Unexpected Surgery

Earlier this year I went up to Nauvoo for a J. Reuben Clark Society gathering.

(Brigham Young's old home. Built by him.)

While I was there, a woman stopped me and said I should get a spot on my foot checked out.

She told me she looked at cancerous spots for a job, and I really should get it checked out.

So I did, thinking it would be no big deal.

A week after seeing the doctor, I had a surgery scheduled to remove the spot.

And was told that it was 70% likely to be cancerous.

I always wondered what it would be like emotionally to go through a cancer scare.

And I think my biggest concerns were - did I live right, and does my family know I love them?

I felt I was doing okay, in my own estimation, in both areas.

Then I started thinking about the practicalities of dying.

Are things properly titled.

Have I arranged everything I need.

Do the titles on the things I own transfer to family members. Etc.

It is a weird place to be.

But so many people spend an awful long time in this space.

This is what my foot looked like after surgery.

You can walk on it - the doctor said.

The next day it looked like this.

And it hurt so bad I could not walk on it AT ALL.

Everything became a huge chore.

Showering.

Breakfast.

Getting out of bed.

My home teacher, Ben, dropped everything to get me some crutches.

Which is the only way I made it to work the next day.

My boss was gone so I absolutely needed to be there.

Isn't it crazy that such a little cut would disrupt my life so much?

I never realize how much I do until I can't do anything.

I will say, every time something like this happens

I realize just how amazing handicapped people are.

Seriously, we should be applauding the Paralympics so much more.

There is no elevator and three flights of stairs where I work.

Hopping up those stairs with my laptop and crutches was not fun.

Some nice girl offered to help me up one time,

Which I especially appreciated because the day before nobody did

and I did really need the assistance.

But, good news. No cancer.

After a month off

And no running.

I'm mostly back to normal.

Running.

Birthday Weekend

My lovely friend Jessica came out to spend my birthday with me!

I've spent her last two birthday weekends with her.

But, in my usual style, I neglected to bring a gift

Although I know she would have appreciated it.

But not Jess.

She came bearing gifts.

She waited with me even though half of our Saturday morning was eaten up with car troubles.

She walked with me to and from the mechanics.

I deleted most of my pictures, but we went to the arch, Crown Candy, out to dinner with friends,

to the Frank Lloyd Wright house

How have I lived here all these years and never been!

Honestly, I don't find Frank's style aesthetically pleasing.

So it was always hard for me to appreciate his genius.

But this tour did such a great job of pointing out just how amazing he was.

The entire building is made up of parallelograms and equilateral triangles.

Even the brick were made in parallelograms.

And imagine the challenge for the contractor to find someone who could make parallelogram bricks!

He is pretty amazing.

We toured other old buildings in St. Louis.

But most of all, I appreciated that she took the time to give me what I appreciate the most:

Good company.

Garden of the Gods: Labor Day Weekend

(I deleted most of my pictures, but this is one I found of the Garden of the Gods)

On Labor Day weekend my friend Ryan invited me

and a few other friends to go to camping in Illinois.

I haven't been camping in a while, so I was totally game.

We saw some breath taking places.

I can't believe this place has been so close to me all this time and I didn't even know!

I have since deleted all pictures except for this one from Garden of the Gods.

Ryan did a great job planning.

Kent brought a pop-up tent he had bought on kickstarter.

I love trips like this because you get to know people better.

Turns out Ryan loves history and is very insightful.

Kent used to own his own horse

And was able to tell me stuff about Alaska (where he is from) I had never even heard of.

And at the end, we were playing cards and eating candy when I saw this family.

I said - those guys are totally Mormon.

The others weren't so convinced.

I was like, I'm so sure I'd bet $20.00 on it.

To my surprise, Ryan threw $20.00 down on the table

and went over to ask them if they were Mormon.

They totally were!

So we made acquaintances with some people from Kentucky.

It was a lovely weekend.

I recommend Shawnee National Forest

to anyone in the area!

Road Trip: Indianapolis, Indiana

Indianapolis, Indiana

This summer I got invited by a cute boy on a road trip.

Seemed like the best of both worlds to me,

so I went.

That, and I have fond memories of Indianapolis.

Last time I was there was for a half marathon.

Some total strangers took us in

and treated us better than a five star hotel.

It was so amazing we were taking pictures of our towels and place settings.

So, I pretty much love all of Indiana as a result.

The Indianapolis, Indiana temple had been dedicated for only a short time

So we went through it.

It was just beautiful.

And so unique.

The guy who put the trip together wanted to see a Midwestern state fair.

Now, I'm not really into state fairs

or farming.

But, it is an experience, and an excuse for a road trip

And I love doing things other people enjoy with them.

So we went.

Unfortunately by now,

I've deleted most of the pictures.

But just imagine - lumber jack show,

fair food.

animals,

Etc.

When we were done with that, we toured downtown and we were all so glad we did.

There were waterways.

And Danny's reenactment of parkour

and a breath taking sunset.

and we went just a little further and found

THIS

The picture does it no justice.

It is massive.

And ancient

And somewhat mystical.

We were all really glad we kept exploring.

On the drive home, we found this weirdness.

A town that tries to have the world's largest - you name it.

They have a catsup bottle.

Rocking chair.

Mailbox.

Whatever works.

It was fun.

Max Got Baptized

So THIS happened.
I couldn't be more thrilled!

 Backstory: Before Max turned 8 his mother and therefore Max stopped going to church.
I got myself assigned as her visiting teacher
and visited her each month
without her ever knowing.
It gave me an extra motivation to keep in touch with a
beloved friend.
And for the next four years, I tried to keep in contact each month as best I could.

Part of Max's frustration when he was going to church as a little boy

is that there were no boys his age at church.

But over the last year or so that has changed and there are quite a few boys his age.

So the timing just seemed right for Max to come and feel connected.

So I invited them to come to a picnic, and they came.

And the boys in the ward came up and talked to him.

And invited him to church and to scout camp.

He came to church the next day.

Went to scout camp that next week.

And started meeting with the missionaries.

And decided to get baptized!

Over the years I tried so many things to help get home teachers into their home

to help and support them,

but it never worked.

On one occasion I tried to get a Spanish speaking home teacher assigned to them.

Instead they assigned the proposed home teacher to me.

I think they misread my intentions.

One time I planned an entire ice cream night with Max and his mother.

And invited their assigned home teachers to come around the same time

dressed in regular clothes

Just as friends stopping by

One of them was very handy.

And their old home was very rickety.

So I told him I would bring up the house.

And that if he would offer to help

She would invite him over.

The plan played out perfectly.

But the home teacher got too busy with school

and never went over.

I understood, but was disappointed that

the otherwise perfect plan was foiled.

We shall see how Max's life turns out.

I hope it turns out well.

He is a smart kid, with a good heart

and one of the world's most amazing mothers.

He can do a lot of good in this world.

And I hope he will.