I Love being a Dad

Someone asked recently under what conditions having children makes a person happier. The asker guessed that if you really dig serving other people, you'd probably like it, but he prefers being footloose and fancy free. I responded (with anonymous names):

When we had Hyrum, we were surprised to discover that I really like babies and that Joy ... is more fond of older ages. As a single, I had worried that I would hate being a dad of small, noisy children, mostly waiting until they grew up to really be able to enjoy it. Lo and behold, 2.5 years later I haven't found an age I don't like. It just keeps getting better!

It's not the service for me - diapers just need to be done and mealtimes rarely involve a picnic. It's the connection and bonding with this person who thinks I'm just the coolest thing ever. It's seeing the world in wonder again. It's having someone in the house who shares my love of music all day every day. It's being part of this amazing progression and personal development with someone who changes in dramatic ways every two weeks if not faster.

Last week, Hyrum discovered trains. He wants to hear bluegrass music that sounds like trains and Daddy should sing to him at night about the Gospel Train. Mommy reads to him about trains. He wants to play a train computer game and visit the train museum. He's suddenly interested in geography because in "the train game" we built a railroad to Columbus and Detroit, and any mention of those cities gets him excited. His blocks changed from rising temples to chugging trains overnight. I can't remember being as excited about trains as he is right now and I know he'll pass on to something else soon, so I can enjoy feeding this train fever for as long as it holds his interest. It's fun and stimulating being a dad. For me.

I love being a dad.

The Power of Temples

Hyrum likes temples. He turns to pictures of temples in any of the picture scripture books we have. He likes going to the temple and being there. We passed a church yesterday and he pointed it out to us as a "temple." Temples are pretty cool.

Hyrum also knows something of what temples are for. They're for making people feel happy.

Mommy was having a Bad Day. Hyrum wanted her to feel better. He said, "Go temple! Go temple! Mommy go temple! Daddy go temple!" When he sees a picture, he says, "Mommy Daddy go temple."

He's been an awfully sick little boy this weekend - not-quite-so-low grade fever between 100 and 102 depending on how long it's been since he took medicine, with a sour tummy that doesn't want to eat anything. "But he's being a good drinker" of milk and apple juice. The first day he had the fever, he told me he wanted to "Go temple." And in fact, Mommy drove him half way there to help him get to sleep and have a nap.

Conversations with a Toddler

Something similar to the following conversation has happened two or three times now in the Watson home. It's getting to be a regular game!

H: I want Tarantara, please.
D: Hyrum, it's Daddy's turn. After my song is over, you can listen to Tarantara.
H: Daddy's tu'n over; Hyrum's tu'n.

He says this with such regal finality, it's hilarious. This is the The Most Important Thing that could be said. And his diction is the best it ever is for that phrase. Then it gets more complicated.

D: It's Mommy turn. After Mommy's turn, it's Daddy's turn. Then it will be Hyrum's turn.
H: Hyrum tu'n.
D: No, it's Mommy's turn.
H: Mommy tu'n over; Hyrum's tu'n.
D: No, Mommy's turn over, Daddy's turn. Daddy's turn over, Hyrum's turn.
H: Mommy's turn over, Hyrum's tu'n.
D: (repeat until Daddy's turn for music has already started)
H: Daddy's turn over, Hyrum's turn.
D: Yes, Daddy's turn over, Hyrum's turn. Hyrum's turn over, Mommy's turn.
H: Hyrum's turn over ... Hyrum's turn! Hyrum's turn over, Mommy's turn.

He did once get three turns together correctly, but then he started haggling again. Joy says, "It feels really similar to a lot of life. 'I know that this puzzle piece goes here. But will it also go here? or here? or here?'"

We had another conversation with him yseterday. He was tired of being at the temple because Daddy is doing a better job not letting him disturb the other patrons. (speaking of which, it was really interesting to see how differently he moved when I told him, "no run. Hyrum walk." It was a different kind of deliberate, slow walk that I have never seen in that boy!) Anyway, he got bored and said, "Go home. Go home." So I took him out to the car, but we were not even down the temple steps yet before he said, "Temple again. Temple again."

Cuter Every Day

Hello. My name is Hyrum and I am Cuter Every Day (Trademark).

Daddy has been reading me stories from the Old Testament recently. The Church videos for the Old Testament have some really bad, scary music. I don't like them very much. But there's one story and video I love and ask for every day: the Temple! Daddy's starting to have me help tell the story. God told King Solomon to "build temple." The people made it out of "stone" and "wood." The walls and floors were "gold" and there was a "gold altar" in the temple. There was a "pool" of "water" on the backs of 12 "oxen." When the temple was all done, King Solomon put "bowls" in it. The "ark" was in the temple. The priests "sang songs" and thanked "God." The music for the video is nice, too. The only two videos with good music talk about the tabernacle (How Beautiful Thy Temples Lord) and the temple (The Lord is My Shepherd). I hope someday the Church redoes the Old Testament video like they redid the Book of Mormon video and that they improve the music.

Yesterday I was fiddling around with Mommy's purse. All of a sudden, I pulled out a pen. I waved the pen around and shouted, "I found a pen!" Mommy and Daddy were so proud of me: it was the first time I said the word "I" with any verb other than "I want;" the first time I said the word "found" which Mommy and Daddy hadn't been teaching me; the first time I used an ... in-def-in-ite article; and a brand new sentence I invented all by myself.

Today Mommy and Daddy woke up hearing me call out from my crib, "No! No! No! No! No! No!" Daddy got up and made a short pit stop before getting me. I could hear footsteps, but wasn't sure whose. I called out, "Mommy! Watch Bob Builder! Daddy! Watch Bob Builder! Mommy Daddy, I want watch Bob Builder p'ease!" Mommy laughed to think I was calling that out into the stillness first thing in the morning.

Daddy and I played ABC's today. For my birthday I got this fun toy that sings to me whenever I put a letter in it. "B says buh, B says buh. Every letter makes a sound, B says buh." We played with them for a while, then Daddy asked me to help clean up. He told me to "Find A" and I handed him an A. I got through almost all the alphabet that way without any help. I can also point to letters and say most of their names. W is really hard.

Daddy was just working on his scriptures while I played quietly. I needed his help, so I called out, "He'p!" He came over and saw that I had pulled out all the cans of peaches and pears and lined them up from the hall to the fridge. He asked what help I wanted, so I said, "He'p peaches" and reached under the table to try to find more peaches to line up. He told me I had all the peaches in the house already. That was sad.

Random Memories of Family

Oh, mystic random picture generator, what memories do you hold for us tonight while Joy is singing with a choir and Hyrum sleeps soundly?

August 24, 2004

To celebrate my birthday and the passing of my Qualifying exams, my girlfriend - the Lovely and Gracious - baked me a Q-cake (a spice cake with bananas). It was a delightful surprise and the first birthday we celebrated together.







My Aunt Virginia gave us some money for our wedding with the stipulation that we had to use it to get something that would be a long-lasting memory. So we bought this beautiful frame and a picture of the temple where we were sealed for time and eternity.








At the Trumansburg Demolition Derby ... probably around Mother's Day 2006. We sat on the front row as I experienced the carnage for the first time and were splattered with mud and dirt. We try to go every year, but I don't think any year has been as awesomely impressive as that first time. ... Aside of course from the time or two that cars caught fire.

My brother and his brand new bride walking out of the Salt Lake Temple, May 6, 2006. I was among the first to catch sight of them. For some reason, they - like we the year before - were separated from each other for quite some time after the wedding. I hung out with him for a while, then went to explain to everyone else what the hold up was, only to wait another 15 minutes. I think he was adjusting her tiara.







Steve stands dutifully while his boutonniere is adjusted. Meanwhile, Aunt Corinne examines the train. She pronounces it quite lovely and points out some of the features to Grammy until Emie decides it's time to move on.

Here I am, fighting in the trenches of the Elbonian/Swiss war.

Not really. It's the Groton fair and the sign said children of ALL ages were allowed in. So I was loud in.




Summer 2007 - One of Joy's best harvests. Almost more tomatoes than she could eat in the height of her tomato-mayonnaise sandwich phase. It was at that point that I formulated the theory that bread and salads were merely vehicles for disguised fry sauce - lots of tomatoes, lots of mayonnaise-based sauce ... fry sauce.










Hyrum briefly laid claim to Joy's temple bag as his own carry-around. Any time we left the house, he would ask for his bag and be quite upset if we couldn't find it.





Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

The Italian peacocks were disdainful of the tourists' attempts to make them show their tails.







At Christmas 2009, Hyrum delivers a present to Aunt Emilee.









Also at Christmas 2009, an updated Watson Family picture is taken. This is my edit of the base picture. We're still awaiting the final print. From left to right: the people who don't like nicknames; Pop and Gamma Boo; the Lovely and Gracious, the Permagrin Baby, and yours truly.

During that Christmas, Steve went from goatee to mustache, and I got to say, I really think it suits him and his work on Spanish lit.

Nibley on the Infinite Atonement, the Existence of Life, Temples, and the Second Law of Thermodynamics

Hugh Nibley, "The Meaning of the Temple," Temple and Cosmos, Ch. 1:

This post used to contain excerpts from the above article. It has been a popular one over time. However, we'd like to keep this family blog a touch more private while still providing this information to the world. So we have moved it to our public blog. You will find it here. -- DW

Golden Christmas Moments

We flew to my parents' house in California for Christmas. My brother (Steve) and his wife (Emie) were there with us [Derrill, Joy, Hyrum, Pop, and Grandma Boo] for 10 days, plus my Dad's mom (Grammy) for Christmas Day. The crown of Christmas was Hyrum's experience at church, which I already talked about. Here are a few other golden moments from our Christmas stay.

Joy also really enjoyed her experience at the Christmas program. "I was really happy to be feeling well enough to sing with the choir, and I gave about all I had when we sang the Hallelujah Chorus. So when we got to the last song, Silent Night, it was a great blessing that Dannon Story was singing my descant with me because I pooped out in some places." Pop had taught his choir Joy's descant an earlier year because it's so beautiful. "And Dad thought I did great with the sopranos, and I never get to sing soprano, so that was fun."

The thing I was most looking forward to was taking my sweetheart to the LA temple where I proposed to her 5 years ago [on the very stone in our new title picture] and doing some temple work. When I proposed, they were closed. This year, for some strange reason, they were open. They set up a special sealing session just for us so we could be extra romantic. It was very cuddly. "And Derrill, as a very romantic gesture, took me to eat at the temple cafeteria. This is romantic to me because it reminds me of when I used to serve in the Provo temple and how much I loved being at the temple, even more than for doing service. He knows it's special to me. I feel very grateful that the thing that Derrill wants to do the most when he has time off is go to the temple. I really married a man who cherishes the Lord's house and it makes me cherish him even more."

It was so great to see Grammy. We really missed being with her last Christmas. Seeing Grammy was the primary reason that we wanted to go to CA for Christmas rather than have mom and dad come here. "When I was talking to Grammy around the dinner time on Christmas day, I told her that I thought that our son looks just like Pop, her son. She told me that Derrin, her son, looked exactly like Hyrum when he was Hyrum's age. Then Grammy told me that he would be thrilled to know that. So, before the dinner started and Pop was in the room putting things on the table, Grammy told him how he had looked exactly like Hyrum when he was little. It was really special to me because it felt like such a unifying moment, seeing the generations so similarly and that Grammy his own mother saw it too. Pop and Hyrum are two peas in a pod not just because they look like each other. They are definitely bosom buddies. Even across the miles in Ithaca, Hyrum thinks of his Pop frequently, with wonder, and with urgency."

Speaking of Grammy, she loved Hyrum's toys. It was very fun, the night she got to town, seeing her play with this toy where you knock a ball through a hole with a hammer and the lion plays you music. She was so taken with it, I took this video of it. The best comments, though, were just before and just after the video as she told my parents she wanted Hyrum's toys for Christmas next year.

"Another of my special memories was helping out with dinner. Mom had received a blessing counseling her to take it easy in preparing for Christmas for her health and happiness. When I talked to her about Christmas dinner later, I was able to volunteer to do many of the things that she would not be able to do. I made a pie, the potatoes, helped Emilee make a crab cheese ball, and made a relish tray with Emilee. After helping with the dinner I really felt like I had helped the Lord fullfill his promise to mom and it felt good."

Hyrum's big success was eating Belgium chocolate covered cookies and drinking apple juice for the first time during the trip. Yay!

Another golden Hyrum moment was caught on video. Pop was reading him a story he got for Christmas, "The Rain on Kapiti Plain," but he got up and walked off. Watch Hyrum's face VERY carefully when Pop asks him if he wants to sit in his lap. That's the mischievous imp grin - such expressive eyebrows. He played that joke another 6 times, each time to uproarious laughter. Joy says, "I love it when that game works in my favor!"

Among Hyrum's favorite presents was a little plastic nativity. He carried Mary around with him everywhere saying, "born." We're not sure whether he thinks that's her name, or he's remembering that Jesus was born. We wondered why he wasn't carrying baby Jesus around, until Steve finally found Him between couch cushions.

Hy also served as a great elf. He picked up presents from the tree, carried them to a favorite adult to ask who the present was for. We'd tell him, then he brought it over to the right recipient. He was gentle with them and wouldn't try opening anything until we said, "Open." Then he could tear into it with increasing delight. He got the hang of it pretty quickly, unlike last year. "I begin to understand the magic of Christmas as I see him learn to do a simple thing as opening a present, that is magic to me."

Emie got a Disney nature video she had really wanted, narrated by James Earl Jones, aka Darth Vader. As we sat around watching it, we cracked many jokes about the animals on it. Emie called out at one point in response, "That's not what Darth Vader said!" Best comment of the night.

I really enjoyed getting a book of classical music favorites that I spent the vacation playing through on the piano. It was so nice to have a piano handy. I could sit down and play most of them on sight, though by far not perfectly. Just well enough to enjoy. "Hyrum would often start clapping when Derrill finished a peice or paused in playing the piano." Reminding everyone else to clap. I was also delighted when Hyrum carried his little xylophone up to the piano and asked me to play with him. Of course, he wanted to play on the piano WITH the xylophone, but it was the first intimation of our future duets and trios together.

The night before we all left to come back to the East, Steve, Emie, Joy, and I sat around and pretended we were adults. That is, instead of getting out a game, we actually talked. Dude. "It was fun. We just talked about anything, more important things, and though I wouldn't mention on here what they were, they were all special. It felt like we were close friends. So nice to be getting to know them."

The Amazing Spiderman Should be Mormon

I mentioned in my last post that I was watching Spiderman 2 for the first time. I finished it last night and really liked it. The first movie did a fine job introducing Spidey, okay. This one touched me deeply and talked about a number of issues that I've been struggling with too.

But I'm not here to talk about them. I'm here to talk about Peter Parker's issues. His main internal conflict deals with finding balance: how can he be a college student, a part-time photographer, hold down a second job, keep up with a social life (maybe even date), and, oh yes, be a hero? The stress of it all is just too much to that point that he really can't do any of it effectively. Not for the first 15 minutes of the movie anyway.

After watching the first part, I was convinced that Peter Parker needs a couple LDS missionaries to knock on his door, convert him to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, and get this boy a calling in the church. Y'see, from the LDS/Mormon point of view, all of us are called to be "saviors on mount Zion" (Obadiah 1:21) - to assist the Savior in His work. (It's ... kind of like being expected to be a superhero without tights or powers - unless you're the guy on the left - just a faith that somehow God will magnify our feeble efforts to reach out, that the Holy Ghost will touch people's hearts, and the Atonement change us all.)

And there are a lot of things that assisting in God's work calls on a member of the Church to do. This goes way beyond 10% tithing and not smoking or drinking. One of our speakers in stake conference, a state trooper, referred to this as the "Marine Corps of churches."

• Visiting several families monthly and looking after their spiritual and temporal needs;
  
• serving in any capacity where asked - in my case an extra 10ish hours on top of the 3 hour Sunday meetings every week, plus priesthood meetings, and that's all just so that the branch president doesn't have to spend that time too on top of the who-knows-how-much extra he voluntarily does; [don't get me wrong: I love my calling and have loved all my other ones]
  
• driving up to the temple 1:45 away as often as you can to do vicarious work for the dead [picture right is of the angel Moroni statue on the Hill Cumorah near our local temple, who, incidentally, was modeled by two of Joy's ancestors];
  
• taking opportunities to talk to people about the gospel;
• dropping most anything most anytime when someone calls and needs help;
• moving 10 families out or around every May and another 10 in or around every September;
• feeding the missionaries a couple times a month;
• reserving every Monday night for family time;
• teach your kids the gospel;
• make home a temple;
• daily personal scripture study, prayer, journal writing;
• search out information about your ancestors so you can do their work in the temple too;
• filling random service projects and assignments as they come up, usually with little warning;
  
• keep up and rotate food storage;
• get out of debt and make sure you have several months' worth of money for emergencies [which they said long before the current recession]...
  

And even that doesn't cover all of repenting, "putting off the natural man," and striving to become more like Jesus. At various points, church leaders have reminded us to be politely politically engaged, to plant vegetable gardens, you name it. It is, quite literally, more than any one person can do at one time, particularly when you add family, work, social life, and maybe some me time into the equation, and all of which are assigned important roles this grand, eternal plan we get to participate in.

I think Peter Parker would relate. I think he would gain a lot by associating with a bunch of mere mortals trying to be superheroes. I think that in the process of talking - as our branch does a couple times every semester - about how to balance it all without being overloaded, he would learn to find more of a center in his life.

At a church meeting I was at tonight, one of the speakers mentioned that when Jesus was on the earth, He didn't go around to heal every person around the globe. He didn't even heal everyone in all Israel. He healed those around Him who had faith. I gather there were a lot of sick people at the pool of Bethesda, but only one person healed. As He said to the Pharasees, there were many widows in Israel, but Elijah was sent to just one.

Yes, Pete, you are a superhero. You have a responsibility. "Where much is given, much is required" is how your LDS Uncle Ben would've said it. But you aren't required to give more than you have. None of us has enough to give and do all of it. None. That's one of the reasons we need the Atonement. We do all we can, and we leave the residual in God's hands. With great power comes great responsibility, but not all responsibility. You don't have all power. Don't take on all responsibility.

Prof. Stephen E. Robinson likened it to weight-lifting: you keep adding weights until you can't do anymore, and you lift that weight until it becomes easier and then you can add some more. Your schooling, Peter, your jobs, and even some down time, are essential parts to making you a more effective Spiderman later. [My parents are probably reading this and thinking, "Oh good, the boy was paying attention to something we said."]

I know [oh yeah, from your vast experience playing City of Heroes, I suppose? Pfft.]... Okay, I imagine it's hard to justify seeing Mary Jane's play when there's someone out there who needs you. People need Peter too, not just Spiderman. Sometimes you can delegate the crime fighting to the boys in blue, who really do a good job in the real world. It takes faith and prayer and serious thought to know when to do what - that I do know from experience. I also know from experience something I learned by applying what Brigham Young taught: if you give God the time He needs, He will give you the time you need. I've found that to be true again and again.

Do all you can. Do the best you can. Leave the rest in the Lord's hands "and [He] will give you rest."

Utah, part 2: The North

So now we're back at home, but warm and happy thoughts of UT linger. I hope my brother's muscles have recovered.... He woke up with me about 6 in the morning (Mon, Nov 24) to drive around Utah lake to pick up a chest Joy's brother Doug had carved for her and that a kind cousin has been storing for her the last six years. S and I hauled it upstairs and into the van (where it ... almost fit) and got back in time for his work. We passed it off to my parents later in the trip so it can stay in storage with my stuff. Assuming we ever leave Ithaca (a probability 1 event), there will only be one other place for us to haul stuff from. After a bit of economics work, we drove up to Logan, Mendon, and all points north to be with Joy's sister and her family.

We really love Fran's kids, Abby and Christopher. When Joy had stayed with them for a couple weeks years ago, Abby cried when she left. Christopher (a very tall 6 yr old) wrestled with me a lot. Abby was less rowdy than in past visits, but we had a wonderful time early Thanksgiving morning while Hyrum needed to be fed just talking and then reading the scriptures together. We read most of Alma 42 and she was really touched by the scriptures and the power in them. It was a really great morning.

Tuesday, sister Fran wanted time with her nephew while her own children were at school, so we took off for the Logan temple where we were selected to be the first couple at the session. It was a very nice time there. Joy remembered very fondly how her grandfather would drive up to the front door and drop grandma off while he went to find a parking space. We would have done that too, except we were trying to get ahold of her mother and forgot. I redeemed myself by picking her up from the front door. (Isn't redemption what the temple's all about anyway?)

After the temple, we picked up Joy's mother (left) from her convalescent home and met Fran (right) and brood at the clan-famous TINY SPICY. The restaurant isn't called Tiny Spicy, but the primary reason for going to this Mandarin restaurant is their chicken dish called Tiny Spicy. Rather than the usual orange color a sesame or General Tso's chicken would have, this chicken is deep red. It's Very Good and worth its addictive reputation. We spent the rest of the evening playing Life: Pirates of the Caribbean style.

Wednesday I took the whole day off and we went to a place called "Fun Park" that has rollerblading, bowling, laser tag, and a pitiful collection of arcade games. I don't skate thanks to my mission accident on ice, but the kids and Joy had fun there. I got a little work done despite it being my day off. Hyrum was really excited to watch everyone rollerskate/blade. Abby skated up just as I was taking a couple shots, and they're priceless.

Then we had a good game of bowling. Joy beat me for the first time. I had a HORRIBLE first 5 frames, but once I decided to forget approaching the lane properly and just chuck the ball from the line (a lot of my game depends on how frictional or slippery my shoes are), I got a couple strikes and several spares on the last 5 to almost catch up. I had given up on catching her and was only intent on doing better than the six year old who had bumpers. That's how pitiful a game it was for me. (I should mention that Christopher and I tied at Wii baseball twice so we had a nice competition going on that day already.)

That night we decorated for Christmas and took some great pictures. Hy is saving his favorites when he tells about the vacation in his own words, so watch out: some great pictures will be forthcoming. Fran had bought Hyrum a Santa suit, and it's really adorable on him. I took a few pictures with Joy and him, and then Christopher really wanted to get in on them. Joy asked him, "Would you like Santa to sit on your lap?" This was the resulting shot.

Thursday we drove just a little bit south to Brigham where the big family gathering was held. In its hayday, hundreds of cousins would descend and fill the cultural hall. This time around, we did justice to the multi-purpose room. I found it very entertaining how few people Joy knew. She knew the older kids in most families, but if they were under 20, she probably didn't. Several of the more important branches of the family tree were there, though, and we had a nice time getting reacquainted.

Joy's mother and grandmother were at the head of the table. Grandma Elzinga saw us and just had to hold the baby (her 92nd great-grandchild). She showed him to a few family members, then returned him to Joy, commenting, "I forgot how heavy these things can be!" Joy later took this picture of me with her grandmother in the kitchen cleaning up. (Why with me? Well, the baby was on me and Joy had already hugged her goodbye, I guess. There are other pictures of Grandma and Hy, but I think this one turned out the best.)

We also made a happy re-acquiantance and first acquaintance: Joy's brother Dustin, whom she hasn't seen in ages, and his newlywed wife. I've never met either of them. It was a casual hello until she blurted out, "Macademia!" in the serving line and we chimed in, "Oooooh, Macademia!" We then proceeded between us to redo most of the Vestibules' hit recording "Bulbous Bouffant," and fast friendships were instantly formed. For those of you unfamiliar with alleged songs that have been played on the Dr. Demento show, here's a link to an animated version. We talked about other things too, of greater interest to us likely than to any of you, like their romance. I will wait on posting this until Joy has had a chance to insert her own comments about the luncheon ... here:

" I was actually suprised at how few of my family were there, but I was able ask after some of my favorite cousins that I haven't seen for a while whose parents were there. We got there a little late, so it felt that before we even got around to visiting with everyone, people were already being ushered in to get pie. Then before I even finished eating half the room was cleaned up. I guess when you have 14 children and resulting grandchildren (over 70) and great grandchildren (over 90), and even have great great grand children, you have to know how to get things done. It felt more like home later when we went over to grandma's to visit with Aunt Noni and grandma Elzinga. Uncle Howard was there who Hyrum liked very much. My favorite part of the actual Thanks giving fiest was getting to know my sister-in-law and brother better."

After filling up on pie and Hyrum MUNCHING ON HIS FIRST ROLL OUT OF HAND (admittedly, he only ate about 5 crumbs, but he opened his mouth and bit down on something we were trying to feed him from our hands for the first time), we went back down to my brother's place. Next stop: St. George, Vegas, and back to Provo.

On a sobering note, my own grandmother (Dad's mom) suffered multiple strokes Tuesday night and Wed. We heard about it on Thanksgiving. Dad flew back to CA to be with her. In what can only be described as a miracle given the number of strokes and even a heart attack they uncovered and the length of time before she received medical treatment, she was able to walk just fine very quickly and was released back home on Friday. For her and Dad, the most frightening aspect for her was how her speech was affected, though that has mostly come back as well. How thankful we are Dad was able to go spend time with her and that she's alright now. It could have been MUCH worse. We really missed her at the Watson family dinner held in Las Vegas as a result of the trama that she had been through, but felt so blessed that things turned out so well in her recovery (leaving the hospitals with not physical restrictions on activity).

How was your weekend?

As I read my scriptures on Friday, one of the songs I listened to was by the BYU Concert Choir: Death Shall Not Destroy My Comfort. Google informs me you can find a copy of them singing it on Youtube. I've always had a thing for glorious songs in minor keys and this has been a favorite. I thought to myself as I heard it Friday that the next time I had to experience someone's passing, I would have to sit in a dark quiet room and listen to that with my headphones on to get a good, healing cry.

And if you imagine I recognized that as foreshadowing at the time, you give me too much credit.....

Death shall not destroy my comfort,
Christ shall guide me thro’ the gloom;
Down he’ll send some heav’nly convoy,
To escort my spirit home.

Joy and I finally made it out to the temple Saturday. I consider it quite an accomplishment since the last few times we've tried to go, something got in the way. This time when something got in the way, we ran over it and just went anyway. We saw a lot of friends from our temple shifts there who loved to meet our prodigy (who is currently engaged in doing his best to climb/fall into the laundry basket and cry for help). The wonderful thing of going to the temple is being able to be of service to people who passed on without the opportunity to receive the full blessings of the gospel for themselves. It is a beautiful testimony of God's love for all of His children and His desire to bring all of us home.

(Refrain):
Oh, hallelujah! How I Love my Savior,
Oh, hallelujah! That I Do.
Oh, Hallelujah! How I love my Savior!
Mourners, you may love him too.

I was very glad for the temple -- it took the edge off of some of the pain I've been feeling the last few days. I don't know why, but I just really haven't felt well. At one point on our drive to the temple, I pulled over to give Joy a turn driving because I was starting to feel unsafe on our heavily rained-upon roads. Today when I got up, I was sick enough that I couldn't make it to church and it's likely I'll be calling in sick tomorrow. Hopefully I can get well before my defense next Monday. If not, well, my "A" exam was also done under an illness induced haze.

Jordan’s stream shall not o’erflow me,
While my Savior’s by my side;
Canaan, Canaan lies before me!
Soon I’ll cross the swelling tide. (Refrain)



Joy kindly suggested I lay down for a nap while she took care of Hyrum when we got home. I hadn't been down long when our branch president (church leader) called. My good friend Evan Wade had "crossed the swelling tide." I still don't know most of the details, but apparently he skidded on the slick roads and crashed into a tree.

Evan "yes, I like putting odd statements in the middle of my name when I sign off an email" Wade came to Cornell the same year I did to major in Engineering. I'm not entirely sure why, but I decided to watch out for him that first year - help him get rides, encourage him in the church, and try to help support him going on a mission. I don't know that there was any real doubt of that happening, but I wanted to look out for him. He went on a mission to Finland and came back here, happy to see me. I still ended up giving him a lot of rides, which I never minded. He was set to graduate this winter, like me.

I home taught him for a year or so before he had met Cassie and I remember very fondly an evening he and I spent together while Joy was out of town, just talking about the gospel and his romantic hopes, and everything. I was so thrilled when he and Cassie announced their engagement!

We were home teachers together over the summer and for this year. The last time I saw him was home teaching the Browns on Wednesday where he praised Cassie, talked about how excited he was to be getting married and looking forward to graduation and life. I dropped him off, oddly enough, at our place where Cassie was waiting for him, gave him the traditionally overfirm handshake we had developed, and waltzed in happy to see my wife without considering I might not see him again. He was in the military and planning on spending a few months getting trained in submarines. He had an appointment to meet with them tomorrow. It seems God has other plans.

He loved jazz, played the sax, and while his voice wasn't the smoothest, he had an impressive range and power. We talked about music a good deal together. As we drove together the last time, I mentioned wanting to rent an accordian or a bagpipe from Cornell sometime soon so I could learn them. I wonder if he ever got the chance to pick up a piece by Hovhaness I recommended to him?

See the happy spirits waiting,
On the banks beyond the stream!
Sweet responses still repeating,
“Jesus! Jesus!” is their theme. (Refrain)

One of the greatest parts of the gospel is the knowledge that my wife, my son, my brother and his wife, and my parents are all sealed to me. That is, even death cannot separate us permanently. We have the promise that if we are faithful to our covenants, we can be together forever. A similar promise extends to our friends: "And that same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be coupled with eternal glory, which glory we do not now enjoy" (Doctrine and Covenants 130:2). Evan may not have been perfect (he was a bit of a flake), but he was a good man who was doing all he could to follow the gospel of Jesus. In addition to my grandfathers - Derrill One and Grandpa Straw - and the generations before them, I have the hope that I will find my good friend Evan "on the banks beyond the stream" to welcome me home.

Our hearts go out to Cassie and Evan's family! Joy and I have talked ever so briefly in hushed tones of what it would have been like for her had I passed on March 05. We pray for you all regularly and are assured that in time the Spirit will speak peace to your hearts, with solace and comfort that only God can bring. That's why His peace surpasses all understanding (Phil 4:7) - it comes despite and during our afflictions. How comforting it is to know that "all things have been done in the wisdom of Him Who knoweth all things" (2nd Nephi 2:24) and that God who knows the end from the beginning has said, "Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever" (D&C 122:9).

Oh, hallelujah! How I Love my Savior,
Oh, hallelujah! That I Do.
Oh, Hallelujah! How I love my Savior!
Mourners, you may love him too.

The Anniversary According to Hyrum

My parents are trying to find time to finish their blog post about their third anniversary. It'll probably show up as the post before this one, so watch out for it. While you're waiting, though, let me clue you in on what really happened on Day 1111 of their marriage:

11 hours of DRIVING, that's what happened. And there's me in the back seat with nothing to do. Of course I slept nearly the whole trip! It's that or listen to Dad turn on yet another CD of romantic music while they reminisce about mushy stuff and kiss at each red light. C'mon guys, get a partition! It's at least nice they'd stop every 2 hours to feed me. (Mom tells me that if we hadn't had to stop to feed me, it would have taken much less time. Stupid seat belt laws.)



So finally we get to some place called Viagara Falls, ... or something like that. I don't know what the big deal was, but Mom loved it. We went on a boat that goes right up to the falls. I drew an arrow on the picture to show you.



Of course, Dad had to get a picture of me sleeping through one of the world's natural wonders. Give a baby a break! I mean, the falls were, like, the best white noise machine ever. How was a guy supposed to stay awake?

So then Dad gets lost in rush hour traffic and heads the wrong way down the wrong freeway, and I'm starving. Meanwhile Mr. We'll-be-there-in-15-minutes-tops doesn't want to pull over to feed me in case he forgets which wrong way he turned and can't figure out which way is north with the sun setting in the west. It's not that hard, Dad.

Finally we get to the Toronto Temple. Mom and Dad take turns watching over me while the other one gets to have fun in the temple. At least, I think it must be fun in there. Dad came out looking much more alert and calm, and Mom was smiling and happy to see me again. (Note to self: she's happier when I coo than when I cry. Maybe it's me.)

Here's me at the temple. In my car seat, of course, as if I hadn't spent enough time in there. Dad did take me out for a moment and let me touch the temple, though. He says it's the House of the Lord and he hopes that someday it'll touch me too. He's corny that way. He talked to me a bit about why it's such a special place, and he hopes someday I'll be able to go inside too. That might be cool. It must be important if they drove all the way out here just for that. They've been looking forward to going for months.





Dad took me on a tour of the temple grounds while Mom was inside. There were fountains and flowers and shrubs all over the place. Here are a couple pictures of me enjoying the grounds and being with my dad.






Oh yeah, the tour also included the foyer bathroom. (Greeeat time for a picture, Dad. Sheesh. The man is incorrigible.) On the plus side, I'm one of the few people my age who can say the temple has already changed him.



We ended the evening at the Mandarin Restaurant, some fancy schmancy Chinese buffet where Dad took Mom on their first date. Now that was cool. Every one of the waiters and cooks (and they've got something like 3 dozen!) wandered in to see the cute baby, or asked Mom and Dad to open up the baby sling and show them my gorgeous 3-mo. old self. The patrons at the other tables thought I was cute too, and some of the other kids under 1 came over to play with me. Everyone thought I was adorably cute and were amazed to learn I was 3 months old today. One of the teeny little waitresses commented that she has a 2-mo. old baby girl who's 12 pounds. Then another said her 2-mo old was 15 pounds. FIFTEEN? Maybe I am still tiny....

Every room has a different theme. This is Dad trying to make me look interested in the fish. The other aquarium was better: they had a live scuba diver in there scrubbing the place during dinner. They had a bird room and a bamboo room too. I think Mom and Dad will post some pics of it.

We didn't get there until it was almost their closing time, and the buffet disappeared before Mom was all the way done. Bummer. But I think everyone had enough. Then they put me back in my car seat for the 5 hour drive home. I decided to sleep through that too. We got home about 3:30 am. Dad fed me, Mom pumped, and then we went to bed while Dad went to take a friend over to the airport at 4:30.

Well, Mom thinks it's time for me to go to bed. She says I'm sounding just a little bit cranky in this post. I'm glad they enjoyed themselves, but I'm just thankful to be home and able to wiggle and squirm all day. Hey, Dad, where's my midnight feeding, yo?!

Where Did We Go on our First Date?

Oh, Canada.

(warning Watsons unplugged after midnight read at your own risk- length subject to station identification)

Today [June 11] we had a wonderful day, date and walk down memory lane.

Part III of the Watson Family Anniversary

J: I started this day same as most getting up at 7 to pump and feed Hyrum.

D: I did not start this day as most: I woke up before 10.

J: I was a little concerned that Hyrum woke up before I started pumping, because we were hoping to leave the house by 10 am, and that required me pumping, before feeding Hyrum. However, I knew this day would be an unusually good one when I went to check on Hyrum and he was smiling and talking to me very first thing. It is usually screams of “where is my milk” first.

D: I usually sleep through that.

J: In all fairness Derrill usually takes the late feeding, so I get really good sleep before I get up with Hyrum and that is due to my wonderful husband.

D: To make a very long post shorter, we did actually get on the road by 10:10 in part because I woke up an hour before I planned on.

J: Yeah, every mothers dream that she will get more help than expected. That was beginning of a day to spoil the mother.

D: That was the goal. The spoilage began in earnest in Niagara Falls, Ontario.

J: I told Derrill that I had reeeeeally wanted to ride the boat up to the falls, so we did. Our entourage was Hyrum on a boat called the Maid of the Mist. It was really cute, they gave us each a blue plastic hoody to wear, so even Hyrum had one.

D: And he slept through it, water spraying in his face. And he slept through it!

J: I love the rocks at the bottom of the first falls, but the U shaped falls at the end are just indescribable.

D: Wet describes them pretty well. And tall.

J: It was glorious. I love the continuous motion of the falls.

D: One of the things that impressed me was the color. You had white water cascading, blue water underneath us, and green water at the tipping point of the falls and it was all the same water. You are the Waterfall Queen.

J: One of the things that Derrill and I both really like about being in upstate NY is the water and waterfalls. I also liked standing at the edge of the boat with all of the spray in my face.

D: Then we went down memory lane.

J: Our next treat was going to the Toronto temple.

D: In Brampton.

J: This trip to the temple was in commemoration of our first weekend dating. I say weekend because Derrill came to visit me, stayed at one of my friend’s homes and spent the weekend with me.

D: And being the slow, careful, shy man that I am and not wanting to give Joy any ideas, I took her to the temple. Actually she drove me, but that’s cause she had a car that was built in this century.

J: Nostalgia was really interesting remembering who I was then and now, I am so glad things turned out the way they did.

D: That first weekend I also took her bowling, to eat Chinese, and for a romantic walk through knee deep snow when we held hands for the first time. Anyway back to the story.

J: We both did some initiatory work for the dead, taking turns watching Hyrum. It was so peaceful and wonderful to be back at the temple since we have had a four month hiatus.

D: While I was walking Hyrum around the temple grounds, I really enjoyed explaining to him why the temple is important and I took him out of his car seat to let him touch the temple.

J: When I got back to the car Derrill had left a surprise on my seat.

D: So did Hyrum but I didn’t want to tell her about that one. (just kidding)

J: It was a book that I have been dieing to read and I've been making a pilgrimage to in the book store for a while. I even had been walking in the store and reading a few pages from it while I was exercising one day.

D: She didn’t tell me about her visits to Mecca. I just knew she really wanted it.

J: It is called My Dearest Friend, a compilation of letters written by Abigail and John Adams to each other.

D: It seemed a very appropriate anniversary gift.

-------
D: So as Hyrum told you all, we then drove to the restaurant where we went on our first date: The Mandarin. A temple worker had recommended it last time we were there, and we were not disappointed.

J: It has GREAT atmosphere and some really neat rooms. And the all you can eat buffet is really cool. Buffets, I should say.

D: There are two buffets of regular Chinese entrees, one for salad, one for bread and soup, another for a grill with more US affair, and a ... 12345 ... 6th buffet with desserts PLUS the ubiquitous ice cream cart.

J: But you gotta be careful to get there before 9:30. I'm talking about before 9.

D: They're reasonable people. They'd like to go home too. They have to clean up. At 9:30, the food disappears. GONE. And they will not call it back again.

J: Derrill and I took turns taking care of Hyrum and getting food.

D: Otherwise we both might have had our fill. Joy was still looking forward to some items she hadn't had enough of, though I was happily stuffed.

J: Our waitress was really nice, and everyone paid homage to the boy. She took a picture of us and give it to us in a little frame. My favorite is the waterfall mountain as you come in the front doors.

D: They have two adjoining rooms in an aquarium theme, two more separated rooms with a bird theme (complete with both live and stuffed birds), and another large room with bamboo displays and a running waterfall that's a good 12-15 feet high.

J: And everyone converges on the same food.

D: I particularly enjoyed their fried fish. It was some Really good fish.

J: I really liked the grilled chicken and the clam chowder soup.

D: "Hyrum" wasn't exaggerating when he said there were 3 dozen servers. There were 4 for our small room alone, plus another guy watching them to make sure everyone had enough water.

J: We kept having people stop at our table who weren't our server, and she was plenty attentive.

D: We took some time after dinner to tour the restaurant, and nearly every server, busboy, cleaning lady, Tom, Dick, and Kim asked to see the baby in our papoose. They were astounded a baby could be so easily carried, at how small he was, ... and how cute!

D: The only other remarkable thing for me was on the drive home. We very nearly ran out of gas before we found an open station on the Canadian side of the border. I did realize that the listed price was in liters, not gallons, but because it was midnight I didn't bother calculating what the gallon price actually was. I prepaid the amount I would normally have spent, and only afterwards realized that the tank was far from full. I refilled again on the NY side, thankful that the Democrats and Greens haven't upped our gas taxes another $1 yet, as they have in "Canadia."

J: It was just a great day. I was really thankful that, as at other times, the Lord has helped our baby to have a nice peaceful day so Derrill and I could spend some time together.

D: It was a very nice day with my sweetheart.