Saturday, September 26, 2009

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Thursday, September 10, 2009

School, Whew!

Amy and I are grateful for school to finally start. This single event seems to bring some normalcy to our schedules. We don’t have to go over the plan for the day every morning with Erin, and Tyrel always knows what he is doing after school. For the record, Erin is still about to explode with all of the new things going on in her life. I hope her teacher is handling it well.
On the soccer field Erin continues to walk through the competition. It is thrilling to watch her play and we are grateful for the outlet for her seemingly endless energy. This year, more than before, I have noticed Erin plays soccer with jazz-hands. Apparently, she becomes so focused on the ball that she loses all conscious thought as to what her hands are obviously doing. From any angle you look at it, she is our only dancing soccer player. Just as fascinating to me is that a single game is so able to fully focus her mind and energy at one time. Often she is the sole scoring player for the entire game.
Tyrel has decided he likes being a 5th grader and shows signs of getting a swell head over being the oldest class in the school. He works hard to be a good student despite his drama over a tough math problem or two. In Iron County the students are given the option of participating in orchestra or an arts unit. Tyrel has opted for orchestra. As of yet, the newness of practicing the violin has not worn off. Who knows, maybe he’ll be the next Johann Bach- who plays baseball left-handed.
Tyrel recently played in the Labor Day Tournament in Utah County. Among these contests Fusion played their first game under the lights. Certainly no position shows a lack of night game experience more than an outfielder. Tyrel was schooled in a single hit. He started out playing a high fly ball in textbook form, but took his eye off the ball for a split second. For anyone who has studied at this same school of baseball, the end result of committing this “thou shalt not ever…” sin was immediately apparent. Tyrel lost the ball and truly never found it again until he heard it hit the ground a few feet behind him. I winced hoping he wouldn’t get hurt, but nobody was more surprised than Tyrel. Live and learn.
We are anxious for Ryann to arrive. This holding pattern our lives have assumed until “after” is frustrating for me. With no definite plans for the end of September, plus or minus a week, I get frustrated. I am eagerly awaiting Ryann’s safe arrival so we can all breathe a collective sigh and start the work of raising another baby from scratch, again.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Going Green & Wildfires

Erin can produce her own electricity. This has been verified and validated by the lady in our ward who watches Erin for a few hours during the day. If you are still wondering what I am talking about, I am certain you have experienced the mounting crescendo before Christmas. This is Erin, times four. Our home can go “off the grid” if I can just solve the problem of harnessing Erin’s obvious energy.

First, nobody is more excited for kindergarten than Erin. I contend she was ready last year. Now she is prepared plus one year. Then, Erin continues to monitor Amy’s pregnancy on at least a daily basis if not several times each day. I’m ready for Cryin’ Ryann to arrive if for no other reason than to settle Erin. Next, Erin lost another tooth. I was hoping the second tooth lost would be less monumental, but apparently this only occurs in other families. Finally, Erin has not forgotten that her birthday is no longer months away but merely weeks. The sum of these circumstances in Erin’s life has her acting much like a Jack Russell terrier- standing still but shaking with excitement.Recently, everywhere we go it smells as if we have just returned from camping. With the wildfire threatening New Harmony just to the south of Cedar City and the direction of the prevailing winds we have become the unappreciative beneficiaries of the smoke. This has become the talk about town as well as the newspapers, television and radio stations.

New Harmony residents have been evacuated and allowed back at least once with the current stipulation being a one-hour evacuation plan. Some structures in, or around, New Harmony have been lost to the fire. To date these include three homes and eight out-lying buildings. Everyone seems to have an opinion as to what “the authorities” should have done the previous weeks the fire was allowed to burn as a controlled burn. Some are now demanding the blood of agencies and even certain individuals. Politics and blaming aside, our family continues to pray for the safety of the firefighters and the residents of New Harmony.