Football is my Favorite Season

There are some experiences that are just more memorable than others.  

It’s football season and from now until November our week will consist of practices and walk throughs Monday through Wednesday.  A JV game and then varsity team dinner on Thursday.  A varsity game on Friday and then a seventh grade game on Saturday.  Some parents hope for losses to pile up so that the teams don’t go far in the playoffs.  We don’t.  It’s really an amazing thing to be there and watch these guys play.  To see them struggle, to hear their name called out on the loud speaker and most importantly to hug them at the end of a long sweaty game where their eye black is smeared, their arms are bruised and their smiles are gigantic.  I can’t think of a thing I enjoy more of as a Dad.  

Our boys play for Skyridge High School.  They play in the largest classification in Utah and it has a really good athletic program.  The area is fairly wealthy because it sits in the middle of the Silicon Slopes Tech center but is not as wealthy as say Lone Peak or Draper.  Which in a way is good because it is home to quite a few former BYU and Utah athletes who also played formerly in the NFL and now want to be around to coach.  It also lends to recruiting high quality players because of Utah’s very liberal transfer policy.  So lots of kids come to this school for the coaching and opportunities they can get here.  In the last couple of years, the school’s instagram has humble bragged by posting all of the D1 schools that have come to SHS to recruit.  It includes nearly every SEC, B1G, ACC, B12 and former P12 teams.  As well as all of the smaller local universities.  It is beyond remarkable.  Even that douche bag from the University of Utah flew into one of our games on a helicopter to impress the recruits last year.  Tausili is now playing at Texas and Darius will be at Oklahoma next year. 

My boys are not exactly on that level but they are tough and they are persistent.  So four years ago we signed them up and asked them to try.  Brigham was elated, Mackay’s response was an emphatic, “Well nobody asked me!”  It’s been a rough road and a tough haul.  They have had amazing experiences and awful ones.  For instance, Brigham was so pissed off at several of his ‘teammates’ that he decided not to play Junior year and Mackay commented on the terrible juxtaposition that he felt going to football summer camp in Cedar City only days after being on a spiritual high at EFY.  I could only sheepishly apologize for their bad experiences and tell them that it would ultimately be for their good.  

I think that is particularly true for BG.  When he quit Junior year I expected that it was over for good.  But instead that kid learned that he loved lifting weights and he hit the gym hard.  He lifted nearly everyday for a year on his own and worked his guts out to shape and build his body into a really large chiseled physique.  It didn’t hurt that he was 16, but man he worked so hard and changed so much that his mother actually pulled him aside and asked if he was using HGH or something.  Then most of the turds on the team also quit because they saw their playing time would be minimal.  To my surprise, this spring Brig came to his mother and I and said that he was interested in playing again.  We told him he needed to talk to the coaches and ask if they would allow him back on the team.  He did—and to their credit—they did.  

We didn’t go into this naively; the idea that he would suddenly be a starter and a star was not even a consideration.  He wanted the challenge and the team experience.  He wanted to prove to himself that he could.  His uncle Matt said it well when he congratulated Brigham and commented, “This is a hard thing you have done and it speaks to your exceptional character.  I don’t know that I would have had the humility and strength to do the same as you have at your age.”  Things haven’t been easy and probably never will be for this young man.  But these boys are all learning things that they just can’t get at this age except by playing sports.  

The problem with Skyridge being such a good football program is that it is fairly difficult to get out of conference teams in Utah to play them.  Corner is always game and Bingham is cool too.  But East and West won’t return our calls and schools in Logan have unplugged the answering machine.  So we called Liberty HS in Vegas and Cherry Creek in Denver.  Both high powered programs and not afraid of an upstart from Utah.  Three weeks ago the team took a charter bus down to Sin City and Michelle, DT and I drove the 9 hours to Henderson one week after my last cancer surgery.  We drove down the strip, we walked across the bridge in front of the Hoover Dam and we cheered on our boys as they won both the JV and Varsity games in solid fashion.  What a beautiful place, a beautiful experience and beautiful boys.  I took pictures from the sidelines with David as my personal assistant, then we distributed those shots to the parents a few days later. 

We had a boy on the field for almost the entire JV game as BG plays defense and CM is an O-Lineman. I didn’t even know that Brig was playing until 20 feet away from my face he nearly sacked the quarterback for a safety and forced an errant throw on 3rd and long.  The announcer called out the pressure and my son’s name.  After the prodigal-son-eque experience he has been through over the last several years it was an emotional overflow that I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by.  It really did make my heart swell and I cried for a moment to see him excel like that.

I can’t help but love these boys.  Each day I feel like it’s growing deeper and more profound.  I am learning to correct and teach without anger and harshness.  Well, without anger anyhow.  But I want only their best and their greatest success.  I wish that I had done better to establish certain attributes in them but I have taught them the best principles I could and they are doing better than I could hope.  They will be great and this little football experience is just one way of teaching them to get there.  

As an aside, Creek was rivals to Michelle’s alma mater in Denver. Skyridge whipped them and she was very happy about that.  Almost a little too happy.

Quotable Quotes

 Alright, two quotes from boys:

Mackay is first.  He has this thing where he talks for our dog, Chocolate Thunder.  I mean he really gets into it even taking on a whole new persona and voice.  It is pretty amazing and probably the funniest thing he does.  For a while Choco was very aggressive toward Brigham and they would go back and forth for quite a while.  Those exchanges are hilarious to observe.  So last week the acronym, RBF came up somehow and none of the boys knew what it stood for.  We kind of talked our way around it until finally we just told them point blank what it meant and asked them not to go around saying the actual terminology out loud.  So fast forward to yesterday and we're all sitting around the kitchen listening to Choco go on and suddenly he starts talking about his mom. "You no dat Mommie Belka had a serious RBF."  Now at first I thought this was funny because Belka is in fact a female dog and so it was quite cleaver what Mackay had done with the play on words.  But then he (through Choco) took a left turn I was not expecting, "You know her RBF, Resting Belka Face!"  The dumb Choco voice inflection was perfect and I laughed for 5 minutes straight.  Not sure why I found that so funny but his timing and execution were on point that day.  

David.  Tonight DT had a Bantam League basketball game.  I help coach the team and it's really pretty fun.  he and I arrived at the Westlake HS gym about 35 minutes early, so our first stop was the latrine.  I go into a stall to do my business and Dave is standing at a urinal.  We are the only ones there so he felt at ease to carry on a conversation.  "So Dad, I have to tell you I hate it when they don't have a divider between the urinals.  It's kind of weird, ya know?"  "I agree Dave, luckily you are all by yourself today." I replied.  "Ya, well, sometimes when I have others near by I kind of guard it by turning just a bit so they can't see."  That's logical.  He continued, "...and then I'll hold my hand out a few inches extra just so they think it's bigger than it really is."  Wow, I almost swallowed my gum.  Not expecting that from my 12 year-old.  I choked out the response, "I suppose we've all done that at some time or another son."  Wow.  Just wow.

The gaigantor basketball story

 This is a story that David wrote on my laptop last year.  It is competely unedited.  And a bit unfinished.  You know how they say you can learn alot about the sins of the preacher by listening to what he says at the pulpit?  This Jasen kid sounds familiar.  I love this.

The gaigantor basketball story

David Bradbury

June 2022

 

 

So my name is David and there is a story that I would like to tell you about a guy I know and his name is Jasen I know it is a ordinary name but it is his name and I can’t help it  is just his name. So I know you have heard about the kid who suckes at a sport and then gets better by practis and beats the really good guys but that is what happened but I’m not going to bore you about it but his story his really good and it all starts in the year 2021.It was the year after covid I mean it was still around but it is still there thoo  but  every one had calmed down and his parents like most wanted him to do a sport and like some he did not really want to do any sports and he didn’t want to do anything nothing really stuck out to him. He was kind of when you don’t really want to do anything and you are bored all the time it really isn’t fun to do anything and then like some you find a sport and you are like this is the best thing ever how did I not know about this before? I don’t know if that is just me or but this happened to him and that sport he found was basketball and it was new for him he had have tried soccer, bowling, tennis, baseball, and many more but he did not really like most and he had I mean he had heard about basketball but he had never really tried it and he did not really want to try it he thought he had tried enough sports for a while I mean he had done like ten which is pretty good if I don’t say so myself and he was good at the other sports and he liked them but he did not want to really want to continue he was like amasing he did really good things and he was the best but he did not like them the second time around he still liked them just not at much so he went from sport to sport to sport never really finding one he liked and could see himself doing again he just was stumped and did not know what to do and then his friend a me told him about basket ball and he was like I’ve never really tried it and so his friend took him to a basketball court in lehi Utah united states of America 

The Dark Side of the Force is Strong with this One.

 Mackay has a thing with calling people “Monkeys” right now.  We’ve talked to him about the implications of saying that in mixed company but he means no mal intent with it and just thinks it is a funny sounding word.  So he uses it.  Last night we were driving from LA to St George and just as we were passing Mesquite NV, Mackay woke up in the back seat of the Telluride.  I still don’t know how exactly but over the stereo a funny voice came on and called out “MOnnnKeeey!”  We all laughed because it happened right as Mack was coming back into consciousness.  

Michelle to Mack, “How’d you do that?! The timing was perfect.”

Mackay retorted—in a very confused and dazed state— “The dark side of the force is a pathway to many abilities that some consider to be… Unnatural.”

I almost cried I laughed so hard. He frequently says these things that just seem to come out.  I don't know where they come from or why but when he says these things, he gets me to the core. 

For spring break this year Michelle decided that the boys needed to experience Disneyland.  So we drove to St George last Friday, spent the night with Gene and Connie and then left Choco with them and continued on across the Mojave to Irvine where we played with Kellie and went to Disney Monday and Tuesday.  Monday was great, super crowded but still able to have a good time.  Tuesday, we went to California Adventure and it was just stupid.  Every ride took fooooor evvvvvvvv errrrrrr. Like at 3 in the afternoon we had only been able to ride three rides.  The lines were painfully long and the ones that weren’t were broke.  It was not worth it.  

We spent the next day driving out to see SOFI stadium and going to the beach and then we had a really nice BBQ cookout with Kellie at her pool.  It was just beautiful and nice.  Kellie was very gracious and we had a wonderful time. 

On the way home, we stopped in Las Vegas to see the Raiders training facility and new Allegiant stadium, both amazing, and then we drove down the strip for fun.  Mackay had to go to the bathroom really bad so he and I jumped out and ran into a casino to use the facilities while Michelle was stopped in traffic.  Rather than go around the block she continued driving straight.  And stopped in Mesquite.  Mackay and I just had to walk all that way to catch up to her.  We saw 4x Feathered and almost naked Vegas girls, 3x trailer billboards for strip clubs, 2x Aston Martins and 1x drug deal in front of us.  It was a great learning experience for Mackay.  

DT - Passer of Sacraments

Today was a cool day.  They recently combined our anemic ward with another ward that they had to break up because it was so large--much to the chagrin and even anger of those ward members. In that process we changed buildings to the one right behind Chris' house and moved our start time up to 9am.  It's pretty hard to get kids up on a Sunday for church that early and even harder to get them up earlier to prepare the sacrament.  But we did and today we got to watch something really fulfilling as parents.

All three of our boys had a hand in preparing, blessing, passing and caring for the sacrament.  Even David.  Yesterday we had a small ceremony here in our home where I ordained him to the Aaronic priesthood and the office of Deacon.  Man, that was neat.  Bishop Christiansen, Meema, Buhpa, Grandma Susie, PK, KK, Ava, Stellie-toot-toots, and Tyler all made it for the morning ceremony.  There are few pleasures I have that are more important to me or treasured longer than the opportunity to participate in these events.  I remember each one.  

It was, of note, a touch bitter sweet.  Since all of our boys are now in Young Men's the corollary to that statement is that we no longer have any children in nursery or primary.  They are growing up and that to a small degree makes me nostalgically sad.  David still climbs up and cuddles on my lap.  He's almost too big but I don't want to admit that because I'd lose this fleeting opportunity. 

Last night BG went on his 1st 16-year-old date.  He met a cute girl name Malia at a stake dance.  I guess she goes to Lehi HS.  Turns out she has a cute friend named Lia who caught the fancy of Brigham's friend Isaac.  So, they set up a double date at Malia's house to watch a movie and hang out.  And hold hands.  Brigham is now 16 and has a license and is very excited to take his friends out, now that he can drive.  He already tagged the Sorento with a sticker on the back window of the Skyridge Falcon so as to try and lay claim on my car.  Good try buddy.  

As he's walking out the door I dropped the best dad joke of my young dad career. "Hey BG, when you get there are you planning to introduce the girls to Isaac like, 'This is Malia, and that is your Lia.'" He's still rolling his eyes and sighing.  I hope he tried it.  I love these boys like crazy.  It's hard being parents to teenagers but we're getting better. 

Man Boobs and a Stuck Pig

Teenagers are really fun.  They love to joke and play, they will engage you in ways that you don't expect and they are silly beyond acceptable behavior frequently.  Michelle has a particular talent for spinning the boys up and throwing them a curve ball that they don't know what to do with.  So they respond in kind and in a very sophomoric and playful way they banter back and forth incessantly.  I always thought that she would be the one that was super good with toddlers and children and I would be the cool teenager dad.  It turned out to be quite the opposite.

As an example: Late one night everyone was getting ready for bed.  Mackay in particular does not do well when his useful waking hours allotment has been exceeded.  He gets grumpy, a bit short with people and he looses the sheath on his sharp tongue.  So we were getting ready for bed and he, of course, was the first to be brushed and changed and was anxiously pushing for everyone to calm down so he could close his eyes.  The problem is that the other three (Michelle included) seemed, as with most nights, to just be spinning up.  The jokes and stories and one off quips kept coming back and forth.  Eventually the topic of discussion came to man-boobs.  Yes, man-boobs.  How do they form, why do they form, what is the purpose of them, do they ladies like them, etc?  Eventually the question was posed, 'What is the name of the medical condition that XXXX (their friend with man-boobs) has?'  Exasperated Mackay very loudly announced, "I know what the name of that condition is called.  It's called... 'Who the Hell Cares!?!'" And then he went to bed. While the other rolled on the floor laughing.

Then, the night before last, we were all kneeling down to say our family prayer.  Usually it takes one person kneeling down and within 8-9 minutes you can eventually convince the rest to do the same.  Well, per usual Brigham was the last one to the ground and he was engrossed in something on his phone.  He finally knelt down next to Mackay and then Mackay turned to pick up something behind Brigham.  Now I have to assume responsibility for what happened next, at least to a degree, because like pavlov's dog I have conditioned these children that if they do not protect their rear ends that they will be swatted just for fun.  It has happened to them thousands of times over the years.  Subconsciously Brigham knew that by entering the family prayer circle he was in a danger zone and when Mackay rotated behind Brigham he reflexively squealed like a cross between a stuck pig and 12 y/o girl while clutching his rear end and falling away from Mack.  He lost his balance and tumbled landing hard on his side.  I wish I had a recording of the sound that came from his mouth.  It was hilarious.  It made me laugh so hard that I too fell over and began to cry.  It took us an additional 20 minutes to compose ourselves to where we could finally pray.  

Teenagers suck but man sometimes they are great.  

Hail to the Patriarch

It's been busy around here.  Really busy.  The boys spent a week at BYU doing FSY camp while I was in Phoenix last weekend trying to convince a broke airplane to fly so that I could get home.  And not 20 minutes too early because I ran in the house, said hi to everyone and then jumped straight into the shower.  I got dressed and ran out to the car where Brigham and Michelle were waiting for me to drive over to the Stake Patriarch's house.  We were welcomed in to the living room where we chatted for a second to get to know each other a bit and then Patriarch Howes took BG into the front room where they talked a little more about the blessing.  The rest of us were invited in and the blessing was then pronounced on his cute little head.  

I have to admit something.  I peaked.  The entire time.  I watched this boy and saw something that I don't get to see every day.  He was somber, he recognized the importance of the event and was paying it all due respect.  I personally felt the spirit very strongly.  At one point my long tall stoic son even began to cry.  I've never seen that before.  

When I was a young man, I remember standing up and carrying my baby to the front of the chapel to be presented to our congregation and given a name and baby blessing.  In that moment the heavens were open to me for just a moment to feel how great and wonderful my son has always been and still will be.  I felt and saw that again in this patriarchs front room.  Brigham is a remarkable person.  I am trying my hardest to teach and raise him properly but man I can't wait until he is ready to do whatever it is that the Lord has in store for him to do.  He is one of the greatest among us.  I love him very much.

Fast forward to today.  It's Fathers Day.  I wasn't TDY this weekend but it still seemed to be a rush to get to the Patriarch's house.  This time it was Mackay's turn.  Mackay as a whole is incredibly capable and competent.  He seems to lack a belief in himself, a confidence in his abilities.  I can't count how many times we have drug him to football practice, to school competitions, to friend parties, to a million other things and he has sworn up and down that he cannot do these things and then once there he realizes that he can, and they are fun.  He comes home with great excitement and resolve.  His blessing was like that again.  

The set up was almost the same.  It was nice to talk with Sister Howes, she is a genuinely sweet person.  the blessing began again and again I just watched my son.  He couldn't stop smiling.  Brilliant, soul-full smiles.  At the end he was most proud that he was promised he could be there in the morning of the first resurrection, that he was there in the premarital existence cheering for the Lord's plan and that he would be able to find a cute and faithful girl to marry.  

I love this boy.  He brings me great joy.  He is growing into his own and will become the man that the blessing has outlined.  If he does, I could not think of anything better that I could hope for. 

Ordained Priest and Teacher

Late last night I saw Brigham furiously procrastinating the writing of his first sacrament meeting talk that he was to give today.  This morning I saw the same thing.  As parents we encouraged, we cajoled, we informed him of the time and all the things that needed to happen.  Our efforts were to no avail.  He surfed the internet and seemed to be reading his scriptures but really, in the end I'm not sure what he did for those several hours.  So at 10:30 this morning I sat him down and threw the "Charity is the love of Christ" scripture up on the screen.  I talked to him about it and gave him the gist of what he would need.  I taught him a few basics about how to teach that scripture and then I left him to think about it for the next couple of minutes.  But then it was time to go.

We jumped in the truck and drove to church.  We got there at 11:05 and waited in the young men's room while the bishop ordained several other young men.  Meema, Buhpa, Grandma Susie, Paul, Ava, Stella, Chris, Alicia, Bryton, Boston and the Blondies were all there.  It was quite a showing, one for which we were tremendously grateful.  Brigham and Mackay were shortly ordained to the offices of Priest and Teacher in the Aaronic Priesthood by their dad and given a blessing.  Adam, Chris, Buhpa, and Bishop Moulton were all in the circle.

Then we went into sacrament.  Mackay dutifully prepared the sacrament table and the trays of bread and water for the whole ward.  Adam showed him the ropes and it was a pretty special shared experience.  Then he went to the door and warmly welcomed everyone who entered the sanctum.  

We never have any more than two people bless the sacrament in our ward; usually because we just can't get that many to show up on time.  But today we had three brand new Priests who all wanted the experience.  So Adam joined them, just to make sure they were all comfortable.  Brigham, Amani, Caleb and Adam each broke a tray of bread and they all performed admirably.  It was quite a thing.  For me personally, to stand next to my son and bless the sacrament, I will never forget that moment.  I was very proud of him and who he has become in the last 15 years.  

In the pews below, I later learned that his mother also noted the moment.  When BG knelt down to bless, she began to cry.  And according to David she cried for nearly the whole passing of the sacrament.  She's kind of a softy.

If that had been all, it was already a big day.  But then Brigham was introduced as the youth speaker and gave a talk on Charity.  His lead in joke was kind of funny, his follow up explaination of his deliberate procrastination was sharp because it was so true and his explaination of how a certain scripture was "the OG" and then what that slang means for all the old people in the congregation, was pretty solid.  His mother turned to me at that point and said, "you know that he's your son, right?"  

But then something magical happened, like I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it for myself.  He started to teach that scripture in the exact same way I had taught it to him that morning.  Like almost word for word.  Seriously.  Now, I know that this doesn't seem like much, but hear me out.  If you had been in that room this morning and seen the teenage angst, the far away look, the utter lack of interest, the stone-cold-I-don't-care gaze you would not have believed that a word you were saying was heard either.  And yet it was.  All of it.  It was nothing short of amazing.  

Later, after the evening Come Follow Me lesson, Buhpa told me that they hear more than you know and it's in there.  I wouldn't have believed him before, but now Brig has thrown me for just enough of a loop that I don't know what to think.  

The funny thing is, for as frustrating as I found it to have a son that procrastinated and was more concerned with his lead-in joke than the content of his talk I saw a bit of myself in his behavior.  Back when I was his age in my little ward in Blytheville Arkansas, I remember telling my mother 15 minutes before sacrament that I was supposed to give a talk myself.  I'd known about this assignment for weeks and had even made a half-hearted effort to pull something together.  Then, the morning of, she asked me how I was doing and so I fessed up that even my opening joke wasn't that good.  She sat in the truck in the parking lot before church, furiously writing out my talk for me - because I was an idiot - and then watched as I read a talk that I'd never seen before.  She was so exasperated with me that during the rest of sacrament she wrote a letter to her Dad explaining how exceptionally talented and dumb her little absentminded professor was.  I know this because she later read that letter at my going away for my mission.  I suppose that for as much as things change, they all stay the same.  

Today was magical.  It was a blessing from our Lord above to participate in such great family events and to be the parents of these three boys.  I'm blown away by the support they recieve from extended family and our little ward family and hope and pray that they know how much we love and appreciate each of them.  These boys do not become who they will become without their influence.  

DTIABH

One quick DT quote:

A couple of weeks ago I was in St George and I decided to wash the car.  It turned out that the windows were dirty not because of what was on the outside, but rather, because of what was smeared on the inside.  So I went out and washed them late one evening.  But it was dark and I couldn't see what I was doing.  Turns out I just smoothed out the smear and just made the problem worse.  So the next day, while looking through the haze on a quick trip to town with DT, I reached up and wrote, "DT is a Butthead!" in huge letters.  He didn't think that was funny and was summarily stopped from any attempt to alter or correct the disparagement.  

It was really cool because most of the time you couldn't see it, but when the sun hit the window just right, everybody in the car was reminder that DT was in fact, a butthead.  I still haven't gotten around to cleaning that window, mostly out of principle.

Now fast forward to to yesterday.  I'm finally over being sick and I take DT to Chick Fil A to go pick up some dinner.  We're sitting in the pick-up stall waiting for the food and I half-thinkingly mention that I need to get the windows washed.  He chirps in, over the glow of some stupid video game in his lap, "Ya, especially this front one.  It says something mean about this really handsome guy."  Doesn't miss a beat.  I suppose that's why we call him Davie Smooth.

The Santa Clause

 Merry Christmas!  This year we are in St George again.  We drove down together on Thurday and have enjoyed a beautiful weekend of boys, football throwing, presents, noise and legos.  There were just a couple of things I wanted to talk about to make note of.

First is that I came down here just last week.  My sister had a rough go of driving to California for the holiday and her husband ended up in the hospital.  A very frightened little girl called her uncle addie and asked me to come get her.  So I did.  G&C were very kind and helped us with no end.  Then after a few days we drove home together.  

Second happened a few weeks ago.  School was still in and the semester winding down.  David has taken to running down the street to play with the Liufau boys in the afternoon, either basketball, football or just tag.  Then he discovered a pair of relatively under-utilized rollerblades.  And he was hooked.  He began to ask me everyday to take him to the roller-rink.  Much to my discredit, I always had an excuse why it wouldn't work; I got home too late from work, the snow was too deep, I hurt my bad.  All of which were legitimate at the time but still not understandable from a 10-year-old perspective.  

Finally I decided that I must take him on a dAddie dAte even though I wouldn't be able to skate because of my back.  So we went and got to icecream from McDonalds and parked in the Cabela's lot overlooking all of Utah Valley.  We talked about a thousand things and really enjoyed to moment.  But then David got quite serious.

"Dad, I know I'm not allowed to use the 10-second rule yet but you can and I really need you too." Oh dear, this is big. "Dad, I need to know, is Santa Claus real?"

Oh man, you know that question is coming someday but you never expect it and it always hurts when it finally does.  I cried a bit inside and then did the best I could to respond appropriately. "What do you think D?"  He told me about his friends at school and how it was a really hot button topic right now.  He was pretty much 50/50 on the proposition and decided that he'd just go to me to resolve it.  There's something really special about having an innocent child trust you to guide and lead them in their most vulnerable state.  

"Well David, I'll tell you this, I don't know for certain if Santa does exist because I've never seen him myself.  However, I will tell you, 10-second Rule, that I do believe in Santa and the miracle of Christmas."  We went on and talked about how sometimes Parents to have to help Santa and how the logistics of getting down chimney's work (magic), the good things that Christmas does and the people we become because of those events.  

I remember having that same conversation with Brigham and Mackay.  It's a terrible conversation and a great conversation.  A moment in life where a child loses a touch of their innocence and yet becomes a little more aware of the world around them.  It is fascinating to see these boys grow up.  I know this is how you have to grow up, I just would that in some way it were a bit easier to get to that point.  

Merry Christmas 2021.

Oooo-weee!

Today was a great day as a dad.  

I had to work this weekend because it was Drill.  So when I come home, a little later than I had hoped, I neglected to call Michelle and tell her that I was on my way.  I have a 10 year old that likes to keep tabs on me so he opened the 360 app on his mothers phone and all afternoon he watched to see when I was on the freeway.  As I came down the street in my little red car I see him blasting out of the house.  It's obvious that he has been anxiously engaged in my progress and he was now there to be the first to welcome me home.  He ran down the hill and nearly jumped through my open window before I could even get the car stopped.  If you've never had a 10 year old love you that much, I pray that you do.  It is the greatest feeling in the world.  

I came in, got changed and listened to David tell me all about his exciting weekend in Idaho with his mother as they helped Meema and Buhpa move into their new house.  He was the only kid around as Jan and Brett, Matt, Mason and Ashlyn, Breeanne and Michelle all converged on Rigby to do good things for their parents.  David works hard/plays hard and he represented me well to his aunts and uncles with his intense work ethic.  He is a great kid and everything I could hope he would be at this age.

As an aside, BG and CM had gone on a scout campout to Dead Horse Point.  I went to the BYU game on a date with my cousin-niece Boston and then to a hockey game in Ogden with Paul K and the Burkhardts. It's been busy and nice.

We eventually moved it into the dining room and sat down for dinner.  Michelle had had a frustrating afternoon with Brigham trying to get him to do his homework instead of just looking at memes on the computer.  Her heart was empty and needed a little filling.  So after the prayer and a lot of haranguing to get them to behave properly at the table I asked each boy to give five compliments to their mother.  They jumped at the opportunity, Chaco being the first.  It was sweet to listen to.  They are not dumb boys and they could see exactly what the unspoken objective was.  The sincere observations and sweet nature of their affection was really nice.  A couple of small tears formed on her cheek and by the end of the meal she was a different woman.  It was a nice lesson for both me and the blondies on the power of kind words to your mother.  

A strange thing happened at that point.  We just sort of sat there and talked.  The food was eaten and Brigham cleared away several of the dishes, and we just stayed and talked some more and some more.  We told stories and jokes.  We one upped each other in serious conversation and jovial fraternity.  It was a first of it's kind in some way I have a hard time describing.  This dinner conversation felt different than any other we've had, at least to me it did.  It was an adult conversation.  Kind of.  Rarely did I have to give them a prompt or mandate that they share.  The topics were various and fulfilling.  We each were built up in a way unique to us and our role in the family.  It was a special experience; one which I hope we have thousands of more times throughout our lives.  These boys are amazing.  This family is pretty great.  I'm stupid lucky to even be a part of it all.  

"If he dies, he dies." - Ivan Drago

Today was David's last Ward Primary program.  All the little tinky's in the ward get up and class by class say their spoken word part and sing these great little primary songs.  Watching Brigham was exhilarating because he would try so hard and you didn't know what would come out.  Mackay, would generally read his part more fluidly that the teacher who put it on the paper for him.  And in each the thrill was palpable as a parent.  

But today was a little bit different.  We still felt the anxiety.  We still craned our necks to see if we could catch his eye every so often, but knowing this was our last primary program that our children would participate in made it feel a bit different.  Our boys are growing up.  I am terribly happy to see that and just a touch sad too.  It's a simple joy in life to see your child follow a teacher up in front of the entire ward and have the courage to speak into a microphone.  Then, and this is usually more difficult to accomplish, have the wherewithal to not sing a song into the microphone afterward.  

As he stood up on deck to the microphone I made eye contact.  I first put my hands into the shape of a heart and then pointed at him.  He smiled and felt warm all over.  Then I pointed to me with my thumb, took my two hands together and rotated the wrists down in a breaking motion and pointed to him again, with a short two fingers held up.  Just so he'd know what would happen to him if he screwed up and defamed the family name.  

Mackay's season ended yesterday to a really good Westlake team.  Brigham's will go on for another week. He got to play a series at the end of the game and almost sacked the quarterback.  He is a hustler.  

If coach just woulda put me in, we'd'a won state. No doubt. No doubt in my mind.

 A follow up to the football post from the beginning of the season.  It is now the end of the season, or almost there.  David Taft is done, Mackay has just won his first round in the playoffs and Brigham is sitting on a two week bye before his team begins their playoff run.  

Let's begin with David.  On the first day of 4th grade flag football practice the coach cornered me and another dad and informed us he would be traveling to Wisconsin for a few weeks.  So we were it.  I have a tendency to take over, and take over I did.  I built a playbook the boys could study, I hollered and cajoled kids into doing things they never thought they could.  We had a tremendous amount of fun.  And we won games.  On the first practice we huddled the kids up and asked them what they wanted for a mascot.  "The Jets!" "The Saints!", "The 49ers" ... then the spark of inspiration hit. "The Slimey Pickles." "That's it.  That's our mascot and will be forever."  We took that Pickle moniker and ran with it.  Everything was about the pickles.  From our Pregame Pickle Pump up Playlist, to Pickle Sixes, to the Most Valuable Pickles awarded at the end of each game.  Our plays included the CocaCola, the Sam's Cola (a fake), the Quebec (a QB sneak), the Pitchburgh, and the Dallas Dive.  It was amazing and a ton of fun.  8-0, undefeated and most all games were not even close.  Even the epic clash with our cross town rivals - The Trashcans.

DT has really taken to football.  Like REALLY taken to football.  That kid carries a football everywhere.  We throw it almost every day.  He talks about it.  We watch many games together. We study it.  He sleeps with his football.  He could be a good QB or a great receiver.  He is a pretty amazing, smooth athlete.

Mackay is the one I am surprise by.  When we decided to do this, we asked Brigham if he would like to play tackle football, now that he is in 9th grade.  He'd been interested back in Florida but we had hesitated and figured he'd lost the desire.  But he said yes.  So we signed BG, CM and DT up.  To which Mackay responded, "Nobody consulted me on this!"  Fair enough son, but you are the one that needs to play.  The first day of tryouts were amazing.  A kid half his size and weight took Mackay and drove him 10 yards away from the QB dummy.  He had no idea what he was doing or if he even wanted to be there.  But then he was put on the 8th grade B team with Coach Crane.  What a perfect match.  He has blossomed.  He is a Right Guard and beyond sold on being an offensive lineman.  Just a big tough kid that loves this game.  He is now driving kids bigger than himself 3 yards back and counts up pancakes at the end of every game because he loves that stat.  

His coach approached me during a game the other day and asked, "How tall are you? And his mother?"  "Mackay has gotten so much better over the course of the season.  Please get him on a weight lifting regimen during the summer because this kid is big enough and good enough to be a real player in High School."  It was a tremendous compliment. 

It is a nice feeling to see you son get out of the truck and walk up to his team with gear in hand and see him immediately pulled into the conversation and an arm put around his shoulders.

BG: The world is not big enough for this young man.  As a 9th grader who is new to the game, he hasn't gotten many opportunities to play in the games.  Skyridge is currently ranked 98th in the country, per Maxpreps.  By 9th grade they expect kids to have been playing for 3-4 years and they kind of know who their athletes are.  So BG sits on the sideline for most games.  I've seen him get a few tackles, and play several series.  He has been to almost every practice and is terribly energetic in cheering on his teammates.  His body is changing.  He spends many a minute every night, shirtless and standing in front of a mirror;  very impressed with his progress.  

In the last game, Jan and Brett came to watch.  BG got in towards the end for a couple of series.  He was playing NG on defense.  The coolest thing I saw was that even though he never got the tackle, he was the second or third defender there.  May I remind you, he was the NG and he was the second guy there on pass plays to the sideline or over the middle.  He has some sweet hustle if he wants to.  Both Brett and I were really impressed.  

But the thing he likes the most out of this experience is the social aspect.  He is a zagazoo right now-at home.  But he has found a tribe and the idea of being on a team just excites him.  And for me, the sight of him wandering around the track at a varsity game with a gaggle of kids in Skyridge jerseys, makes my dad heart happy.

This has been busy.  Like for two months straight we had three to four games every Saturday, including BYU home games.  It has been good and I'm grateful to be able to watch them do this.  And now that they know a little bit about what is going on in the game, they find it more interesting to watch.  I have two season tickets to the BYU home games this year and one of my secret pleasures is being able to take a son with me on a dAddie dAte to the game.  Just the two of us for a couple of hours sharing something that both of us enjoy.  It's like a little piece of heaven for me.

We just came back from a pretty cool trip and just for documenting sake I thought we should share it.

Janice and Brett take their whole family on some pretty incredible vacations and expeditions.  They have been to China, New Mexico, Cancun and now to North Carolina.  Benson married Emily this summer and less than a month later Brady married Laura.  Logan graduated High School with more tassels than a Persian rug and is about to go away on his mission to where ever the Lord see's fit to send him.  So they thought a trip to the land of Tar Heels, Blue Devils and a Wolfpack would be a nice opportunity to spend with everyone before they all get too busy with their lives.  

And for us, North Carolina is just down the road.  15 hours down the road but certainly nothing we wouldn't do for our family.

We spent the first night in Savannah Georgia.  I've heard from friends that this is a very comfortable place but I was surprised how much I enjoyed it.  We knew nothing o=f= the history of the town and so we did something I'd never tried before, a tour bus.  It worked out well seeing that we only had 4 hours before we needed to get on the road anyhow.  We Learned about the revolutionary war, the Civil War, SpongeBob Squarepants, Forrest Gump, movies in the park, and where "keeping up with the Jones'" came from.  

Then we met up with the Bagley's and caravanned out to the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  0mmmmmmbbb by        yuhi8hhhhhhhhhjjj        uhuy89y8ou8u lo8iy8hyy88yy8yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyjnvvvvvvvvvhjhuyhvjuggggvgggvvchhkjjkjhkjjkkkkkllklklkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkklkkklk;kklklklklkllkjklmccmcmcmvvmvmvmvv.v.ccvvmbkkvkkvkvkvvkvkkvkvkkkkkkkckkcc m.clmklmklcjjk. m;xlcmdc/kdsrgo9rtug98ugjjjjjjjnjjjjjcbzfvghzfcf

written June 14, 2015