So worn out!

So after the last couple of weeks I have a new appreciation for all that parents do. I got to go with our girls basket ball team to a tiny little town almost to Wyoming. The girls played a very hard and physical game and did well. One of the girls actually ended up in the ER because of an injury to her ribs. It was a very long night and we stayed at a cabin that is owned by the rec department of our facility. I didn't get much sleep because I was worried about the kids all night. I now know kind of how my mom felt staying up waiting for us to get home when we were out with friends. It seems like every day there is some kind of drama and some kind of problem going on with the kids.
Yesterday we had a very interesting basket ball practice. There were a lot of problems going on with the different girls on the team so instead of running drills we had a big discussion about what was bothering every one on the team. It was good to see what is bothering the girls both on and off the court. They are making a lot of progress and it was fun to watch them win their first game. These kids have only been playing together for about a month and they are going up against teams that have been playing together for years. As a coach I couldn't ask for a more talented group of players than what I have.
I can't believe how fast the time is flying. We counted today and there are only 12 days until Christmas. I can't wait to go home and get rejuvenated. Sometimes all you need is a few days at home and then you are good to go again. I still can't believe that I have now lived in Utah for two months. I am still not all that excited to be living here, but it is where I was able to find work that also provided housing. Any ways, this is all I can think of for this post.

What have you done?

What have you done?

So I saw this on Lindsay's blog and decided that it would be interesting to do.

To participate, just copy and paste in your own blog, and bold all of the things you have done. The green ones are the ones that I have done.
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Ran a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Seen Mount Rushmore in person
101. Learned to play an instrument

Holy crap I've done more than I thought that I have, but there is still a lot left to do!

Sack Lunches

So I heard this story on the radio the other and had the DJ email it to me and I thought you would all enjoy it.


The Sack Lunches
>
>
> I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down
> in my assigned seat. It was going to be a long flight.
> 'I'm glad I have a good book to read. Perhaps I
> will get a short nap,' I thought.
>
>
> Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the
> aisle and filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding
> me. I decided to start a conversation. 'Where are you
> headed?' I asked the soldier seated nearest to me.
>
>
> 'Chicago - to Great Lakes Base. We'll be there for
> two weeks for special training, and then we're being
> deployed to Iraq '
>
> After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made
> that sack lunches were available for five dollars. It would
> be several hours before we reached Chicago, and I quickly
> decided a lunch would help pass the time.
>
> As I reached for my wallet, I overheard soldier ask his
> buddy if he planned to buy lunch. 'No, that seems like
> a lot of money for just a sack lunch. Probably wouldn't
> be worth five bucks. I'll wait till we get to Chicago
> '
>
> His friend agreed.
>
> I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying
> lunch. I walked to the back of the plane and handed the
> flight attendant a fifty dollar bill. 'Take a lunch to
> all those soldiers.' She grabbed my arms and squeezed
> tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me. 'My
> son was a soldier in Iraq; it's almost like you are
> doing it for him.'
>
> Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the
> soldiers were seated. She stopped at my seat and asked,
> 'Which do you like best - beef or chicken?'
>
> 'Chicken,' I replied, wondering why she asked. She
> turned and went to the front of plane, returning a minute
> later with a dinner plate from first class. 'This is
> your thanks.'
>
> After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the
> plane, heading for the rest room. A man stopped me. 'I
> saw what you did. I want to be part of it. Here, take
> this.' He handed me twenty-five dollars.
>
> Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain
> coming down the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he
> walked, I hoped he was not looking for me, but noticed he
> was looking at the numbers only on my side of the plane.
> When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his hand,
> an said, 'I want to shake your hand.'
>
> Quickly unfastening my seatbelt I stood and took the
> Captain's hand. With a booming voice he said, 'I
> was a soldier and I was a military pilot. Once, someone
> bought me a lunch. It was an act of kindness I never
> forgot.' I was embarrassed when applause was heard from
> all of the passengers.
>
> Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch
> my legs. A man who was seated about six rows in front of me
> reached out his hand, wanting to shake mine. He left
> another twenty-five dollars in my palm.
>
> When we landed in Chicago I gathered my belongings and
> started to deplane. Waiting just inside the airplane door
> was a man who stopped me, put something in my shirt pocket,
> turned, and walked away without saying a word. Another
> twenty-five dollars!
>
> Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering
> for their trip to the base. I walked over to them and
> handed them seventy-five dollars. 'It will take you
> some time to reach the base. It will be about time for a
> sandwich. God Bless You.'
>
> Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect
> of their fellow travelers. As I walked briskly to my car, I
> whispered a prayer for their safe return. These soldiers
> were giving their all for our country. I could only give
> them a couple of meals.
>
> It seemed so little...
>
>
>
>
>
> A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life wrote a
> blank check Made payable to 'The United States of
> America ' for an amount of 'up to and including my
> life.' That is Honor, and there are way too many people
> in This country who no longer understand it.'

Oh the joy of work

So I spend my days working at a residential treatment facility here in Utah. It can be very difficult and yet very satisfying work. When I walk in to go and pick up my girls from their day at school they all come and give me hugs and they all want to tell me about what they did that day. It makes me happy to know that I have made a difference in someone's life when they need it the most. I enjoy seeing how excited they get about little things, like mint oreo cookies. And also when they are getting close to the end of their program and to hear how far they have come and how much they have changed, because that is our entire goal of this place, to help these kids see that they are better and that they can become more than the direction that they were headed in. Life is not easy here, but in the end it is worth it. I especially enjoy seeing kids come out of the places that they were in before coming here. I went to the AA meeting and got to learn a lot out about the kids, where they come from and why they are here. I enjoy talking to some of the girls when they tell me that they don't want to go back to the life that they were living. It gives me hope that these kids will make it when they leave here.
On another note. One of my best friends came to visit this last weekend and we had a blast! I miss my Maggie and it was so good to see her. I took her up to the Olimpic Park in Park City, which I hadn't been to in a long time. We decided that we want to be bobsledders because that would just be so freaking cool. Yeah we are truley kids at heart. I also got to take her to temple square for the first time. It was a very special experience. She is trying to get back active in the church and get her life on track. I was able to feel the spirit very strongly as we talked about the importance of the temple and certain gospel principles. I am so greatful that I got to have that experience with her.
Tonight is going to be another great experience. I get to go to the Jordan Temple for the first time and do a baptism session with a few of the girls. I am excited, it has been too long since I went to the temple and I feel honored that they would ask me to go with them. I am excited to see a new temple that I haven't been to yet. Any ways, I had better go and get ready for work. I am also now going to be an assistant basketball coach for our girls team. It is always something new and exciting.

New Place

So I have moved to Utah, I know I have always said that I would never move to this state, but here I am! I am working at an in house treatment facility for troubled teens and am so far really enjoying it. I have had some interesting experiences with the kids so far and I really do think that this is the place that I am supposed to be.
I have also taken some time for fun with some of my friends that are down here. I went out with Jen S last weekend. We went and got two hour massages and then got our toes and make up done. Then we went to probably the lamest party that I have ever been to down in Provo. I will make sure I know what is entailed in the party before I go to one down there again. I did have a lot of fun with Jen and Linsey though. We got to hang out all day and then we also got to be pampered. It was a nice way to celebrate my first weekend here in Utah.
This week was good, really tiring but good. It is interesting how much energy taking care of 15 kids can take up. I got to go and attend the drug and alcohol group with the kids who are here for substance abuse. I was able to get more insights on how to relate to some of these kids and how I can help them overcome their short comings. I am happy that I am being blessed to gain more insights and bits of information to help me with accomplishing the job that I have to do.
Today was a great day. I went and hung out with my Jennifer Lynn Birkel. It has been since their wedding that I have seen her. It was good just to spend some time catching up and just getting some Ashley and Jenn time in. We went to the clothing store where Jenn works and I was able to get some more scrubs for $5.99. They are my favorite thing to wear to work because I can always be comfortable, and that helps me have a clearer mind. We then went to this awesome malt shop in Provo and had really good burgers and a shake. I was almost late for work because I waited to long to leave to get back home. I hope that we will be able to hang out more often, because it was good just to hang out and remenise. Any ways, I had better get back to work and hanging out.