Reuniting Family

In August I had a very special experience.  I was reunited with my sister, Jo Ann  twice, and once with two of her children, and their children.

On my First Visit, JoAnn and her husband, Clarke Sharar drove down to Ontario, CA to meet for a late lunch.  It was really great seeing her again.  I was shocked by here spiked hair style, since she always has such curly hair, and Clarke was very friendly and outgoing.  I promised that I would return and bring Linda.

JoAnn and I                                                               JoAnn and Clarke Sharar

Only about three weeks later, Linda and I were able to travel to Santa Barbara again for some training.  Linda and I drove to Palm Desert and stayed two nights and spent one entire day with JoAnn and her family.  We had lunch with two of her daughters Tanya and Christina and their children, Nicholas and Mitchell (Tanya's) and  Sydney and Samantha (Christina's).

      

JoAnn, Christina,Samantha, Sydney, Linda Dennis Tanya      Tanya with Mitchell,(Nicholas was sleeping),Christina with Samantha and Sydney

I was overwhelmed by their openness and acceptance of an Uncle and Great Uncle they had met only once or less.  I felt totally guilty for being so self involved for  years.  They seemed  anxious to know family members.  I realized that there was a real hole in my life, and that we had left a hole in their life also.  For all of these years, they had a knowledge that they had family members out there, but had a large gap.  Visiting with them, made me realize that I missed years of loving these beautiful Nieces and Great Nieces and Nephews.  That my children had missed out on knowing and loving their wonderful cousins.  Likewise, Tanya and Christine had missed out as well. 

I will not make this mistake again.  I am very grateful for the opportunity to meet them once, and intend on getting to know them better.  I am starting by sharing this blog and those of our family (below) with JoAnn who can share it with her daughters.  This will give them an opportunity to get a glimpse in to the lives of their extended family.  I will a couple are open to invited members only, so I will ask them to invite JoAnn and as I get e-mail addresses Sonya, Tanya and Christina. 

I love my immediate family that has been extended with sons and daughters in law and grandchildren.  I also love my sister an her children and grandchildren that I am just beginning to know.  I am sorry I cheated us out of all of this time.

My Family and their Blogs

 

My oldest daughter - Emily Mcammon and her husband Shane - Adana Turkey

http://mccammonblog.blogspot.com/

  

My second daughter - Kelly Babcock and her husband Mike

http://thebabcockchronicals.blogspot.com/

 

My oldest son - Scott Barrett and his wife Jentry - Lincoln, Nebraska

http://cumulativerecord.blogspot.com/

 

My third daughter - Ellen Wheat and her husband Kevin

http://mini-wheats.blogspot.com/

 

My youngest - David Barrett - Nicaragua - It is hard to get a picture of him without him pulling a face.

Happy Fathers Day

Yesterday was Fathers day, but today I received the cards in the mail.  Of course Linda gave me her cards on Fathers Day, and I did get calls from all of my children that were able (David of course does not get to call on Fathers day, only on MOTHERS day).  I thought I would share the cards with everyone. 

Mom gave me two cards:

• One plays "Just the Two of Us" song over and over, like she has to remind me that we are empty nesters and no one lives near by.  We were sooo lonely we went for a 4 hour drive with "Just the Two of Us" - Mom was really tolerant in riding on mountain roads that shook her arm and shoulder.
• In the other card she tells me that if she hadn't married me she could have found someone else to drive nuts, but that she is nuts about me.

 

Kevin and Ellen take the Crude Award.  Of course it fits right in with our family humor.

 

 

Kelly and Mike sent the Mid-life Crisis card.  However, my mid life crisis was 10 years ago.  I am now in declining life panic mode. 

 

Madison, Carter and Brooke sent the Gramp Award card.  I really like how Brooke made me look nice and thin and with lots of hair. That is so nice!

All I can say is Linda, Emily, Kelly, Scott, Ellen, and David make me look like a great Dad. Keep it up!  I know that you were all great spirits and it was a blessing to receive all of you in my family. 

My Tag Response

Liam here are the answers to your questions

4 Places I go over and over:
1. My office upstairs in our home
2. Home Depot
3. Church
4. The Airport

4 who email me:
1. Over 100 from many people at work a day.
2. Elder David Barrett
3. Linda
4. A lot of weirdos on the Internet who send SPAM

4 Of my favorite foods:
1. Chocolate chip mint ice cream
2. RASBERRIES AND BLACK BERRIES
3. Stone crab claws in Florida
4. Tacos al Pastor in Mexico

4 Places I would rather be right now:
1. On a clear mountain stream fly fishing
2. In Turkey with the McCammons and my grand children that I miss soooooo much!
3. Anywhere with my children and/or grand children (Turkey, San Antonio, Logan/Lincoln, Rexburg, Nicaragua?
4. Riding my bicycle on a quiet road either going downhill or with a wind to my back

4 Movies I watch over and over again:
1. Back to the Future
2. Meet the Parents
3. Harry Potter 4
4. The Incredibles

4 People I am tagging:
1. Kevin Wheat
2. Ellen Wheat
3. Emily McCammon
4. Jentry Barrett

We believe the Bible to be correct as far as it is translated correctly

The Pope dies and, naturally, goes to heaven where he's met by a reception committee of angels. After a whirlwind tour, The Pope is told that he can enjoy any of the myriad recreations available.

He decides that he wants to read all of the ancient original text of the Holy Scriptures, so he spends the next eon or so learning the languages. After becoming a linguistic master, he sits down in the library and begins to pour over every version of the Bible, working back from the most recent "Easy Reading" to the original handwritten script.

The angel librarian hears a loud scream, and goes running toward its source only to find the Pope huddled in a chair, shaking and crying.

"The R! They left out the R!"

"What do you mean?" the angel librarian asks.

After collecting his wits, the Pope sobs again, "The word was supposed to be CELEBRATE!"

Wonderful Kids and Kids-in-Law

I have not written on this blog for a while, because life has been too busy. My topic today is one of immense gratitude, coming from a deep reflection. Reflection on those things that are really most important.

While it did not really seem like Christmas, it was still a good Holiday. It was great to have grand kids here from San Antonio, and see Kelly and Mike. It was great that Kevin, Ellen's (now) Fiance came to visit as well. Of course it is always nice to see my children.

Life and families are really an amazing journey. Some of us, who are lucky, go from a care free childhood straight to being responsible adults and likely parents in what seems like the blink of an eye. I say lucky, because I know there are many who had to carry much more responsibility than I, while they were still children. Now as a parent of older children, and who is about to have one more get married and another leave on a mission, it is not I who is becoming responsible, but those most choice spirits in whom Linda and I have invested all of our energy and resources.

Several years ago, long before my children were old enough to worry about such things, Linda and I went to a movie with the Berkies. The movie, "Father of the Bride" was very funny, but as I looked over at Doug, he was really welled up in tears, as his oldest daughter was almost approaching marrying age. Later, when our oldest daughter, Emily, was married, I discovered that is was not so sad. It really wasn't so much loosing a child, as much as it was gaining one more member of the family, and I felt excitement for Emily growing up.

I guess one could say that you never know what type of family member you are adding, but I am very happy with the choices my children have made. Shane is one of the most entertaining and enjoyable people to associate with that I know. He has blessed the life of my daughter Emily, and (when we see him) we love the time together. It also doesn't hurt that he Fathered three beautiful grand children. The only bad thing I can say about Shane, is shame on you for taking all of our children so far away. But we love you. One of the most exciting days of my life, as a fisherman and father/father in-law, was the day in Pagosa Springs that I coached him into catching a 5 lb brown trout.

When Kelly got married, she also picked well. Mike is a very focused and hard working. Again, it was great to see Kelly grow up, and Mike has also been like one more son in the family. He has been a great hunting and fishing buddy, and what an exciting day when he shot an elk on his first 1 hr of hunting. Mike and Kelly have really blossomed as LDS parents, and I love the three grandchildren they have blessed our lives with.

I always wondered what type of person Scott would marry. He was always, and still is, such a fee spirit. The day that I first met Jentry, I fell in love. What a beauty. She is fun loving, and has a very infectious laugh. On top of all of that, she is talented and seems to keep Scott to an acceptable level of adulthood, but it is obvious that they find each other fulfilling and what more can I ask. I still enjoy the pictures I have of Jentry dressed in waiders standing in the middle of the Blue River trying to catch fish that were not biting. To Scott and Jentry: Babies are not evil. By the way, we almost changed your phone alarm to delay a couple of days.

Now, Ellen is getting ready to bet married. My baby girl. Am I sad? The truth is I am not. From experience, I look forward to another son. He has shown that he is a good sport. At Thanksgiving he endured my grueling interview. At Christmas, he endured a lot of ribbing and the threat of a physical exam by Mike. He has played along with everyone, and has shown by several actions that he cares for Ellen. He plays games, jokes around, and fits in with the rest of the family.

I love my children and I love the choices they have made, especially their choices of Spouses. In my eyes, Kids-in-Law are great. Parents-in-Law, however, as their reputation portrays can be a little iffy. Now that I am a Father-in-Law, I must also be a little iffy. I SINCERELY WANT TO APOLOGIZE FOR ANY OF THE BAD TRAITS THAT HAVE BEEN REVEALED.

I LOVE ALL OF MY CHILDREN, WHETHER BY BLOOD OR BY LAW, AND HOPE YOU WILL IGNORE INCIDENTS OF TEMPORARY INSANITY.

The Humor of Global SWARMING

In case you have not noticed, the media and common conversation has become inundated with stories, concerns, and worries about global warming. Some of the stories are becoming so outlandish, that they are funny. It is actually becoming hard to tell the real stories from the those designed to make fun of ourselves.

I was listening to a talk show the other day, when they quoted the following story. As I say, when it was initially related, it was so much like other stories I hear every day, that it sounded real.

NFL Meteorologists Warn Steaming Black-Guy Heads Occurring Later Every Year

The sad thing, is that this Conventional Wisdom state we are in is a runaway train that is totally out of control. See my other blog log called the Perfect Storm. It will provide information about how this social event compares to others in the past and why I feel this is out of control and of significant concern.

One of My Favorite Holiday Stories - The Little Match Girl

I know that I am a sappy old Grandpa. As I was thinking about Christmas this weekend, I reflected back to one of my favorite Chrstamas Traditions. One year my parents bought us a copy of an illustrated book of Hans Christian Anderson's The Little Match Girl.

It was beautifully illustrated, but the story would always hit home and touch my heart. My parents would read it to us on Christmas Eve, along with the story of the Night Before Christmas. I remember, in years later, after my Father had passed away, I would still read the book to myself. It still would cause a lump in my throat, out of love and appreciation.

I want to share this story with my Grandchildren. However, the parents of my grand children will have to determine how it might impact your younger children before sharing it with them.

I was going to record myself reading it, but have run out of time, so the text along with some pictures and the final piece is a musical cartoon video I found on YouTube.

The Little Match Girl

Most terribly cold it was; it snowed, and was nearly quite dark, and evening-- the last evening of the year. In this cold and darkness there went along the street a poor little girl, bareheaded, and with naked feet. When she left home she had slippers on, it is true; but what was the good of that? They were very large slippers, which her mother had hitherto worn; so large were they; and the poor little thing lost them as she scuffled away across the street, because of two carriages that rolled by dreadfully fast.

One slipper was nowhere to be found; the other had been laid hold of by an urchin, and off he ran with it; he thought it would do capitally for a cradle when he some day or other should have children himself. So the little maiden walked on with her tiny naked feet, that were quite red and blue from cold. She carried a quantity of matches in an old apron, and she held a bundle of them in her hand. Nobody had bought anything of her the whole livelong day; no one had given her a single farthing.
She crept along trembling with cold and hunger--a very picture of sorrow, the poor little thing!

The flakes of snow covered her long fair hair, which fell in beautiful curls around her neck; but of that, of course, she never once now thought. From all the windows the candles were gleaming, and it smelt so deliciously of roast goose, for you know it was New Year's Eve; yes, of that she thought.

In a corner formed by two houses, of which one advanced more than the other, she seated herself down and cowered together. Her little feet she had drawn close up to her, but she grew colder and colder, and to go home she did not venture, for she had not sold any matches and could not bring a farthing of money: from her father she would certainly get blows, and at home it was cold too, for above her she had only the roof, through which the wind whistled, even though the largest cracks were stopped up with straw and rags.

Her little hands were almost numbed with cold. Oh! a match might afford her a world of comfort, if she only dared take a single one out of the bundle, draw it against the wall, and warm her fingers by it. She drew one out. "Rischt!" how it blazed, how it burnt!

It was a warm, bright flame, like a candle, as she held her hands over it: it was a wonderful light. It seemed really to the little maiden as though she were sitting before a large iron stove, with burnished brass feet and a brass ornament at top. The fire burned with such blessed influence; it warmed so delightfully. The little girl had already stretched out her feet to warm them too; but--the small flame went out, the stove vanished: she had only the remains of the burnt-out match in her hand.

She rubbed another against the wall: it burned brightly, and where the light fell on the wall, there the wall became transparent like a veil, so that she could see into the room. On the table was spread a snow-white tablecloth; upon it was a splendid porcelain service, and the roast goose was steaming famously with its stuffing of apple and dried plums. And what was still more capital to behold was, the goose hopped down from the dish, reeled about on the floor with knife and fork in its breast, till it came up to the poor little girl; when--the match went out and nothing but the thick, cold, damp wall was left behind. She lighted another match. Now there she was sitting under the most magnificent Christmas tree: it was still larger, and more decorated than the one which she had seen through the glass door in the rich merchant's house.
Thousands of lights were burning on the green branches, and gaily-colored pictures, such as she had seen in the shop-windows, looked down upon her. The little maiden stretched out her hands towards them when--the match went out. The lights of the Christmas tree rose higher and higher, she saw them now as stars in heaven; one fell down and formed a long trail of fire.

"Someone is just dead!" said the little girl; for her old grandmother, the only person who had loved her, and who was now no more, had told her, that when a star falls, a soul ascends to God.
She drew another match against the wall: it was again light, and in the lustre there stood the old grandmother, so bright and radiant, so mild, and with such an expression of love.

"Grandmother!" cried the little one. "Oh, take me with you! You go away when the match burns out; you vanish like the warm stove, like the delicious roast goose, and like the magnificent Christmas tree!" And she rubbed the whole bundle of matches quickly against the wall, for she wanted to be quite sure of keeping her grandmother near her. And the matches gave such a brilliant light that it was brighter than at noon-day: never formerly had the grandmother been so beautiful and so tall. She took the little maiden, on her arm, and both flew in brightness and in joy so high, so very high, and then above was neither cold, nor hunger, nor anxiety--they were with God.

But in the corner, at the cold hour of dawn, sat the poor girl, with rosy cheeks and with a smiling mouth, leaning against the wall--frozen to death on the last evening of the old year. Stiff and stark sat the child there with her matches, of which one bundle had been burnt. "She wanted to warm herself," people said. No one had the slightest suspicion of what beautiful things she had seen; no one even dreamed of the splendor in which, with her grandmother she had entered on the joys of a new year



The Little Match Girl Cartoon

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