tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46670586831928607552024-03-14T11:14:54.471-07:00Life's Rewards (my meaningful blog)<a href="http://trentlarson.com/blog-life/motivation.html">Why should we stick around here, anyway?</a>Trenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14351761884225439912noreply@blogger.comBlogger73125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4667058683192860755.post-55049858646746574242017-04-09T12:00:00.000-07:002017-04-23T10:09:40.099-07:00Our Glorious AfterlivesThis morning Lynnette watched some video clips from yesterday's Mormon Transhumanist Conference. What?! I had no idea there was such a Mormon group, or that they did a full conference, much less that they've been organized for over a decade. She may only have listened because her cousin George Handley was one of the speakers, but the whole thing generated some good conversation and thoughts.<br />
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Many of their links discuss The Afterlife. It's such an emphasis for so many people and cultures, so I wanted to point out some of the great parts of life that we have even if there is no life after death... things that motivate me, and whose importance aren't appreciated enough.<br />
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What persists after we die?<br />
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Firstly, there are things that are first-hand impressions of our fundamental selves, which continue to affect other people directly. Many of my emotions are consequences of growing up with a loving father and mother, and I hope I'm nurturing the "good" emotions and growing them in my family and further. Beyond that, our actions are typically modelled on what we've experienced from others. Less spontaneous are the memories of experiences, including feelings or pictures in our mind's eyes. Then there are the life lessons and concepts that impressed us... thoughts that were verbalized or somehow taught directly to our thinking minds.<br />
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I often give thanks for my father's persistent, hard-working, optimistic example. And every once in a while I remember my grandfather's character: his body was twisted and painful, but he was always positive when I saw him. I remember him showing us with pride his tiny garden and how he adapted his hoe so he could actually hold it and work the hard ground; I don't know how much it has affected my psyche, but there is en effect there that has lasted long past his death.<br />
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Secondly, there are physical artifacts that we generate that can be shared and copied and passed around to affect other people; that obviously includes electronic items. We live on people's minds from the recorded sights and sounds made of us. We create art such as writing and architecture and film, down to how we decorate our homes and including group creations. I include technological advancements in that category. We record factual historical informatlon as well, and those can even serve as inspiration besides being educational. We may make discoveries that do nothing more than advance knowledge, but which change behaviors of societies.<br />
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All those physical items have potential intangible effects, so that our personal influence could be shared and even magnified.<br />
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I enjoy the stories of my ancestors. I'm lucky to have writings from the past few hundred years of American pioneers with fantastic stories; it's inspiring knowing that those are lives and experiences that directly affected all my lineage.<br />
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Finally, although I consider those immaterial aspects to be the most significant, there are many other physical artifacts that leave a tangible mark on the world: the clothing and shelter that protect, and even the food that nurtures and the fuel that energizes.<br />
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My mother consistently fed us meals of vegetables, homemade wheat bread (where she ground the wheat), and other good food. I attribute much of my health today to many years of investment into our physical care. My dad did his best to care for our homes and yards, and I'm sure people are still benefiting from his work.<br />
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All these are things we can leave that will have an effect for years or decades or even centuries to come. True, they are mingled with the afterglow from many other people, but we're contributing... and maybe our part is enough to make a significant difference. Many heros and charismatic figures are lauded repeatedly over time, but I feel that the repeated, small nudges (especially by parents) by multitudes of people over time are the things that advance society and well-being in the world.<br />
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The one unfortunate aspect of all this is that we may not experience any of it... death might be the end of that. But why focus on that? There is so much of our own majesty that carry on in all these aspects of life.<br />
<br />Trenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14351761884225439912noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4667058683192860755.post-26864740146396152332013-06-24T04:16:00.002-07:002013-06-24T04:18:11.852-07:00A Nephew's Vote of Confidence<br />
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My nephew Andrew said this on his way home from our family party on Saturday:<br />
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"I want to go to three places, the museum, the library, and Trent's house."<br />
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:-)<br />
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Trenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14351761884225439912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4667058683192860755.post-75237597397456381622012-08-28T17:30:00.000-07:002012-08-31T18:29:21.544-07:00Farewell Party<br />
Tonight was that party for us over at the church. I'm still having a hard time believing it... all those people (dozens!) that came just because we're leaving. (Of course Lynnette loved it; I try talking with people but it's just never natural.) Wow. Of course, people said nice things... they had to... all except Rex Marshall who was brutally honest... he's a funny man... but really, these genuinely good people spent their time there because of us. But I guess the food didn't hurt.<br />
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Wow.<br />
<br />Trenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14351761884225439912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4667058683192860755.post-75052134022720537932011-11-06T08:54:00.000-08:002012-08-30T23:09:08.620-07:00Unseen KindnessYesterday all the kids had a great time: they all went out with friends, Olivia to go shopping and everyone else to go sledding. But the great thing about it all was what I understood after they got home:<br />
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<li>Olivia was invited out by a girl at her school. As you may know, Olivia is mentally handicapped, so the fact that they did this is a real testament to their character... and it provides a great memory to Olivia who is extremely happy to have gone to the ballet, to McDonald's, and shopping together with someone.</li>
<li>Ella took Thomas with her because her friend has a little sister for him to play with. That was nice to see, but what was cool for them was the kindness of her friend's mom, who fed them hot chocolate and pizza and chips.</li>
</ul>
I didn't see any of this, but that makes it all the more valuable. <br />
<br />Trenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14351761884225439912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4667058683192860755.post-89771245925862978352011-06-19T10:21:00.000-07:002011-06-19T10:21:53.748-07:00The Kids Are Playing TogetherWe got a trampoline yesterday. It rained this morning, and it's a bit cold, but that's not stopping the kids from playing on it. But the greatest thing is that the three of them (Ella, Tolman, and Thomas) are all laughing and playing well together. It's been about 15 minutes and they haven't argued yet!<br />
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It's incredibly satisfying to watch.Trenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14351761884225439912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4667058683192860755.post-53775084886084689492011-03-25T07:05:00.000-07:002011-03-25T07:05:04.982-07:00Interactive TVLast night, PBS aired the Nova show "Making Stuff: Cleaner". The ads for these Nova shows looked interesting, with some technology journalist doing a colorful tour through some new developments; other editions were entitled "Stronger", "Smaller", and "Smarter." I don't really watch TV, I thought the boys might enjoy these.<br />
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So, after their bedtime at eight o'clock, I invited them in to watch. Tolman, age 9, is always interested in new stuff, so I figured it would hold his attention; Thomas, age 6, was a bit more questionable... would he actually stay and watch, or would he wander off or even distract us by trying to do something else?<br />
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It was fantastic. They would comment and ask questions from time to time; I hate that when watching movies, but this was exactly what I was hoping for. Halfway through, Thomas got a little blanket to cover himself and get comfortable, and Tolman joined us on the couch. They asked if we had any solar panels; Tolman's favorite parts involved the expanding foam made of food, the time-lapse decaying strawberries, and the way they processed "peas" (actually wheat) into plastic-like car parts.<br />
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And afterward, they went to right to their beds. Tolman asked if I knew that the sun is 93,000,000 miles from the earth and the moon is 250,000 miles away; he's into details like that. Then they both quietly read their books. Aaaaah. Now that's a good night.Trenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14351761884225439912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4667058683192860755.post-48527427459406996592011-03-21T07:27:00.000-07:002011-03-21T07:27:30.059-07:00Fresh Air and ConversationYesterday was Sunday, and I planned to do some of my own thing, but I wanted to at least show a little effort at being with the kids, so I did take a bit of time with each of them. (This is my weekly program of spending time about 30 minutes with each of them on Sunday.) I threw a bouncy ball with Thomas, but made it short. Then I went with Tolman out to his tree-house (actually a tree-platform right now); he likes to talk, and I mostly just listen. I actually ended up taking half-an-hour with him; I think being outside did me some good. Then I went in and woke up Ella who was still in bed; we talked for just a minute, and that was that. I also sat by Olivia for a minute and we reviewed the calendar for this week since she likes to know what's going on so she can remind us ad nauseum.<br />
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I ended up getting nothing of my own done.<br />
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So I'm sitting here reminiscing, and I realized what an accomplishment that was: to have a teen do nothing but lie in bed and talk with me is something I've got to appreciate. :-) I don't remember many specifics, but I believe the pleasant attitude of the day will linger somewhere in our memories for a while to come.Trenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14351761884225439912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4667058683192860755.post-22601078053322515272011-01-05T11:29:00.000-08:002011-01-05T11:29:43.479-08:00When a baby smiles at you...A friend of mine just told me that recently his one-month-old son "woke up, looked around, focused on me, and gave me a big smile. It was pretty awesome -- the first real smile I've seen where he was clearly smiling at me."Trenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14351761884225439912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4667058683192860755.post-49472628622028067242010-11-20T12:18:00.000-08:002010-11-20T12:18:27.548-08:00A Fun Mental Image<a href="http://twitter.com/TelegramSam/statuses/6069628597960705">From a friend on Twitter:</a><br />
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Sometimes, when I sneak in and kiss Cara on the cheek while she's napping, she'll smile in her sleep. #parenthood #rewardsTrenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14351761884225439912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4667058683192860755.post-16780393950902063782010-09-26T20:30:00.000-07:002010-09-26T20:30:53.729-07:00A Rare Experience With A BabyA friend of mine posted the following on their Facebook account, which is something we don't get to enjoy very often:<br />
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"just experienced a baby fall asleep in my arms..."Trenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14351761884225439912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4667058683192860755.post-51223531990147753472010-09-26T20:21:00.000-07:002010-09-26T20:21:35.756-07:00An "Incredibly Beautiful" BabyTo be honest, I don't often think newborns are very cute; it seems they're often a bit misshapen and funny-looking. Ultrasound pictures are even more strange: they're like some caricature of a person... unreal and alien.<br />
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It turns out I'm not the only one: a good friend of mine admitted he usually feels the same when he sees babies. However, he told me this because he and his wife had just gone in for an ultrasound, and he was actually touched when he saw the baby and its heartbeat. He found it to be incredibly beautiful.<br />
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I may never know that experience, but I'm convinced there's something special about it.Trenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14351761884225439912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4667058683192860755.post-1697883301896540122010-06-01T21:34:00.000-07:002010-06-01T21:36:22.434-07:00Diamonds in the Rough of Reality-TVGot inspiration from a very unexpected source tonight: the reality show "So You Think You Can Dance". They're showing the best and the worst of the tryouts, which is usually either wildly comical or very impressive, but tonight there were two stories that were tremendously uplifting.<br /><br />The first was a heavyset girl who danced extremely well despite her size. Unfortunately, she only made it one level in the competition and the judges were very honest about her career prospects, but they were very encouraging and even touched by her work.<br /><br />The second was a young man from a bad neighborhood who admitted to being mocked when he first pursued a career in dance, but he's made the best of it and he did a fabulous job. As part of the story they interviewed his father, who admitted to being skeptical at first, but who whole-heartedly supports his son... and the rewards were obvious.Trenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14351761884225439912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4667058683192860755.post-4624147194685509062010-05-24T11:46:00.000-07:002010-05-24T11:53:36.633-07:00A Random Act for OliviaLast Friday we stopped at a convenience store with Olivia and Ellia, and after paying the guy behind the counter asked how I was related to the girls. After saying I'm their dad, he said he liked Olivia so he wanted to buy her a drink. He told her (and Ella) to get one of their frozen drinks, on him. I asked him why and he only said it was because he liked Olivia; I'm guessing it's because he recognized that she was handicapped and he wanted to give her something nice. Well, that was definitely very unexpectedly kind. Of course, neither Olivia nor Ella thought much of it and didn't adequately appreciate it. Too bad. You don't see that too often.Trenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14351761884225439912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4667058683192860755.post-47293400175938899742010-04-22T21:27:00.000-07:002010-04-22T21:34:23.238-07:00Yet Another FuneralI attended a funeral yesterday. I don't have much to say about it... all I have to say is that I saw genuine emotion in action, and that was cool. We were fortunate to hear from some very talented speakers and musicians. In the end, though, it was the tenderness in people's eyes and voices that made it such a soulful experience.Trenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14351761884225439912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4667058683192860755.post-65189896493747869182010-04-16T22:28:00.000-07:002010-04-16T22:45:49.583-07:00A Talk by Miss Utah 2007 Heather AndersonThis is a classic case of an event which transcends words. I only wish I could adequately describe Heather's sunny and honest personality, or her obvious ease with kids, or the expert way she told her stories. Suffice it to say that it was a great pleasure to watch her draw the kids close to her and leave an impression on us all regarding the danger of drugs. Listen to her if you get the chance.<br /><br />Thanks, Heather.Trenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14351761884225439912noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4667058683192860755.post-11802201597934607302010-02-28T08:37:00.000-08:002010-02-28T14:25:01.010-08:00A Place of Silent, Intense PeaceYesterday I went into a local Repartee Gallery to drop off a picture to get framed. The contrast was amazing: outside was a busy parking lot with talkative groups headed into the surrounding restaurants; inside was a refuge where art students were silently focused on their drawings. It startled me to find about 8 people in there, sitting in various positions around the room, so I stopped for a second at the threshold and some of them glanced up at me. Down to my left was someone sitting on the floor rather than in a chair; it was Nicole, my neighbor. We said "hi," and she pointed out her mother, another one of my long-time neighbors. They were all sitting quietly, each person doing a pencil drawing of a green pepper. The atmosphere was remarkable: it was a large room with fine art filling the walls, where a group of people all sat in silence, every one intensely focused on their creations.<br /><br />It reminded me of a temple, one where every attendee was applying their full power of concentration, working independently but on much the same task. The word "reverent" even came to mind.<br /><br />After respecfully breaking their silence and finishing my business, I walked out... but I paused outside the door, where there was a small fountain in the shape of a man cradling a huge fish in both hands and pouring water out its mouth. I savored that grand feeling of peace for another few seconds before continuing the rest of my chores.Trenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14351761884225439912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4667058683192860755.post-11995903934899707582010-02-14T09:48:00.000-08:002010-02-28T14:26:35.312-08:00Copycatting and Cross-ExaminingThis year I started saying goodbye to my kids in the morning with, "Do something great today!" It's a small thing in the morning: I'm encouaging them to actively create their reality rather than passively hope good things will happen. I'm avoiding phrases like, "Have a good day."<br /><br />Well, the other day I drove Ella and Tolman to school. They opened the doors to get out of the car, and before I could say anything Ella chimed "Do something great today!"<br /><br />Ella has now asked me more than once when I get home, "What did you do great today?"Trenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14351761884225439912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4667058683192860755.post-12000352847223521242010-02-14T09:30:00.000-08:002010-02-14T09:46:31.866-08:00Heart Attack!Tonight someone doorbell ditched us; at first I thought it was Olivia coming home, but she never opened the door, so I checked and nobody was there. So then I thought it was young women (maybe with Olivia in the car) since they were out doing something together tonight... I saw a waiting car, and two kids finally ran over to it. So I went inside, turned off the porch lights, and then hurried outside and started running to catch the car. One person was still on the side of the road, and they then ran and jumped into the car and yelled, "He's coming! Go!" They took off, so I reached out and I almost touched the car as they sped away.<br /><br />It was kind of funny to chase after them, but then I thought I may have spoiled their fun a bit. I went back inside and Lynnette asked, "Did they leave any hearts?" Duh. It's Valentine's this Sunday, so they would be doing a "heart attack," and sure enough there were some paper hearts taped to our door. Great. Lynnette made me feel extra bad: I may have scared the kids.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuw0-WpMYR0h2pb34YTtYcSw-kN2aWPRtaKG53Xrjvlv-73oLii8BtZYEHQasuaAOtmFHMQR4EKi5ZDpKQGjx_svDiR4-KJUUBk0nsmK9Gfhz_gaBWnEx8vRWHWbWRRvmOCNwB-nF7OlM/s1600-h/heart-attack.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuw0-WpMYR0h2pb34YTtYcSw-kN2aWPRtaKG53Xrjvlv-73oLii8BtZYEHQasuaAOtmFHMQR4EKi5ZDpKQGjx_svDiR4-KJUUBk0nsmK9Gfhz_gaBWnEx8vRWHWbWRRvmOCNwB-nF7OlM/s320/heart-attack.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438156263720124722" border="0" /></a><br /><br />About 10 minutes later, I got a call from Andy, asking: was I mad at Ammon for doorbell ditching us? Ha! No way! I thought it was funny, and they got away from me just barely without me finding out who it was. He said they thought I was mad about it, and even Boone (their adult driver) thought I might have been upset, especially when I reached out to slap the car. I kept reiterating how I really thought it was funny and I thought they did a great job.<br /><br />Great. I'm intimidating the neighborhood kids.<br /><br />A bit later, someone came to the door and rang the bell; I went out thinking again it was Olivia but it was actually the boys who ditched us earlier. I am glad; it gave us all a chance to laugh about the whole thing.<br /><br />It feels great that they'd value and trust us enough to give us a heart attack; it's doubly cool for them to come back later, just to check back in person and make sure everything's cool.Trenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14351761884225439912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4667058683192860755.post-5788720134123445232010-02-04T05:01:00.000-08:002010-02-09T11:55:54.823-08:00A Life Lesson in Financial Responsibility<p><br /></p><p>A coworker just told us that he is staying in a suite for a while. I was confused for a minute, curious why he was so happy about it... usually people only go to a hotel when something goes very wrong with their home! It turns out that he lives in a hotel; he has to live in one for a while longer until he pays off his last major debt, and then he'll finally have the credit for something more stable, like an apartment.<br /></p><p>He told us how he's been trying to get things paid off for a long time. When he was first out of school, he was excited to get a credit card and used it freely; if he was on a date and the girl wanted something, it was easy to give it to her. No problem. But he mentioned that it's taken a long time to get rid of that debt. I thought about some people I know who have got themselves into debt early but haven't invested in an education or any long-term plans, so that debt becomes a burden for years.</p> So my friend at work is finally getting on top of his finances. And that is inspiring. It's awesome to see someone making plans and following through, making their lives that much better.Trenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14351761884225439912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4667058683192860755.post-46405402761960975642009-11-22T10:43:00.000-08:002009-11-22T10:52:04.685-08:00A Growing GirlTonight Ellie came home from a party late at night. At first she didn't say much, and she went straight into her room to drop off her things. Then she came out and told us how they'd played foozball, and how we have got to get that game because it is SO much fun: there were about eight girls, so they'd each taken one of the handles and one side was BYU and the other was the U of U, and it was fun to play against each other.<br /><br />The greatest thing, though, was watching Ellie talk. I can see the beginnings of a more mature young lady showing, one who has a lot of zest for life and friends and good times. Her natural beauty is more and more apparent, and it shines more brightly when she is exuberant and expressive. It was a joy to see.Trenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14351761884225439912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4667058683192860755.post-10553457548872327242009-10-29T20:00:00.000-07:002010-04-04T14:21:44.953-07:00Sleeping Beauty"Night. Fight. We fight all night." - Dr. Seuss<br /><br />My boys stay up and fight with each other (and sometimes with their sisters in the next room) long past the time I put them to bed. If you'd like a personal experience, just ask my mom who has tried to sleep over at our house! But tonight, Thomas fell asleep early and I put him to bed alone... and then I had the rare opportunity to sit quietly and watch him undisturbed for a minute. A sleeping child must be the most peaceful and soothing image in the world.<br /><br />Adults always have extra plans and expectations, even if just in the back of their minds; they have unspoken judgements or a veiled reluctance to fully invest their attention. In contrast, small children put their whole being into their actions and their expressions. While they're awake, they're 100% genuine; when they sleep, they put the day all behind them and their profiles reveal a gentle slumber that can calm the most troubled soul.<br /><br />Tonight, I had the privilege of being touched by pure innocence.Trenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14351761884225439912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4667058683192860755.post-9754069124168100742009-10-11T16:48:00.000-07:002009-10-18T18:30:45.135-07:00Sharing a ShirtThe other morning Thomas walked in wearing a red shirt and said, proudly, "Tolman let me wear his school shirt!" That was pretty amazing since they are pretty possessive about their clothing. I'm accustomed to hearing complaints from the girls about wearing each others' clothes, and maybe that's where the boys picked up the habit; whatever the reason, there are certain pieces of clothing which are their favorites and which regularly start fights between them.<br /><br />Sure enough, Thomas was wearing the school shirt that Tolman got in kindergarten... which was perfect for Thomas now that he's in kindergarten.Then he said, "It's got Miss Smith on the back." Yep, her self-portrait is in the top-left corner, because Tolman had her back then, too.<br /><br />He was so proud that you'd have thought he just won a game. And he's right: it is a big deal when your brother does something nice for you like that. And it's a big deal when one son does something nice for another son like that. I've got some praising to do.Trenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14351761884225439912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4667058683192860755.post-55112933404113036092009-10-11T16:39:00.000-07:002009-10-28T19:47:50.510-07:00Sweet, Sweet Cinnamon RollsLynnette is a fabulous cook; she has spent a great deal of time and effort creating dishes and finding what really works for her. However, she hasn't had much luck baking. This is too bad, because cookies and breads are my personal favorite. But, seriously, she has tried and mostly failed when making rolls and pastries.<br /><br />One night last week I came home to the wonderful smell of rolls. Suddenly I remembered that she said something earlier about trying to make cinnamon rolls, and sure enough she had a few dozen there. They looked pretty good. They tasted pretty good. My kids loved them, and my sister-in-law and nieces loved them. They really were awesome.<br /><br />And she was knew it. At one point she beamed from ear to ear and said, "I did it."<br /><br />Pretty cool, eh!Trenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14351761884225439912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4667058683192860755.post-89257927989417058202009-09-30T21:47:00.000-07:002009-11-29T16:05:03.363-08:00I Was Trusted To HelpIt's not fun to be roused out of bed by the phone. And it's not fun to see someone you love hurting from pain and frustration. What is awe-inspiring is to be called at a late hour and be invited to see someone who needs aid... because that means that they think you are capable of providing at least some bit of help and comfort. It's touching, and more than a little humbling.<br /><br />I hope I helped enough to honor their trust.Trenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14351761884225439912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4667058683192860755.post-59458433838619843262009-08-16T14:27:00.000-07:002009-08-23T08:13:55.678-07:00The Joy Of... Curriculum?Over a year ago, a friend of mine invited me to help out with her charter school. If you don't already know it about me: I love the whole academic scene, especially when it comes to kids. So I'd promised her I'd take a day to help out sometime.<br /><br />Well, she contacted me the other day just to catch up, and she mentioned that she's starting computer classes for one of her schools. (Suddenly there's more than just one!) I asked if this was a good time for me to help out, and she said "yes," especially if I could come that week since the next week is when things really get busy. I could only do a half day; she said that would be fine, but we had a lot to do: train her on things like spreadsheets and RSS and podcasts and advanced features of word processing; design a curriculum for grades K-6; and get some of the library equipment going.<br /><br />You know what? We did it. We did it all. We were rushed, but we basically demonstrated and outlined everything we needed in 4 hours. It's invigorating to accomplish something like that.<br /><br />What's even better is the fact that she enjoyed it as much as I did. Turns out she was a bit apprehensive about the classes since she didn't feel particularly adept at computers, and she wasn't looking forward to training with me. But she's a great educator and of course she picked it up well, and we both had a great time. What a rush.<br /><br />Thanks, Tina!Trenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14351761884225439912noreply@blogger.com0