Last day of the month --

June 30, 2010 -- it's my sister's birthday, and I think she is 52. Happy Birthday, Chris!

This month marked:
End of 9th grade for Willie
Flowers growing
Baby blessings and family parties for Cole and Molly
Mission call for nephew, Eddie -- Samoa
Shavy Jones -- work for the kids
Father's Day
Nephew in France -- study abroad in Tours
Brother-in-law in Burgess Hill, England -- work related
High school basketball games (Orem and Grantsville)
Basketball Camp -- Willie @ U fo U
Senior Sisters Brunch -- Stake Relief Society event
Cindy's presentation at her stake's women's conference
Yard work -- my house and mom and dad's house
Summer Seminary -- Hunter High
Football practice -- weights and running
Karl's school, project, and more -- SLCC
Shopping with Mom, Haley, Molly, and Parker
School year wrap-up -- my work
Family visits -- from kids, grandkids, sister, nieces and nephews
Niece in "Annie" -- Hannah
Lunch with former work friends -- Daveen and Toni
Visiting teaching and home teaching
Scuba test -- written test but no results yet and dive test
And, probaby a lot more --

What can I say, I love basketball!

So yesterday was the first day of Jimmy Ball -- U of U basketball camp. This is Willie's 4th and probably last year as a day camper (next year, he will be at a "team" camp somewhere). Jim Boylen, U of U basketball coach, is quite a character and a pretty good teacher. His routine with the kids includes a word of the day ( like enthusiasm or attitude) and usually a phrase of the day (like listen to learn and learn to listen). Willie, however, has decided on his own words of the day -- yesterday was dominate and today is annihilate. You see, the older the age group the fewer number of b-ball campers, and Willie really does have some sweet basketball skills, and I think he can see the difference in his skills when he gets away from all of the kids he usually plays with. He is well on his way to a championship somewhere, sometime, in the not too distant future. He is goal oriented and competitive -- actually, he just about had his first championship last school year with junior high basketball -- but, it was not to be.

As I have mentioned many times, Willie is a good boy and his dad and I are very proud of him! I am happy he loves the basketball because I do, too. I love to watch him play -- using his sweet skills and making some pretty good shots. Yesterday morning during shoot around on the Huntsman Center court, he was making shots like crazy -- even the long shots. What can I say, I love basketball!

Life is all about relationships . . .

The Martinez family is moving to San Antonio, TX, where there son and daughter-in-law and their grandchildren live. That means Sylvia, Alex, and Grandpa are moving. They were all at church this afternoon -- including their family from Texas.

Sylvia is just about the most beautiful and dearest woman I know. She works at the Salt Lake Temple office. She doesn't drive so she catches the bus. The bus stops have moved over the years from just down the street to 4 and a half blocks away. On a few occasions, I have given Sylvia a ride to the TRAX station on 21st South rather than see her wait for the bus. Her father (I call Grandpa) who is close to 90 years is also a very kind and dear. A few years back when I was the RSP, Grandpa felt like he was a burden on Sylvia and her family. He asked our Bishop if he could have a food order thinking that would take some pressure off Sylvia and her family. Grandpa came over to my house where I had my son-in-law, Ross, or Bro. Chacun help translate the food order process. Our brief little meetings always concluded with Grandpa giving me a kiss on the cheek and whispering "I love you sister," in my ear.

Well today was probably the last time for the Martinez family to be in our church meetings. They are packing up and heading to San Antonio at the end of the week. I spoke with Sylvia only briefly at the end of sacrament meeting and she gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek. We left the chapel and headed down the hallway to head for home when I turned to see Grandpa coming toward me. He gave me a hug, a kiss on the cheek, and in his very broken Engligh told me that he loved me and and thanked me for helping him in my home. It felt nice and warm to feel his appreciation and the sweet spirit of his soul. It was a testimony unlike anything that can be learned through a speech or a church lesson -- it was a connection of one spirit to another. And in my opinion, that's what life is all about -- relationships -- built by service and love and caring and kindness to make something better for someone else and be appreciated in the most genuine way.

I will miss the sweet feelings I get when I see Sylvia and Grandpa -- they will always be very special to me --

June 13, 2010 and all is well . . .

One week of summer vacation is now history. It was a crazy and somewhat stressful week at the office (no further comment).

Willie had a pretty good summer vacation so far -- Lagoon Day wrapped up the school year; scuba diving test #1; the first person to jump into Grandma's pool (60 degrees); football weight lifting and a day of basketball at the rec center; an afternoon with the Woods and Shavy Jones with Preston; a day at the ZOO with the nephews; some hang-out time with his sisters; Shavy Jones "gig" with Ross at C4; tennis with the Woods; and a movie at home on a Saturday night.

Count your Blessings!

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done!
Healthy and loving and good and nice (most of the time) family
Karl
Annie
Haley
Willie
Ross and James
Elliott and Wyatt
Molly
Parents
Parents-in-law
Sisters and brothers, sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law
Nieces and nephews
Grandparents and great grandparents
Extended family and predecessors
All the conveniences of the world
Religion, faith, hope, belief
Spiritual strength
Physical strength
Senses -- see, hear, touch/feel, smell, and taste
People I care about
People who care about me
Opportunity
Education
Work
Ability to do so many things
Ability to think and serve others
A nice home
A nice yard
Running water
A refrigerator
Happiness and joy
Comfort
Tastey food
Things to read and things to learn
Colors
A Hires cherry COKE, now and again
And so much more . . . .