Winding Down...to wind up

Yet another week has passed. We have managed to keep very busy this week with football, Pack Meeting, Court of Honor, Relief Society Garden Party, more football, yard work, house work, and other work. The kids seem to be excited to start school, especially Mason. He is social and ready to get back to his friends. Tanner must have a better idea of what is in store. He isn’t as excited.


After our Relief Society Garden Party on Tuesday, we delivered Yi to the West’s home. We were sad to drop her off but her and Lucy both agreed that having a bit more space and privacy would be better. Yi returned to enjoy Pack Meeting with us on Wednesday and a BBQ with our friends on Saturday.

Lucy continues to spoil us with her kindness and generosity. She made yummy dinner for us on Friday (Chinese soup, rice, vegetables and shrimp) and we came home from church to delicious fried rice. She brought such a sweet and calming influence into our home. We need that. I hope we are giving her back a portion of what we are getting.

Tanner had his first football scrimmage this week. His team won and he played well. It is fun to see him in his new positions and will be fun to watch him continue to improve over the rest of the season. I sort of got used to him doing much of nothing last year on the offensive line. I am not sure that will be the case as much this year. It all depends on which Tanner shows up. When he wants it, that kid can do anything. When he doesn’t want it, don’t even bother because that same determination shows up.

Still can’t figure out the picture thing. Oh well. We aren’t that cute anyway.

Half a World Away

Blogging is not like riding a bike.  I can’t remember how to post pictures so all I can offer are words.  The saying is that “a picture is worth a thousand words”.  I will spare you and use a few less.

One week ago, my mom and dad left to serve a mission for 18 months “Down Under”.  My parents are like no other.  They are intimately involved in the lives of 12 adult children (including “in-law” types) and 23 grandchildren.  They attend concerts, recitals, games, award ceremonies, school programs, and on and on.  In their place remains an enormous abyss.  It will require extraordinary effort on the part of 12 adult children to fill that void with the love and support and friendship that we are so used to.        

Joe says there are no coincidences.  I agree with him.  I think everything happens for a reason.   Just 10 short days before my parents leaving, I responded to an email plea to host one of two Chinese language teachers for the school year.  After reading the email, I felt an urgent need to volunteer my home.  I thought I felt urgency because I am surrounded by kind and gracious neighbors.  I didn’t want them to beat me to the punch.  I am so glad I listened. 

The very Saturday my parents embarked on their journey halfway across the world was the very day we welcomed two women into our home, also from halfway across the world.  We will have Lucy living with us until the end of the school year and Yi will be joining her host family later this week.  We have had a week full of learning and sharing and loving. 

We have shared an Eagle Scout Court of Honor (Congratulations Max!  Thanks for setting such a good example for all or your younger nephews), a football scrimmage (Go Braves!), a one-night get-away to Bear Lake including swimming, smoky views, and Tiny Spicy Chicken, a birthday (Happy Birthday Joe!), and a Bee’s game (complete with fireworks).  We are eager to share so much more! 

Lucy and Yi have shared gifts (key chains, chop sticks, hackey sacs), their language (the kids are getting is much quicker than the adults), their cooking (noodles, fried rice (our favorite so far), soup), hard work (our dishes have never been so clean), and love.  They bought yummy dinner, treats at the baseball game and also arranged for a cake (complete with Chinese characters) for Joe’s birthday.  They have cheered Mason as he learned how to do round off back handsprings (on the ground) and celebrated with Tanner as his defense dominated during football scrimmage.  They have laughed at all of Joe’s jokes and endlessly pitched in around the house. 

I have no doubt that what we are doing will abundantly bless our lives, far beyond what we are giving.  I also have no doubt the same thing is true for my mom and dad.  Half a world away, we will be together as we learn to love a people we know very little about.    

One Week Down

A few weeks ago I posted the following ad:

Wanted: Weekly Long-run Running Partner
Minimum Qualifications: 9-10 mile per hour pace, occasional interval training, available Saturday mornings between 6 am and 10 am
Preferred Qualifications: Downhill, pacing expertise, Route planner (this includes where to begin, where to go, how far to go, and highlights along the course), Flexible with rest stops (some may need to be lengthy, Port-a-potty radar…just in case, Run nourishment (to include slushy Gatorade, clementine’s, caffeine gummies, shot bloks, and additional beverage refills during extra-long runs), Transportation home from downhill run’s, Ability to measure distance, elevation, and pace, Counseling expertise topics to include marriage, family, adolescent children, work relationships, dieting, academic challenges, and church callings, “Lip Stuff” always available, Kleenex/Toilet paper always handy, Nerve to stand up to bikers, runners, gliders, and others who invade personal running route, Race/Event planner (this includes identification of event, registration, coordination and travel, and training schedule leading up to the event), Positive attitude despite occasional less than ideal conditions (heat, cold, rain, sleet, snow, traffic, wind, rodents, injury, multiple bathroom stops)
Pay: Sore muscles, Sweaty, stinky clothes, Occasional chaffing, Thousands of priceless memories!!!

Unfortunately for me, I have yet to find a qualified candidate. Instead, I ran today with a partner whose resume might look like this: eagerly available night and day, willing to drink gutter water, can stay near by (within 10 feet, if on a leash), prefers multiple stops, must have several small bags available.

Star, as much as I love her, is not quite living up to the running partner I have had for the last 8 years. I will work on training her to fill a few more of the qualifications I desire, but I think she will always fall short.

Merry Christmas Party

The annual Fillmore Family Christmas Party was held two days before Christmas and it was an awesome time. We started with Humanitarian projects, Rice Krispie House decorated and scooters. (We have such a big crowd we always have the party at my mom's school and the kids love playing in the gym.) Then we headed to the library for the talent show then back to the gym for dinner, the nativity, gift exchange and basketball. The highlight, although I don't have pictures, is always Dave in his pink tutu, doing his imitation of ice skating on roller blades. It started after the 2004 winter olympics and has only gotten better. This year he had a partner, his son Evan, and so it was introduced as "Couples Skating". The music was the Sugar Plum Fairy from the Nutcracker. HILARIOUS.

The Nativity this year was better than last. I guess as kids get older, they start to "get it". Tanner would only participate if he could be King Herod. So he was and a great job he did. Mason was the best looking wiseman of the bunch (in my opinion of course).

I love Christmas and I love Christmas with family even more. How lucky to be surrounded by people that I didn't choose but that I love deeply.