarters in

Salt Lake asking him what could be done for the people of Vernon.  I have to say that really got to me.  I know that we are loved by a kind and gracious Heavenly Father and we are in His hands.  I know that He wants us to take care of each other.  What a comfort it is to know the Church has a system in place that makes this possible.  

Jordyn, Shelly, and Hope sang "Come Unto Christ" in sacrament meeting today.  They were accompanied by Elder Stott.  It was beautiful!  

Our home teachers, Chuck Crane and Collin DeWitt came by for a visit this afternoon.  The first presidency message was on family history work and Chuck shared some stories from his family regarding family history.  It was a nice visit.  

At 4pm James and I both attended the Book of Mormon class taught by Sean Hunsaker.  We read and discussed 2 Nephi 9:25-2 Nephi 11.  We met Juanita.  We had a discussion about suicide because of a question Ellen Kostusiak had.  Ellen comes faithfully but she is not a member because she has a word of wisdom problem.  

James went home teaching to the Hunsaker's and the Wilehelm's and then we went to watch the fire.  The back burn was like an early fireworks show.  James and I rode the Razr down and watched it for awhile.  It almost looks like they may have done too much. 

Saturday, June 28, 2014

As you do your very best in the most difficult of human challenges, heaven will smile upon you.

 So sad.

I am very sad today about the fire but on the positive side there is very little wind today.  The smoke from the fire is hanging all around us. We stayed home most of the day except for when James went in to Vernon to mail a letter and then attend the 6pm fire meeting at the fire station.  There were over 200 people at the meeting.  

The town of Vernon is filled with tents, trucks, port-a-johns and people to accommodate the firefighters.  There is a constant flow of trucks going up and down the road.  The San Juan Fire is one of the only large fires in the country at this time and has numerous resources available.  There are over 500 firefighters on the ground, five air tankers, and three helicopters working hard to contain this blaze.  The fire is still at zero containment and the infrared plane was able to do an accurate assessment last night, Friday, June 27th, of the burn area.  The burn area at this time consists of 3, 952 acres with the fire growing minimally today to approximately 4,000 acres.  Starting tomorrow crews will do 'burn outs' in the SW section of the fire near Vernon.  Fire officials expect full containment within 7-14 days but the fire will not be fully controlled until the monsoon season starts, then it could take 10 or more days depending on the amount of moisture received.

I felt better after this report from the meeting.  James seems to have more faith than I do.  He has said all along that we would be okay.

 One of the air tankers dropping slurry on the fire.

 The fire is on the trail we ride when we

go towards Green's Peak.