Jeff & Tiffany: The Baers

Nothing in Particular

2011-02-17T19:22:00.000-08:00

Isn't she cute?

Jeff offered to go shopping for me on Saturday and guess who he saw there (or rather she saw them)? Macy! My brother Jonathan had also offered to go shopping for Laura (what a great Valentine's gift from both husbands) and Macy discovered Jeff and Lily at the store. It was a happy reunion. While walking around another customer mentioned to Jeff that she had seen so many dads with their baby's that day. Jeff told her the other dad was his brother-in-law. Just like the time when Laura and I were at J0-Ann's together and a woman commented that my baby was so good and in fact all the babies in the store were good that day. I told her the other baby was Lily's cousin.

And speaking of being in the same place at the same time with Laura, today I went on a walk (it was gloriously beautiful out) and I thought, I bet Laura is out on a walk too. So I called her as I walked past her gated complex and guess what? She was indeed on a walk and coming towards me. So we met up 2 minutes later and had a nice walk together which was great. It was especially funny to me because last night I was saying to Jeff that the next time Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum discount tickets were offered on Groupon we needed to buy them, since I was mad at myself for not buying them the last time they were offered and I wanted to go. Well, I woke up this morning and guess what Groupon's discout of the day was? $6 tickets (reg $21) for Madame Tussaud's! So I felt like today was just one of those great days when everything worked out peachy and those coincindences were fun little blessings.

And here's another cute picture of Lily. Her onesie says, "It's fun to be me" and I think she really believes that. She is such a smiley, happy little girl and we just love her so much. Right now she's smiling because I'm singing Jackon Five's "I Want You Back" (it was on American Idol last night and she seemed to enjoy my rendition of it). Really she enjoys any music so if you want to make her smile just sing her a tune.

Lily's Free!

2011-02-16T13:23:00.000-08:00

Lily was born with a curved left leg/foot.

Jeff noticed it from birth, but we were told it would straighten out as she put weight on it. Well, she has been putting weight on it and no straighty-outy. The result was that her right leg became VERY strong (what a kicker) since her left leg couldn't bear her weight since she only used the outer edge of it. Luckily Jeff went to her last check-up and asked about it. The doctor asked if we had consulted an orthodpedic surgeon. Ummm....no, we were told to not worry about it. Long story short, we saw a specialist and boom....she got a cast.

She hated having it put on, but she tolerated it VERY well. She had it on for a total of 3 weeks and I was dying for her to get it off more than anything. We made sure to get some signatures before it came off: The black pen is from Addison and the markers are from Caleb. And of course mommy and daddy signed too. Don't you love all her chub? Those are some amazing legs.

She was finally able to have it off when they had a special brace made for her that she only has to wear at nights. Hallelujah! It was the best to be able to give her a proper bath, none of this sponge bathing business. And changing diapers and putting on clothes was wonderful. The biggest blessing out of all of this was that Lily did not have any blow outs that whole 3 weeks (blow out that goes in the cast means she has to get re-casted....and mucho inconvenienco for moi since each visit has lasted a couple hours for 10 minutes of work). But, within 1 hour of being home, guess who had a blow out that went all down her left, previously casted leg? LILY! All I did was laugh and say a prayer of thanks for the poop to show all its glory after the cast was off.

She now has a perfectly normal left foot, that can go flat with the best of them. The first thing she did once she realized she was free was kick her legs like crazy and has not stopped kicking them since.

Lesson learned from all of this? You have to be your child's advocate and it's a wonderful, wonderful thing to have simple solutions that can have an amazing lasting effect on your child.

I Can Read!

2011-02-11T11:03:00.000-08:00

I love to read, always have. Growing up my favorite books were the Anne of Green Gables series, which I read 3 times. I of course loved Pride and Prejudice, which I have read multiple times as well (I'm not sure if I have met a woman who does not love Pride and Prejudice), Nancy Drew, The Three Investigators, The Babysitters Club, The Work and the Glory series, The Scarlet Pimpernell, The Count of Monte Cristo, Jane Eyre, Ender's Game, and Ender's Shadow. However, the older I got, the less I read outside of school. And by the time I got to college, I think the only non-academic books I read were the Harry Potter series and The Chronicles of Narnia series. That's it! And if read something else I don't remember it now, so it didn't make a lasting impression.

So after one graduates college, there is loads of time, right? I should have been reading up a storm, but unfortunately I was not. I'm not sure how I passed my time, but it was not reading books. I think this was partly because I never knew what I wanted to read, so I just didn't do it.

Fast forward to post-partum. So much time spent nursing and getting up in the middle of the night. I watched all sorts of shows. I gained a love for the PBS channel, all the cooking, travel, craft shows were fun to watch. I watched some Ken Burns documentaries on DVD and enjoyed those. I felt like if I was going to watch all this television I wanted it to be somewhat educational. But then I hit a wall. I hated turning the tv on. I needed something more engaging.

So I talked with some people and got some recommendations. I started with the Fablehaven series and Hunger Games, and my love for reading was rediscovered and I took off. Now I can't stand not having a book to read and my only problem is I need to make sure I don't read too much. But can I just say how much I love it? I love being so wrapped up in characters and stories and enjoying the descriptions, writing styles, creativity, and talents of amazing authors. I love finding a book that is bittersweet to finish.....happy to have made it through but so sad to say goodbye. So long live reading.

And now that I have an awesome e-reader, reading is so much easier! I can read easily during late night feedings and in bed if I want (I will admit I have gone to bed later now that I can read in the dark). I thought I would miss having a book to hold, but it does come in handy and I feel like I read so much faster. I still will buy books and will read books, but it is nice to have the e-reader option. Plus, all the classics are free...so I have a whole library at my fingertips! And this will definitely make travelling with books much easier.

I thought I'd make a little list of books below that I have read recently so that if you are ever looking for something to read then here are a few suggestions...and if you have any suggestions let me know!

Left To Tell: Amazing true story of a woman who survived the Rwandan Holocaust. So inspiring. Jeff read this one too and couldn't put it down and kept making all these notes and underlines in the book (sorry mom, he marked up your copy).

Fablehaven series: This consists of 5 books written by a BYU grad. I actually remember seeing him play Gandolph in BYU's comedy group, Divine Comedy. These are about 2 kids who help save reserves that house magical creatures. Very creative and fun to read. Good for kids.

Hunger Games: Series of 3 books about a futuristic world where kids have to fight in games to the death, as tribute to the "capital." Very interesting and IMPOSSIBLE to put down. This is a great one to take on a lounging vacation, or where you are going on a long flight. Otherwise you kind of take a break from reality until you finish it.

Unbroken: Another amazing true story written by the author of Seabiscuit. It is about an Olympic runner who, as an air force pilot in WWII, gets kidnapped and detained as a POW in a Japanese camp. Incredible story of survival, also very inspiring.

The Help: Written during the time when Martin Luther King was just becoming popular. The help refers to the black help white people had in the south. Commentary on the south during this time, great read.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society: Delightful read! About German occupation on the Channel Islands during WWII. The book is written in the form of a series of letters, which is unusual but works wonderfully. Very quick read (so sad it ended).

Walk Two Moons: An adolescent book that deals with loss. Another quick read, but very touching I thought.

Sherlock Holmes: All I have read is the Hound of the Baskervilles, but it was very entertaining. I'm just starting another story today. Didn't know stories were written from Watson's perspective, but it's fun how smart Holmes is, wish I was like him. Plus, since I loved Nancy Drew and The Three Investigators, I am a sucker for a good mystery.

North and South: Written in the 1800's, this is kind of Pride and Prejudice-esque. During the industrial revolution, a commentary on the hard working conditions of mill workers. A Darcy/Elizabeth love story. The language was a little hard for me to follow at first, but once I got the hang of it I enjoyed it. There is also a movie which I'd like to see.

The Secret Garden: Love this! I knew I enjoyed the movie so I read this the other day and thought it was just wonderful. Such a beautiful story.

Lily's Birth

2011-02-01T13:14:00.001-08:00

Okay, so I'm kind of going back in time, but I figure I'll backtrack when I can, but try to focus more on being current.

Lily Dorothy Baer was born on August 29, 2010, weighing 7 lbs 3 oz. I just saw a newborn baby yesterday who also weighed in the 7 lb range and I cannot believe Lily was ever that small. She is a chunko now. We picked the name Lily because it reminded us of our trip to Israel where the red lilies of the field were in season and dotted some of the grassy areas, Gethsemane in particular. We liked being reminded that the Lord will always take care of us, just as he does the lilies, and how their red color symbolizes his atonement. The name brings back to us all the spiritual experiences we had on our trip to Israel. And the name Dorothy comes from.....my mama! She was honored to have us name her Dorothy, but then said, "are you sure?" I wanted to have my little girl remember her granny dot and all the good things about her and I wanted my mom to be represented in one of my children. It will be wonderful one day to tell her about who she is named after and why. The only problem is we sometimes get the name confused. When Jeff announced Lily's birth in testimony meeting he said Lily Dorothy DeVore (DeVore just naturally comes after Dorothy after having said it for so many years). So we were all worried he'd say the wrong name for her blessing. And then when I made my first post I wrote her name as Dorothy Lily Baer (not sure why), but the name has obviously been tricky for us to get right :)

Anyway, back to the birth story. The 28th was a very long day, we attended the temple, ran many errands and then went to the adult session of stake conference. I think this is one of my last photos as a pregnant woman.

I was extremely uncomfortable and told Jeff that I would be happy to deliver any day (I was due on the 31st). Well, Lily was seeking to be the perfect child and thought she'd start out by coming when I asked. So my water broke that night and I delivered the next day! Jeff and I were exhausted, but once that epidural hit I was going through those contractions with ease, until of course the real pushing started. Jeff was great and modeled breathing for me (he was a very good student in the labor and delivery class we took....though when we watched a video on giving birth I looked over and saw his eyes closed. I thought he was asleep but he was praying I'd have a good labor...he was a little traumatized). The only complaint came when he about fainted while I was pushing and the doctor and nurse had to attend to him just as I was getting a contraction. And let me tell you, you want your helpers around when you get a pushing contraction. We had a worry that I might have to have a c-section because Lily's head was not dropping, but after prayers and a blessing, she decided she was ready to take the plunge. My thumbs up is due to her head dropping.

I was so happy to have Lily out and to hold her. I kept saying "my baby, she's so beautiful" and other positive things. Turns out that Jeff was thinking she looked like an alien (I won't post the picture that shows how he could have thought this) so he was relieved to know that I loved her and was happy with her.

Because my blood type is B- and Lily is RH positive, there was a concern for jaundice, so we had to wake her up often and feed her. She also had to get her blood drawn to check her bilirubin levels and that was sad. She screamed and kicked and the lab tech said she was a strong one, so he thought she'd be smart and independent (funny how much you can tell by a scream and a kick!).

I was very happy my mom came for that first week home. She was a HUGE help and it was nice to just have a friend, a companion that first week. It's so lonely and exhausting, so I don't know what I would have done without her. Plus Jeff would probably not have had any clean clothes or food and that would have made him sad :(

That was a brutul week. I have never felt so tired emotionally and physically. Nursing did not come easily for me and I was not quite sure how I was supposed to keep doing it. And the nighttime feedings where I felt like I could not get up one more time. And a whole slew of other things. The wonderful thing is that now, while I remember how hard it was, there is no pain associated with that memory. Nursing is easy and while I am still tired, I can function like a semi-normal adult most of the time. I never thought I'd be to this point, but giving something time can really do wonders. I remember that for the first 6 weeks every time I thought about the whole pushing/labor experience I shuddered and quickly tried to stop thinking about it. But my PTSD is now resolved and I feel that I can indeed do this again.

We're Back!

2011-02-01T10:55:00.000-08:00

So I have been meaning to update this post for awhile now, since I'm a mom and that seems to be what moms do. But like most of my resolutions, it has taken awhile to get moving. Everyone talks about January 1st being a fresh start, but why not February 1st? So hello 2011.

I guess I should start out by saying that Jeff and I are proud parents of Lily Dorothy Baer. Surprised to hear this? Don't feel bad, I never sent you an announcement, and she was born in AUGUST. Did I mention that I can be a slow mover? Well, yesterday I was thinking about all of my many deficiencies and slowness. I felt bad that I hadn't started exercising, that I wasn't as crafty, creative, organized, spiritual, motherly, friendly, smart (the list went on and on) as so and so. I felt like I didn't have many friends, like I always mess things up that I get involved in, and was feeling very sensitive to any perceived criticism that I reflected on. In essence, I didn't have the spirit with me and was in a funk. I tried to be happy, especially when Lily smiled at me, but I would smile back at her through tears. I was not happy with myself and I felt like I was not progressing to be the person I wanted to be.

I thought I would keep my feelings to myself because I really don't like crying to people, and just be secretly sad all day, but Jeff could tell (as he always can) that I was down. I told him on his drive home all my frustrations and sadness and he listened. He offered encouraging words and shared his love. He also offered to give me a blessing when he came home.

It is a wonderful feeling to be so full of sorrow and then to feel the embrace of someone who loves you without reservation. That was what it was like when Jeff came home. He gave me a hug and loving words, and then a beautiful blessing. As he spoke, I talked with God as He, through Jeff, was talking to me. I felt like it was a conversation. I was reminded of several things. That I have been given many gifts and talents, and to express gratitude often for my blessings. That I have a love for others and a desire to serve them, which is good, but to not give up on those desires to communicate, invite or serve others, even when it feels like those efforts are in vain. To stop worrying about all that I think I can't do, that God has given everyone different gifts and that people have different desires. That I CAN be given the gifts and talents I desire, but not without work, effort, and PATIENCE. I need to be patient with myself. That NO GOOD can come from comparing myself to others, it is not of God. Belittling myself is not being humble. Being humble means I have confidence in the Lord and how he can help me be perfected, that I can do all things with his help. In order to have a friend, I need to be a friend. That I have family who loves me. So many good things to be reminded of. How wonderful that God speaks to us, that we can receive personal relevation and that we can speak to him. We can find comfort when we commune with him.

Another thing I happily reflected on during this evening was my love for my own family. As Jeff spoke on the phone he said how happy he is to come home to Lily and me. That there is no place he'd rather be than with us and how as long as we're together, we have a home. And not only does he want to be with us in this life, but in the life to come. As he said these words I felt the same way. That may sound obvious or expected, but to really feel happy to be with your spouse and child and want to be with them forever is a wonderful feeling, a powerful feeling. And I reflected on our engagement and all the doubts and hesitations I had about getting married. Would Jeff and I be compatible, was it the RIGHT thing to do? And the first year of marriage was hard, well at times it still is hard. You are getting used to each other and realizing you don't know your spouse as much as you thought you did, and you see each other's faults, as well as your own, magnified. But, I can say now, and I say it more and more every year, that Heavenly Father knew how perfect Jeff would be for me. He knew that he would become my best friend. That I would come to find out how he is the perfect match for me. What a blessing to be able to say that. And while we both are not perfect, we are happy together and are happy to go through life together. The point is that even when life seems hard and marriage and family seem challenging, it always gets better. So many things in my life were VERY hard at first and I wanted to give up. But without fail, whenever I have put my trust in God and stuck through something that I knew God wanted me to stick to, he has made it easier and then the jewel is when that thing becomes a blessing in my life.

So I think it's a neat thing that by my having a very challenging day yesterday, all these good thoughts, realizations, spiritual experiences came from coming out of that dark place to a happier place. Heavenly Father really can make positive things happen when we turn to Him.

4th of July Weekend

2009-07-05T19:04:00.001-07:00

We made our way out to Carlisle, Pennsylvania for the baby blessings of Annabelle and Ainsleigh Shiffler. The two little girls were darling in their white gowns and their father gave them each a wonderful blessing. Nicole and Bobby also had a very fun open house with family and friends. Ayumi made an excellent cake, with an artistic flair of cookie babies, including matching hairstyles for the twins- very impressive and yummy.

We also had fun holding the kids and putting them to sleep.

Jeff got a lot of flack for looking like he was nursing. (He was just trying to keep the kids from spitting out the pacifier.)

Along the way, we drove out to Fort McHenry in Baltimore to be a little patriotic. It was here that Francis Scott Key penned the words to what later became “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

We watched a movie from the 60s and then put hand to heart as the national anthem played and, when curtains were drawn, we beheld the flag in the center of the fort. There was a very good feeling with that song that made us feel proud to be Americans. (It makes me think of the Olympics to stand and listen to it).

Because it was the 4^th, we were able to witness special activities for parents and kids, such as a canon firing and the hanging of King George III.
(While the King was just a dummy, it was entertaining/disturbing to watch kids hit it like a piñata. What could be more patriotic then a lynching and beating of a dead monarch?)

Also, tons of people dressed up in wool colonial outfits on a hot July day. Now that is patriotic.

Stories from Israel

2009-04-19T12:15:00.000-07:00

I was going though a Mac book we made on Israel from our visit last year and thought I should post some of our experiences and insights so they could be enjoyed by all. So enjoy!

Garden of Gethsemane

2009-04-19T12:14:00.000-07:00

From the Mount of Olives, looking out towards Jerusalem

Red Poppies were in season, lining the fields. Our guide, Daniel Rona, pointed out that the bright red flowers were the lilies of the field that neither toil nor spin. Kings dressed in red and scarlet, but not even Solomon was arrayed as one of these. Kings also rode on donkeys. A donkey was at the other end of the garden looking on when we arrived.

Lilies of Red -by Daniel Rona

The season bursts forth in radiance,

painting the landscape in shades of green.

Flowers add their rhythm in cadence,

splashing color to brighten the scene

Most precious are the lilies of red.

They spin not, they toil not, yet in their way,

they teach of the color of Him who bled,

on Gethsemane’s most fateful day.

His glory is to lighten our load.

He heals us with joy and harmony

A landscape of love for young and old,

His radiance opened eternity.

Lilies of red, they testified

Of Him who bled and died,

Lilies of red, witness they give

He died so we could live.

He lives, He’s risen from the dead

praise God for Lilies of red.

Apostle Howard W. Hunter, on a visit to the Holy Land, requested a special sacrament service at Gethsemane. Our guide, Daniel Rona, was asked to clean up the garden before the service. However, Daniel’s wife, who was expecting, went into labor! Daniel was blessed with a new baby that night, but he had not completed his assignment. Early the next morning, on the Saturday Sabbath, Daniel and his friends cleaned the garden just in time for the meeting.

At the service, President Hunter requested Daniel Rona to give the opening prayer. Daniel was overwhelmed with feeling, being a new father, in a sacred place, and in the presence of a living apostle. He prayed that the Lord would be present with them on the mountain, because nowhere else in the world would Latter-day Saints be assembled to worship on Saturday.

The meeting progressed with the sacrament.

Following the ordinance, Elder Howard W. Hunter took the stand and spoke.

“During the sacrament prayer, all of you had your eyes closed, but mine were open. I looked over towards that rock and saw a man approach. He sat down so he could observe.”

As if in direct response to the opening prayer, Elder Hunter then testified, “I would like you all to know that the Savior was with us today.”

The Garden Tomb

2009-04-19T12:13:00.000-07:00

In identifying truth and historical places, people can look to four things: archeology, written accounts, tradition, and feelings. In reading the accounts and noting tradition, these archeological findings are in line with the details of the burial of Jesus as written in the four gospels. The tomb is a first century weeping tomb. It was covered for 17 centuries until discovered in 1867.

An immersion font, which is required before burial, is outside the entrance. The font is filled with spring water, which a form of living water. The round entrance stone weighed 18 to 19 tons.

Inside the tomb: a resting place, hastily carved out.

Immersion Font

Stone

But does it really feel like the right place?

“As soon as I entered, I felt like I was in the temple.”
-Greg DeVore

One can truly feel that this is the place Christ was laid and resurrected. What a holy site!

Upon visiting the Garden Tomb for the first time, President Spencer W. Kimball was met by a guide, the tomb’s caretaker, who did not care for Mormons.

When they entered the tomb, the guide said, “This is the place many believe Jesus was buried.”

President Kimball said, “Oh, I can see it! I can just imagine his head, resting against the stone; and his feet here. His body lying so peaceful.”

The guide snapped, “There is no way you can know that."

President Kimball turned to the guide, and responded softly, but with conviction, “We’ve been to hallowed places before.”

-as shared by Daniel Rona

"Of all the places visited on [President Kimball’s] travels, the tomb where the body of Jesus was laid moved [him] the most. … 'There was such a holy influence here that we stayed and stayed ... knelt together and each had a solemn prayer - a prayer of gratitude that we know the Lord and know our Heavenly Father, and know that Jesus Christ lived and died and resurrected and rose and ascended and lives."

-Spencer W. Kimball
Biography, 1978, p. 331

Bethlehem

2009-04-19T09:18:00.001-07:00

As we spoke of Christ’s birth overlooking Judea’s plains, Dorothy said, “I just know I was one of the angels who sang at Jesus’ birth.” We sang hymns, so she could relive the experience again.

As we finished our song, shepherds emerged from the fields below, ascending up the mount with their flocks. They must have heard the angelic singing, and responded, as they did of old, with a special visit.

When the Savior was born, the people remembered the signs. Shepherds noised abroad the story of angles and the Savior again and again.

Shepherds today don’t know what happened in the fields where they tend their flocks.

Lilies of Red

2009-04-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

Tiffany & I said goodbye to our guide Daniel Rona. I sincerely thanked him for his testimony. As I spoke, I was emotional and was able to convey my feelings. I could tell he received the message.

Most special to me was his testimony of Christ at the Garden Tomb. He turned to us, smiling, and said, “I know that He lives. He spoke to His apostles. He ate with them. I know He lives.” Also, at Gethsemane, he taught about Christ falling on his face- without anything supporting him, bleeding from every pour. His garments must have been soaked red.

As Tiffany and I prepared to leave, I felt very sad. In Gethsemane, and throughout Jerusalem, are the lilies of the field. They are bright red. When cut and dried, they turn blood red. They grow where the Savior made the sacrifice for all. I had wanted to take some home as a souvenir, but was instructed not to. Later in the trip, our guide said it was okay to pick the flowers. So we looked but could not find any. Now, it seemed too late.

We left for the airport the next morning at 4:15 a.m. Our driver, a Palestinian, who didn’t understand much English, seemed accommodating, so I asked him if he knew where the red lilies grow. After five minutes of trying to explain what we were looking for, he said: “A Cantona! They are everywhere in my village.” He pulled off the road at the next exit. We looked out the window, but found nothing. It was too dark. Undeterred, he pulled over near a field. We all got out of the car. I took a flashlight and walked over rocks, hills, and through thorns.

We even looked by the way side, but still no lilies to be found. Time passed quickly, and we needed to get to the airport. The driver was still confident and indicated he knew one more spot. The ground looked right. I could see yellow flowers as we approached. We had seen the red lilies among these before. Tiffany and I were both praying fervently with faith. After 10 minutes of looking, we stopped, empty handed. We got back on the highway, disappointed.

We needed to go to the airport. Our driver seemed to be done with the adventure, and even Tiffany and I knew we had to leave. To say thank you, I dipped into my wallet and handed the driver a $10 bill for his troubles. The money invigorated him. He put up his finger, to indicate, “One more try.” He pulled off the next exit. We approached a green patch in the center of a roundabout. Streetlights illuminated the area. I jumped over the guardrail and looked. Amidst the green I saw it: a red lily. And another! More then I had hoped for. This was the good ground. To celebrate, we took a picture with the driver.

The rest of the drive, I was smiling. Tiffany held my hand and smiled back. Our prayers were answered. We searched diligently in darkness, in an unknown land, aided by a Arab, Muslim, Palestinian man, helping White, Mormon, Westerners find flowers that grow, only one month out of the year.

Praying in faith yet pressed by time, we tested the Savior’s words: Ask and ye shall receive. Seek and ye shall find.

Weekend in New York City

2009-04-06T17:07:00.000-07:00

Our drive was great… until we got to the Lincoln tunnel and 6 toll roads merged into 2 lanes...I don't know how people do that commute. We did finally reach our hotel, right in the heart of Times Square, the Marriott Marquee.

Inside, the elevators looked like giant tubes for transporting mail. It was like something from the Jetson’s or Willy Wonka’s Glass Elevator. We had a lovely view of the city.

We went to a wonderful dinner at a quaint little Italian restaurant. They had great onion soup, steak, and fish.

We then walked to the play called “The 39 Steps.” The show had very interesting humor. Four people played over 100 characters. We are not sure we can recommend it to people because it's for the quirky sense of humor type. But there were definitely some creative and funny things. It’s like Napoleon Dynamite- when you reminisce about it, then it’s funnier and you almost want to go see it again so you can really appreciate it.

We had dessert at Junior's (famous for their cheesecake) after the show- strawberry shortcake, cheesecake, and hot chocolate. Yum! And yes, it was our second dessert for the evening.

The next day we drove out to Mary Payne’s in Connecticut. We first saw the house where we lived and hospital where I was born. My mom told stories about Trevor running up the street naked and Nathan disappearing until a stranger brought him home.

Mary was so excited to see us and to meet Jeff & Laura. She feels like she is our second mom so she was happy to see our spouses. She told Jeff that he was a hottie and was happy to know he makes me laugh constantly.

We ate lots of junk food to celebrate her birthday. In fact, we ate lots of junk food the entire weekend. In fact, I'm still full off all the junk food we ate.

Jeff played with my/Mary’s old turtle Jewel. Jewel still has marks in his shell from when our dog Foxy tried to eat him and bury him in the dirt (See the hole in the picture- teeth puncture marks). We really had a wonderful visit.

The drive back was great until we were 0.9 miles away from the hotel. From there it took one hour to get back. Now we understand why people in movies are always jumping out of their cab to run the remainder of the distance...much faster.

We stopped by my Dad’s booth to visit. Ja relayed that other doctors had said that Dr. DeVore is their hero and a very intelligent man. I am interested in knowing how many doctors start wearing bow ties at the next conference...then we'll be able to gauge how much influence he really has.

We walked a few blocks to dinner at Benjamin’s Steak House. We had three or four waiters for our table. Once again, we had great food.

After dinner, we enjoyed strolling around 42nd street on our walk to see “Guys and Dolls” with Lauren Graham from Gilmore Girls and Oliver Platt. We loved it! We laughed, enjoyed the good music, and funny one-liners. It was very entertaining. However, I kept waiting for the song "Guys and Dolls" that was sung in the Simpsons, but apparently it was written special for the cartoon and not in the original score.

Before we went home, we had dessert again- great devil’s food cheesecake. And yes, I am still full.

The next morning we had breakfast at Junior’s and then heard my Dad's lecture. This reminded me of why I want him to do my ultrasounds. I'm pretty sure a lot of people there had no idea what he was talking about.

We had a fabulous trip and a wonderful time with family...until next time :)

Basketball: McLean vs. Langley

2009-04-06T08:28:00.000-07:00

Coming into the semi-finals game, I had no confidence that we could win. Langley, the single’s ward team, appeared unbeatable.

We had already lost to them in our worst basketball game of the regular season. They have a big guy who dunked on us and other players who seemed to hit all of their outside shots. I was really heated up over that game. One guy swung his elbows near my face and then swore at me! I got really upset. A loss is a loss, but when you lose to people who make you angry like that, it’s a hard thing to deal with.

Fitting, we’d all have a chance for retribution as we faced off again in the tournament semi-finals game.

Something neat happened before the game even started. As we circled up, someone said, “It doesn’t matter who takes the shot. We have got to be looking out for each other. Keep the ball moving. Try to get others the open shot and don’t force things.” I could feel we were peaking as a team and everyone seemed willing to be unselfish. Our team came together in unity.

We came out of the first quarter on top by two points. I was surprised, but felt hope.

At the half, we were only down by two points!

In the third quarter, things started coming together for us. We ran the floor hard. We got fouled and made our free throws. We even made contested 3-point shots. We went on a nine point run. But Langley was always just a shot away from coming back.

In the closing minutes of the 4th quarter, Langley scored, putting them up by one point. On the following inbounds play, I got the ball and sprinted down the right sideline. One defender was on my left hip and two others were closing fast to the basket. The defense collapsed on me as I got near the hoop. As I let go of the ball, one guy grabbed my shoulder. The referee’s whistle blew indicating a foul. With the ball in the air, things slowed down for me. I looked up through the hoop as the ball hit the top of the backboard and dropped through the bottom of the net.

Clutch!

I let out a roar “YES!” and punched the air with clenched fist as teammates stormed me and game me high fives and chest bumps. I have never felt so excited about making a shot in my life.

At this point I felt like we were going to win. Even though the game wasn’t over, I knew we were going to come out on top. I was celebrating every made basket, every steal. Everyone was coming up with clutch plays.

How fitting, that the bucket that sealed the deal came from Reed, who hadn’t taken an outside shot all game. He found himself open for a three-pointer, found confidence, stepped into it, and drained it.

Jason Johnson said it best. “It was an awesome effort all the way from Reed's 99% field goal percentage, Trevor's ice in the vein free throws, Jeff's slashing and 1's, Greg's clutch 3's, Robbie's solo bucket, and Ron shutting down the big man. Awesome team play.”

Langley was in it until the final seconds. They had two shots at a three to tie the game, but both rimmed out. We came together as a team in unity and slew the mighty Langley.

Tiffany watched from the sideline and said later, “That was the most dramatic game I’ve ever seen.” I was glad she could be there to witness my personal best game ever.

Even Brad Castle in the ward said, “That was the best game I’ve seen. Great teamwork.”

While I had come in with no individual confidence of a win, our team believed. As someone said, “We were older, fatter, and balder, but play well together.” Unity trumps individual talent. It was true, as we then went on to defeat the number one team in the championship game. Everyone had his own clutch moment. When the moment to do something special arises, having a team around you that believes makes it easier to perform. They had the talent and firepower, but we picked them apart collectively.

Tiffany’s Top 25 Movies

2009-03-22T14:58:00.000-07:00

I am sure the top five movies are in the right order, but they are random after that.

1) Pride & Prejudice (2005)

2) Life is Beautiful
3) Finding Neverland
4) Schindler’s List
5) Pride & Prejudice (1995)
6) Anne of Green Gables
7) Anne of Avonlea
8) Emma
9) Whale Rider
10) A Bugs Life
11) Sleepless in Seattle
12) While You Were Sleeping
13) Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
14) Ever After
15) Babe
16) The Nativity
17) Nacho Libre
18) Galaxy Quest
19) Elf
20) Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
21) Kung Fu Panda
22) Dan in Real Life
23) Dumb and Dumber
24) Ghost Town
25) Far and Away

Presidential Homes

2009-03-21T19:50:00.000-07:00

Living on the East Coast has given us the opportunity to explore different estates and homes of America’s first Presidents.

George Washington’s Mount Vernon was a smaller dwelling, but with expansive lands overlooking the river. He liked to be outside more than in, riding his horse.

The Adams initial homestead was this tiny cabin. It was cool to see, especially after watching the HBO John Adams miniseries.

Jefferson’s Monticello was the most beautiful and innovative home. He created sliding windowpanes, skylights, and octagonal rooms. His furnishings have a European feel to it. Living abroad as an ambassador to France can do that to a person.

Madison’s Montpelier is a beautiful estate in a quiet setting. Dolly would host barbecues on the back lawn and was seldom without guests and boarders. James was a quieter man.

The second home of John Adams and later inherited by John Quincy Adams. This was also featured in the HBO miniseries.

Next stop? Ash-Lawn Highland, home of James Monroe. He, Jefferson, and Madison were all close friends and lived nearby.

Jeff's Favorite Movies

2009-03-21T09:28:00.000-07:00

I got started on this list after watching "The Natural" a few weeks ago. Every time I revisit it, however, I discover a new title that I forgot to include. These are likely my top 25. I chose the films because they are movies I most frequently watch and recommend.

1) The Natural
2) Raiders of the Lost Ark

3) Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
4) Back to the Future
5) The Princess Bride
6) Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
7) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
8) Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
9) GATTACA
10) Batman Begins
11) Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl
12) Life is Beautiful
13) Rudy
14) Hercules
15) Babe
16) The Nativity
17) Nacho Libre
18) Secondhand Lions
19) Galaxy Quest
20) A Knight’s Tale
21) Contact
22) Mr. Holland’s Opus
23) Cinderella Man
24) October Sky
25) Kung Fu Panda

Funny to note, the majority are underdog stories of people rising above difficult odds, with some intervention from the universe to fulfill their destiny. Maybe that's theme that resonates with me. I love rooting for an underdog, even in sports- problem is you are either very fulfilled by an upset victory, or disappointed by the favorites winning. Such is life, but I'll keep rooting for them anyway.

Ghost Town

2009-03-21T09:01:00.000-07:00

Tiffany and I just watched Ghost Town, starring Ricky Gervais and Greg Kinnear. This movie was a bit under the radar, but I saw an excellent rating on Rotten Tomatoes (my most trusted movie rating source) which made me want to rent it from the video store. It did not disappoint.

There are some hysterical moments involving a hospital procedure gone bad and staff trying to explain it without incriminating themselves. Then there were other heartwarming moments of a man awakening to the needs of people around him. Tiffany cried. The premises reminded me a bit of the movie "Heart & Souls" with Robert Downey Jr. Aside from the unnecessary language and bit of innuendo, the show is well worth the 102 minutes.