Book Ends

What a great weekend I just had. Wyoming is currently in the thick of winter and Sarah and Sam needed a break from the cold, so they decided to come visit us here in sunny San Diego. When Kira heard that they were coming she wanted to come and spend time with her little sister because it has been a long time since she’s really been able to do that. Kira and Sarah like to refer to themselves as the bookends since Kira started the family and Sarah ended it.

We saw Sarah in August but it was such a quick visit that the last time they’ve been able to really visit was Kira’s epic road trip a year ago. Kira arrived late Friday (February 3) and then Saturday morning her and mom headed to Hollywood to participate in a showing of the Masked Singer. From all accounts they had a great time. They left early enough to have lunch in San Clemente and check out some of the shops there.  

Meanwhile I was able to get a lot done in the backyard. I was hoping to get most of the electrical system wired in but as it turned out I had to remove all the plumbing valves so I ended up getting a really good start on the plumbing and the water but wasn’t able to finish either one.

Sarah and Sam arrived late Saturday night.

Sunday after church we headed to Sea World. They are having a Mardi Gras celebration and wanted to check it out. They had some pretty good shows. My favorite was a show with acrobats, jugglers and some girls walking on stilts. I used to walk on stilts and I’m pretty sure I could still do it but those acrobats were amazing.

It was a nice relaxing day and afterwards we went and ate at a very cool Mexican place recommended us by a friend of Sarahs. It was called La Cocina de Rosita. I had what is probably the best  Al Pastor Taco I’ve ever had.

Monday we went back to Sea World but this time to check out the animals. Sunday was all about Mardis Gras but they only have that on the weekends.  Before we went to Sea World however Sarah had to get a permanently mounted ankle bracelet to match Kira and Alycia.

Unfortunately all good things must come to an end and Kira headed back to Chandler yesterday morning and Sarah, Sam and Ezzie will head out tomorrow morning.

Today Sarah’s family went for a walk on Torrey Pines beach followed by lunch back at Rosita’s while mom and I had to work. After mom got home from school she went with them to go tide pooling. Once it got dark I met up with them for dinner at In-N- Out. It has been a great visit.

The baluga saying hello to Ezzie.

Petting the Sting Rays

The funniest thing happened at the whale show. They always have the whales go up the glass and throw water onto the crowds with their tails but this time the whale went up to the glass, stuck his tail in the air and then he swung his tail back and threw water all the way up to the walk way. I’ve never seen it go so high. He then proceeded to flip his tail extremely quickly for another dozen or so splashes. He was going crazy and it seemed to go on forever. I would guess he was getting about two flips a second. It was great and I’m glad I wasn’t sitting there.

Dixie & Mark

Last weekend (January 25) we got our annual visit from Dixie and Mark and it was wonderful. As I have probably mentioned every January, Mark always attends a “World of Concrete” trade show in Las Vegas every January. To maintain his “Professional Engineer” status he requires a certain number of hours of professional improvement and this is how he does it. Because we are less than five hours from Vegas we usually get together just before or after his conference.

They arrived late on Thursday and I worked most of Friday but we enjoyed many hours of visiting. Dixie will be getting her knee replaced in January so she wasn’t up for too much walking so we were limited in what we could do. Friday night we decided to go out to eat and we enjoyed a nice quiet dinner at the Olive Garden. Saturday Dixie decided she was game to go check out the old mission here in San Diego. I was anxious to go as well since I’ve never been there after having lived here for 30 plus years. It was very interesting.

After seeing what there was to see at the Mission we checked out the Presidio which is actually where the mission was originally located. They quickly realized that they were too close to the soldiers and too far away from the natives so they moved down into mission valley.

We then checked out the Mormon Battalion monument that was recently placed on top of the hill. After that we had lunch at the Casa de Reyes in Old Town. The food is good and the atmosphere there is amazing.

Dixie & Mark were supposed to fly out Sunday afternoon but their flight was delayed by more than four hours which meant they would have missed their connection in Seattle. That meant that we got to enjoy another evening of visiting.

Saturday morning was a King tide which was probably the highest tide of the year and probably the highest tide for several years. Lisa and I wanted to check it out so we headed down to Torrey Pines to see what it was all about. It was amazing.

This is a picture of Torrey Pines beach where we usually go. That life guard station is usually a good hundred feet from the surf and the sidewalk is always dry. The sidewalk is covered with about three feet of fist sized rocks.

We stood on the bridge watching all of this when I saw a white rock that stood out from among all the other rocks. I headed down the sidewalk and did my best to avoid getting hit by the waves. When that surf crashed in the rocks banging on each other was loud and a bit terrifying. Moonstones were everywhere and in less than five minutes I gathered a couple dozen very large moon stones.

I’m going to buy some grit for my old rock polisher that I’ve never used and see what they end up looking like. They can be very beautiful.

Ben & the Boys

Ben and his boys arrived Saturday (1/7/2023) morning. They were having a surprise birthday party for his friend Derek and since Sharley was working, Ben packed up the boys and came and spent the day with us. The boys would have been happy to spend the day on their electronics but Ben and I talked them into going for a short hike.

They weren’t too excited about the idea of a hike but once we got them on the trail they got into it. It was a very short trail and once we completed the loop they wanted to keep going.

One of Lisa’s work colleagues was having a birthday party that we had been Invited to but Ben needed a babysitter for his boys so he could go to his birthday party, so I stayed home with the boys, Lisa went to her friends birthday party and Ben went to his friends birthday party and me, Freddie and Jack stayed home and partied.

As it turned out it wasn’t much of a party. I fed them supper and then turned on a TV show for them while I cleaned up dinner. The instant I was done I was suddenly overcome with very intense chills.

I grabbed a blanket and curled up on the couch and didn’t wake up until 4:30 in the afternoon on the next day. I slept for about twenty two hours. It was rather crazy. Even when I did wake up I was rather groggy but I was able to say goodbye to Ben and the boys, eat something and then go back to bed.

While I was functional on Monday it wasn’t until Wednesday that I really felt myself again. Meanwhile, as I was recuperating Lisa got sick, Alycia got sick, Jeff Andrew got sick and it feels like everyone is coming down with the same thing.

Legoland

At the last minute Alycia and Trevor decided to squeeze in one more vacation before the kids headed back to school so last Thursday evening (Jan 12) they showed up at our doorstep.

Lisa wanted to skip the Temple but one of the other coordinators couldn’t be there so she felt obligated to attend. I had no such obligations and I had a sub who owed me a day so I spent the evening with the kids. They spent Friday at the park which closed at 5:00 so we showed up at 5:00 so we could spend the evening with the kids.

The Legoland Hotel is amazing. You could just stay at the hotel and have a ball without ever going to the park. They had a storyteller, a dance hall, Lego’s were stashed in every corner and even the elevators had disco balls and dance music.

We got to our elevator and Sawyer dragged Grandma off into a nearby corner and stepped on a specific place in the carpet and it sounded like Grandma let go with a huge fart. It was an electronic whoopee cushion. He thought it was the best joke.

Look at that kid behind Ella; he is certain that stack is coming down. It was pretty wobbly but it didn’t fall until she knocked it down.

And then there was the room. It was a regular pirate’s room and the kids loved it as much as they did the rest of the hotel.

We ate an amazing all you can eat buffet and I completely gorged myself. It has been a long time since I’ve done that. The Crowley’s were dying after a rather intense day so we didn’t stay too late. They were getting up early on Saturday and doing it all over again. They then headed home Sunday morning. It was a great time with the grandkids.

Brandon is Married

I’m not sure what all I have said about Brandon and I don’t want to repeat myself but all of last year Brandon was dating up a storm. Come the end of last summer he settled on one girl who quickly became all he could talk about. The plan was to come out and visit us hear in San Diego during Christmas, propose and then get married sometime around June.

As it happened, he proposed in early December and got married December 29^th. To make it even more special for me Brandon asked if I would perform the ceremony.

Brandon and Ally were considering eloping but when Mom heard that, she convinced them to let her put on a small ceremony for them. We ended up having it at the Bagley’s house which has a small but absolutely beautiful yard and view. The photo’s on this page are the front and back of their wedding invitation.

Brandon and Ally left Mansfield on Christmas day in the afternoon after the kids had opened their presents, overnighted in El Paso and then arrived at Kira’s late on the 26^th. They spent Monday and Tuesday with Ben and Kira and then arrived here in the early afternoon on Tuesday around noon on the 28^th.

They brought Kira with them and at one point Brandon and Kira sat down at the piano and started playing hymns with Kira doing the left hand and Brandon doing the right hand. They were surprisingly good and it was a lot of fun.

We also exchanged Christmas gifts with each other.

 

Thursday, Dec 29 was the big day, it was a wonderful ceremony. Brandon and Ally wanted to keep it small so we only invited a few couples. The guest list included:

Roger & Wendy Platt

Dave & Diane Evans

Ken & Jeraldine Ellsworth

Kevin & Linda Bessey

Dave & Wendy Bagley

Kathy Marx & Mark ?

Ken & Trish Wolsey

Jeff & Tiffany Andrew

Kyle & Rebecca Knaphus

 

I think that was everyone and they all came except for the Ellsworth’s.

I had my wedding speech written out but as always, what I actually said was subtly different from what I have written but here is what I had written.

Good afternoon brothers and sisters

On behalf of Brandon and Ally I would like to welcome you here. Thank you for coming to support Brandon and Ally. They were thinking about eloping and having a big celebration in June but if you know Lisa (and everyone here does) then you know that was unacceptable so they agreed to let us put on a small ceremony for them.

To honor their desire to keep this ceremony small we only invited a few of the people who had a meaningful impact on Brandon as he grew up in this wonderful community. There were of course many who had a positive impact on Brandon’s life in untold ways but you guys stood out from the rest. Thank you for being there for Brandon as a young man and thank you for being here today for Brandon and Ally.

 

Brandon and Ally, what a beautiful couple you are. My heart breaks as I think about the tumultuous paths that you have both taken to get to where you are today but, at the same time, it is hard to be resentful of a life that has brought you to such a beautiful place. First of all, if it wasn’t for the lives you have lived then you wouldn’t have ever met. But then you might ask, “but why couldn’t we have met seventeen years ago?” well, seventeen years ago you were both very different people. Who knows if you would have even liked each other seventeen years ago?

What I do know is that our Heavenly Father has refined you both. You are both intelligent, patient, faithful, educated and excellent teachers and leaders. You are both strong and talented individuals and you would not be the people you are today if it weren’t for the trials you have both faced. But here you are today, about to join your lives together. This is where your Father in Heaven wants you to be. You are an important part of his plan. What a powerful force for good you will be. Heavenly Father has prepared you both for this day, and He has great things in store for you.

As you begin your new life together you will still face many challenges but now you will have the support of a companion at your side. I promise you that if you face these challenges with faith and prayer, your minds will be enlightened and you will be inspired as to how you can best overcome them. You will be blest that your two families will blend well and your home will be filled with joy and love. You will be the perfect example to your children. Through you, they will know how a truly happy family can be created, how a husband should treat his wife and a how a wife should treat her husband. You won’t just be a blessing to your family but to many. You will actually be unaware of much of the good you will do.

I feel weird giving you two marriage advice because I am sure you both know what you need to do as well as I do. Maybe even better than I do. I guess the only advice I have is to always put the welfare of your spouse ahead of your own welfare and to involve the spirit of God in every decision you make.

Brandon and Ally have prepared their own wedding vows so please face each other and share your vows.

---sharing of vows---

By virtue of the authority vested in my by the County of San Diego, I take pleasure in announcing that from this moment on, you are husband and wife, united in marriage.

You may now kiss your bride!

Brandon and Ally had written out their vows so here is what they said.

 

Brandon

I was 12 years old when I first prayed for you. I would open my window at night and ask God to send you my love and to help us make the choices necessary for us to be to be together.

And although we had no met, I’ve since learned that this was when you were baptized.

When I was 14 years old a man with authority laid his hands on my head and promised, on behalf of God that you and I would have the most wonderful experience that any human being could have in a marriage situation.

And although we had not met, I’ve since learned that this was when you resolved to have an eternal family.

And then we spent the next 25 years learning faith, hope charity, and love. We were lonely, but if we had met during this period we would have lacked the experience to truly appreciate each other. God wisely groomed us separately before He would allow us to grow together.

But when I turned 37 God revealed to me that you were ready and that you were waiting. And I was too.

And by the time I turned 38 I knew I had found you.

You told your friends we had a 1% change of making it, but I bought you this wedding ring after just one date. It didn’t feel reckless Ally, because I knew in my heart that God had been preparing us for each other since I was 12 years old.

The diamond on your ring, like you, is unique among gems. The craftsman, both for you and this gem, defied the standard in favor of highlighting the individual properties of the gem itself. Like, there is not another like it in the entire world.

And Ally, I saw your unique brilliance the moment we met. And I knew from the very beginning that you would be my last fist date, my last first kiss, and my last engagement. So I’ve tried to make each one truly memorable.

And in return you have done for me what the spring does for the cherry blossom.

Ally I promise to put you first always and, if you will allow it, I promise to build with you a life on this Earth so Heavenly that when we one day pass into the celestial kingdom you’ll recognize it as our home.

Ally

Brandon, we both knew a long time ago that by choosing to come to the earth that we would face many hardships - physical pain, grief & loss and also heartache. As I would face these hurdles I would ask God “why are you letting this happen?” Where is the lesson in all of this? – not knowing that every trial, and every mistake needed to happen in order for me to be standing right here marrying the man God has been preparing for me for a very long time. I needed to go through everything that I did so that I knew how to love you and let you love me back, to learn how to comfort you and protect you. I pledge to honor you, love you & cherish you as my husband today and for eternity. I promise to always listen to your counsel, even if I don’t always follow it. I promise to always keep God first in my life so that I can continue to be the wife that you deserve.

I will look to you as the head of our home as I have looked to Christ as the head of the church. I promise to love you without reservation, support you in making all of your dreams come true and grow with you in mind and spirit.

I promise that you will be as important to me as Ohio State football, tacos and as all episodes of Buffy the Vampire slayer put together.

But most importantly, I promise to always choose us first, I know that we’ve got this.

 After the ceremony we had some finger food and then headed to the Marine Room. The Marine Room is a very fancy restaurant right on the water. It is so close to the ocean that during a really high tide the water comes up on the windows. It was a very expensive place to eat but the occasion called for a special venue.

It was a wonderful and very special day.