Friday, December 31, 2010

Where did 2010 go?

2010 sure went fast. It's the only year that I didn't have a job to speak of. My brother-in-law kept me busy with his own business when he needed help during the summer, which was a huge help to Amy and I. Thanks again Matt, your the best and a great friend! As all of you may have noticed from my last post, I did a lot of reading and I've done some more since. I read a book called: Walls Within Walls by Maureen Sherry. A great story about some kids who move into a new home in New York and find clues all over their apartment about the former owners and their treasure. I learned a lot about New York with actual facts in the book like: Sugar Hill, The Amiable Child, Grant's Tomb, Grand Central Terminal, The Staten Island Ferry, Ellis Island, The Kissing Post, Guastavino and tons more.

I also read a book called: Disneyland Detective by Kendra Trahan and Amy and I have some books about Sharks and Ancient Egypt that I pick up every once in a while. I already have a hefty list for next year that I want to start on.

As far as 2011 goes, it would be nice to find a job and I'll be spending a lot of quality time with my wife. She is after all, my best friend! Happy New Year

Thursday, December 9, 2010

2010

Time sure fly's by and 2010 is no exception! Amy and I have experienced the worst and best of times this year. Not being able to land a job has been the worst. Finding them is not difficult, but getting them interested in you, is! I have been able to however, not to let the stress-stress me out! We are still alive and kicking and are trying our best everyday. I have however had a great year with reading. I have never been a great reader. I have a hard time with reading mostly because by the time I've read a book, I've re-read the book every few sentences and that is just plain discouraging! When The Lord of the Rings was released as a movie, I wanted to read the books (hopefully before the movies were out), just to see if it was better. The movies were good, but not as good as the books and now I feel that I love the books more. Don't get me wrong though, Amy and I love movies and we will continue to see them.

I just wanted to share the list of books I've read this year to see what I've accomplished:

JK Rowling

  1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone
  2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
  3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
  4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
  5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
  6. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
  7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
  8. The Tales of Beetle and Bard

Robert Ludlum

  1. The Bourne Identity
  2. The Bourne Supremacy
  3. The Bourne Ultimatum

Brandon Mull

  1. Fablehaven
  2. Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star
  3. Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague
  4. Fablehaven: Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary
  5. Fablehaven: Keys to the Demon Prison
  6. The Candy Shop War

Did I mention all of the standing in long lines to have all of Mulls books signed. They were long lines!!

C.S. Lewis

The Chronicles of Narnia:

  1. The Magician's Nephew
  2. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe
  3. The Horse and His Boy
  4. Prince Caspian
  5. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
  6. The Silver Chair
  7. The Last Battle

Mario Facione

  1. Mafia to Mormon: My Conversion Story

Stephenie Meyer

  1. Twilight
  2. New Moon
  3. Eclipse

and I just couldn't bring myself to read anymore of this series, it's just toooooo sappy!

JRR Tolkien

  1. The Silmarillion
  2. The Children of Huron (started)

Michael Lewis

  1. The Blind Side (started)

Rick Riordan

  1. Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief
  2. Percy Jackson and The Sea of Monsters
  3. Percy Jackson and The Titans Curse
  4. Percy Jackson and The Battle of the Labyrinth
  5. Percy Jackson and The Last Olympian
  6. The Red Pyramid (almost finished)

Obert Skye

  1. Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo
  2. Leven Thumps and the Whispered Secret
  3. Leven Thumps and the Eyes of the Want
  4. Leven Thumps and the Wrath of Ezra
  5. Leven Thumps and the Ruins of Alder
  6. Professor Winsnicker's Book of Proper Etiquette for Well-Mannered Sycophants
  7. Pillage
  8. Choke

Tim Allen

  1. Don't Stand Too Close to a Naked Man

My everyday on going reading is the usual whatever is on the Internet that catches my eye, my scriptures and the Ensign.

That is quite the list and I wonder what is in store for me next year?

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Gratitude

grat·i·tude (a.) The state of being grateful; warm and friendly feeling toward a benefactor; kindness awakened by a favor received; thankfulness.

I recently read an article in the March 2010 Ensign about "Gratitude" and this article filled me with joy and happiness as I read and thought about it's meaning. As I read, I felt a great amount of gratitude towards all who have helped Amy and I in recent months and toward those throughout my life. What is gratitude? In the definition it says, "being grateful for and towards a benefactor." In the article, it states; Gratitude is a positive experience that comes from recognizing gifts or blessings and feeling thankful. It is also an "attitude" and a way of perceiving life in which individuals are willing to receive and acknowledge the beneficial actions of others on their behalf. Those who display this attitude have a "grateful disposition." Gratitude can become a habit that can focus us on our blessings in life and it can also have a profound effect of how we look at our life experiences.

The last 14 months in our life (Amy and I), have been full of challenges! The first 3 months of 2009 we knew that I would not be receiving a paycheck and a cut in hours, so we prepared for that, but we really had no idea of the rest of that year and finally losing my job in Sept and still being unemployed to the present time. During this time, we have been brought to our knees in prayer, fasting, study of the scriptures and putting all of our faith in our Heavenly Father for answers! Not to mention the sacrifice that our family and friends have given for our benefit! This we are truly grateful!

Prophets have taught us the importance of gratitude. The scriptures counsel us, " to give thanks in everything" (1 Thessalonians 5:18). To arise daily with a heart "full of thanks unto God" (Alma 37:37). Amy and I, give thanks each day for even the smallest thing. Food, Water and roof over our heads. One another, our growing understanding of our trials, our testimonies, the beauty that surrounds us, the abundant wildlife and within 5 minutes of being on and hiking a handful of mountain trails and paved pathways throughout the city.

This post is for me to show gratitude to all of those who I may have not shown the thanks for all they have done for me in my life and for Amy and I now. Recently, I learned that my cousin, Porter, had slipped and fallen to his death in a hiking accident. I miss him, but happy for him at the same time! I am glad to have had time to know him in his short mortal life and know that I will see him again. Porter worked with me one summer in the granite shop. We had a great time working together and sharing in our love of music. He introduced me to a band called Keane. They're one of my favorites! I love his family! I loved going over and joking around with Mark and laughing with the family and letting Susette finally talk me into blogging!

Amy and I have a great deal of gratitude for Dave and Roberta and their family for the help and support during our most trying months. Aunt Monica, I don't know if I ever told you how much I enjoyed going to the Symphony so many years ago. My grandparents for their love and support and their advice, which I always tried to listen too. I remember Grandpa Fisher patched me up once when I smashed my thumb with a hammer. I missed the nail completely and flattened my thumb. Cameron and I walked down to the house in Indian Hills from a few blocks away where my dad was working and I remember Grandpa taking great care cleaning away the blood and bandaging me up. He was great for a laugh and his constant teasing totally prepared me for Amy's grandfather! Blaine and Kathy for the fun and the best darn English Toffee the world has to offer!

I have many great memories with my brothers and sisters. Sarelle will call or email at any given time just to say hi and it usually starts out like, "Hey Davey" don't stop! Trent and Candace always ready to help out whatever the circumstance and for letting Blake come and visit Uncle Dave whenever and for not killing me when Blake got into my gum and I let him try it! Stacey and Juan, always keeping up to date on available jobs and for bowling! Cam and Shayna for letting me barrow the car and for helping me convert all of those Cd's into a digital copy so I don't have to try to remember which of my Cd's are missing! Courtney, I'll always be your Dave and Derek for being my Lego buddy! My mother, for always lending and ear when I needed to complain or needed to talk to someone. For all your years of letting me know that I'm worth it and that I have great talents waiting to be discovered.

Growing up, I couldn't wait to go on trips to St. George to see my aunt and uncle and cousins, Lynn and Edna, Warren, Angie, Brett, Ryan and Kimi. Cameron and I had the greatest adventures there. Hiking the Red Mountain, biking around town, the Res and Gunlock Lake, Camping in Snow's Canyon and almost dying hiking home in 100+ degrees and running out of water in the middle of the lava fields! Watching my uncle Lynn and how he treated his wife serving her tirelessly and taking that into my own life to treat Amy with the same amount of love and respect. Aunt Edna for your words of comfort and always having a smile and laughter and full of life. Owen and Jennifer, rocks and mafia wars and uncle Kevin for all the fond memories growing up and going on a road trip to deliver eggs and sorry that I lost your fishing pole, but you kept it up all day and caught the fish who had your pole still attached! I have way too many cousins and aunts and uncles to mention, but I have a great deal of gratitude and fond memories for all!

Amy's family is 1 in a billion and I am so grateful for each and every one of them for coming into my life. I love you all, for your advice, friendship, support and the fun that they share with us. Learning that I have cousins from 2 different families that are best friends with Amy's brother Jethro's wife Stacy, (confusing huh?). She lived in New Mexico and knew Uncle Doug's family. And Amy's sister Bekah who is friends with another cousin. Small world! Matt and Bekah for your hospitality and Nya, well she is just so darn cute!! Jethro and Stacy for the laughs and help and Katya and Cali and their smiles. George and Amy and family. What a fun week and the girls are so cute! The games and I miss the smack talk by the way! Andrea and Jason, thank you so much! Words can not express and your kids who are so fun to be around! Joanne, your the best mother in law anyone could ask for. I love you and thank you! Reuel and Ana, I thoroughly enjoyed your visit and we can't wait for the chance to visit you!

Most of all I have so much gratitude for my wife Amy and for the chance opportunity that we met at just the right time. I love her so much and thank our Heavenly Father each day for her! I love you Amy!

I have a few friends that I have made in past years and I am very grateful for them and their kindness that they've shown me as well as for Amy. Dave and Roxanne for your friendship, letting me use your computers and giving me the chance to show my talents with the stone work I've done for you! Dave's crew, Ky and Nate and the rest, some of the best friends you could ask for! Thanks James, for the same things.

I have a great deal of gratitude for 4 years of my life in the granite industry and the talents that came about while working with stone. The things that I could see in my mind and the ability I had to make what I saw! The ideas that are still yet to come to life and for dreams still buried deep in my head. I have gratitude for each and everyday of my life so far and thank my Heavenly Father for my many talents and gifts that make me happy and those around me.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Amy Elizabeth

For a year and a half now, I've known and for just over a year I've been married to Amy and in a year roughly, we've had our share of trials. In the past 5 months I've had an overwhelming trial of being unemployed. It's been tough to say the least! We've had to cut our living to essentials only but we've have had tons of help from countless people. Family, friends and our LDS faith. We have been steadfast in prayer and our tithes to find an answer.

I have tried countless times to find work through the internet using a variety of websites, Yahoo, MSN, KSL, ldsjobs, etc.. with several interviews and always turned down. Even my recent interview which was very promising, but to no avail. I've had several very depressing days with today being the hardest one yet! Complete emotional overload!! The only way to describe what I was going through this morning. I had looked over at least 500 job listings and some very disturbing thoughts flooded my mind! I can't describe them, but they went from bad to worse, even suicide came to mind. The sadness that followed was overwhelming and I had a rush of anger, such anger I have never felt before! I just sat here wondering where it had come from and when it would end. I had to try hard to think straight and thought of Amy. Without much thought, I had gotten to my feet, walked into my room, knelt down and cried uncontrollably for about 20 minutes!! Through my sobs, I was able to plead for Mersey from the Lord for these feelings to leave my mind, which they did immediately!

Amy came home shortly thereafter and found me in such a delicate state and I was able to relay to her what had happened. She began to cry and went into the other room for a minute or so and when she returned, she told me that she arranged for some more time at home before work. It was the best afternoon I've ever known! To spend such valuable time with the love of my life and to feel of her compassion and love for me!

The utter hopelessness and shame (that I have felt) to not even land the simplest job to ease our tension would still not have brought me to such things as I thought today, as it would most undoubtedly have ruined more than just Amy and the rest of her life!

Rest assured that I have not and will not give up on my life nor Amy's life and I continue to search for a job that will at least give me comfort. But I will always have the comfort companionship and love with Amy.

This has been a hard trial and as it continues I hope that no one else has to suffer from it. But I know that there are countless others in the same place with the same thoughts and my prayers are with you!

I Love You Amy

Monday, February 1, 2010

Sacramento

Amy and I went to Sacramento a few weeks ago to visit her family. George and Amy and their 3 girls, Sara, Kate and Juliette. Gideon and Becky and of course Nathan ummm, I mean Tripp! I had never met George and his family and I hadn't met Gideon and his wife. Amy took me to see the Sacramento Temple which was dedicated in 2006. It is a very pretty Temple and I love the trees around it as well. Amy also took me and Sara and Kate to San Fransisco. I've never seen the Golden Gate Bridge and now I understand all of the commotion and that bridge. It's dang big!! We walked across it and got to see a really big ship pass under us. After that we rode the B.A.R.T. into S.F. It goes pretty fast and under the ocean between Oakland and S.F. When we got into S.F. Amy showed us a really big mall, about 8 stories and the escalators were curved like half moons. We went all the way to the top and back then we went and rode the famous San Fransisco Trolleys to Ghirardelli Square and back. That was totally worth it! On our last day in Roseville, we met up with my brother in law, Shane. He has a job with Cal Trans. We had a ton of fun and miss George and Amy, Gideon and the rest and of course we miss Sacramento, but we don't miss the drive. Here are some pics from our trip. (Click on pics to enlarge)



F-22 Rapter flying over the bridge.
Another F-22.
More F-22's.Don't Jump!!! There is hope!
Amy, Sara and KateAmy and Dave

Alcatraz.
Bay BridgeWe rode this Trolley to Ghirardelli Square.
We rode this one back.