Happy Birthday Colby

We can't fail to wish Colby a Happy birthday on the family blog, now could we? I (Talai) already did my own personal tribute to him on my blog and here is a snippet.

Besides my husband, I don’t know of anyone who gives hugs as great as Colby. As soon as he sees you he picks you up in a big bear hug as though he has not seen you in years (and because we live so far away from each other sometimes it feels this way…sigh). He smiles from ear to ear probably about 90% of the time, only stopping to sleep. Growing up he often replied to questions like, “Colbers, how’s it goin?” by saying, “sweeeeet” or, “yaaaaaaa,” and all other questions were answered with, “right on,” and, “you know it!”

After Colby returned from his mission he still held his laid back attitude, but he had suddenly become my brother who can turn even a dull story into something colorful or make any day into a party by dressing up in wild clothes or dancing crazily around a room. And, I can’t fail to mention that Colby's health is in, aaa humm, stellar condition (can we trade abs so I can have those six packs?)

Love you Colbers!

Another 50-miler Success!!

I was privledged this year to be able to watch Colby run to the finish of the Squaw Peak 50-miler race on Saturday, June 7th. I had heard about my Dad and brothers running this race last year, but now I am a witness to the insanity they go through to prove themselves tough as iron. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see Caleb, Dallan, and Dad come in but it sure was thrilling to see Colby burst (and I seriously mean BURST) with energy to the finish line. I don't know how he had so much energy at the end of 50 miles, but on the other hand, when does Colby not have enough energy to do anything? Congrats to my bros and Dad!! You may have convinced me that it's something I might want to try next year . . . no promieses but we'll see.

Track

So what I have been up too during school is track. It has been so much fun. Everyday i would spend my day after school at track practice and meets. It has taken up a lot of my time but it was well worth it, I have enjoyed it so much. The events I did were the 100 meter sprint, which I need to work on, I am not that fast, and long jump, which is my favorite. I have been working on long jump more and it is so fun. I set a goal for me to jump 12 feet. At region on my very last jump I met my goal by jumping 12 feet 1 in. I was so happy. We have traveled many the St. George and Cider City for meets which have been so fun. I know these pictures are not of my doing an event, but its still fun to hang out with friends and watch other run their races. Now that school is over track is too. I am kinda sad but cant wait till next years track.

mess

So as I was thinking about what I could post about, I thought this would be fun. It has been so fun to have Jon, Jami, and the girls back. I love playing with Eliza and Sydney. Well on Sunday they had too much fun playing with the boys and mad a huge mess. Eliza and Sydney took all the books off the shelve and took all the toys out of the toy room and threw them everywhere. It was quite a mess. All I have to say is that I like the noise, its not quiet anymore around here!

Thoughts on Reading Blog Posts

Awe… there’s nothing quite like reading a good blog post! During the past few months , I have discovered Jami and Talai’s blog pages and I have very much enjoyed reading their posts! The only thing is….. I don’t know what to write about for my first post as a blogger. I’ve been a reader not a writer of blogs…this blogging is uncharted terrain for me! So since I'm in a creative writing mood, I think for my first post I will make an attempt at writing creatively about reading Jami and Talai’s blogs.

In our day to day routines we sometimes come across moments that seem to take us to places outside of ourselves. These moments seem to be like what a lunar experience would be when an astronaut's movements are slow and gracefull when walking on the surface of the moon. In the midst of these moments time seems to slow down and waits patiently for us to be taught things that can only be understood in these unique moments. These are paradoxical moments in our lives and these moments can come to us by way of smell, sound, sight, taste and touch.

There are moments, when reading Jami and Talai’s blogs, when it's like encountering a particular fragrance that has the power to awaken special memories that once were.

Reading about Eliza, Sydney, and Owen in Jami and Talai's blogs is like hearing the beckoning laughter of children at a nearby playground.

Reading about the family activities Jami and Talai write about is like the warmth of a camp fire that creates a mood of love for the important things in life.

Reading Jami and Talai’s blogs about how things work out, when there are ups and downs, is like being filled with feelings of awe and wonder while watching a South Pacific sunset with its glowing shades of crimson.

Reading Jami and Talai’s stories are like feelings of gratitude that come when feeling and tasting clear, crystal, clean, cold water go down your throat on a hot summer's day.

Reading Jami and Talai’s blogs is like the enveloping, reverent, calmness of feeling the weightlessness of a new born infant in your arms.

These examples of paradoxical moments are describing the moments that Jami and Talai have shared with us via blog form. It’s not the blog post by itself that make reading blogs enjoyable, but it’s the people—the members of our family—that makes reading these blogs enjoyable.

There may be moments in our lives, when in loneliness, we metaphorically come upon the sounds of chit-chat and laughter wafting from a well-lighted mountain cottage at dusk. When experiencing real equivalent moments in life, our curiosity and loneliness may cause us to have a strong longing to be inside that cottage—Jami and Talai’s blog posts have given us a sense of being inside that lofty mountain cottage. Thanks Jami and Talai for sharing your day to day lives with us by allowing us to read your blogs.

Christ: Real Power vs. True Power

For the past few months I've been writing in my journal about how I have seen the hand of God in my life and because of those entries my journal has become one of my most treasured possessions:

4.15.08
Valerie Hudson, my professor for National Security Affairs, began talking about real power. She mentioned that during Christ's time real power was shown when the Romans captured Christ, whipped him, placed a crown of thorns on his head and then crucified him. The Jews and Romans saw the Roman magistrates real power and began to believe that Jesus wasn't the Christ. What the Jews and Romans didn't see was the true power that Christ had. Christ humbly laid down his life - he completely submitted to God's will and he completed the atonement - the most powerful blessing in our personal lives. On that day Christ had true power. My hope is that I can shake off the effects of real power and through the atonement of Christ be a partaker of true power. Today I saw the hand of God in my life through a professor that helped me remember who I am and why I came to this earth.

Talai's Tributary on My Parkinson's Information

Being real is part of having Parkinson’s disease, at least that’s what I believe. If every person with Parkinson’s disease ran around saying everything was rosy then they would be robbing themselves and others of phenomenal learning experiences. I’ll never forget the suffering that existed in my family when my grandma slowly but surely faded into the next life. It was a difficult time, but it was a very important time as well. I saw my family become much closer and we seemed to enjoy our time together much more. Although my grandma’s passing was difficult it was an important growing and learning opportunity for my family.

Opposition and trials are very important for our personal growth, as we find strength during the hard times in life we learn to appreciate the more important things in life. I think we can all name some things in our life that were absolutely difficult, but I’m guessing they are some of the greatest experiences in our life. When I’m talking to some of my friends about these experiences I can talk their ear off about how much I’ve grown and learned because of those difficult times.

I’ve come to learn that one of the greatest ways to overcome the difficult times in our lives is through friends. One of the hardest things for me is admitting that I am having a hard time and that I just need somebody to talk to (wow, I’m surprised how difficult for me that was to write)–I’m guessing that it’s the same way for others. It’s so important to have a friend that can pull you aside from the everyday crowd, look you in the eyes, and ask you how you are really doing. I read a quote about a year ago that has had a profound effect upon me ever since.

“A friend is one to whom you can pour out the contents of your heart, chaff and grain alike. Knowing that the gentlest of hands will take and sift it, keep what is worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness, blow the rest away.” -Anonymous

I’ve also learned that in order to have those kind of friends you have to be that kind of a friend. I think I first learned the importance of being a friend when I attended middle school with my older sister. My sister was a pretty popular girl and I remember trying to figure out why she was so popular, was it because she was gorgeous or had an amazing smile? I’m sure that helped, but I think the thing that made people want to be around her was how friendly she was (in fact she was voted “Friendliest” in middle school). I loved watching her interact with friends and strangers alike, she just treated them the same way smiling, laughing, and hugging them. She helped me understand how I can be a better friend.

I think I’ve rambled a little bit, but I simply wanted to point out the importance of being real by embracing and working through real hard times, letting yourself (and others) really grow, and having/being a real friend.

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