The Story of "Pattern Of Love"

Pattern Of Love

By: Jack Smith

I didn't question Timmy, age nine. or his seven-year-old brother Billy about the brown wrapping paper they passed back and forth between them as we visited each store. 

Every year at Christmas time, our Service Club takes the children from poor families in our town on a personally conducted shopping tour. I was assigned Timmy and Billy, whose father was out of work. After giving them the allotted four dollars each, we begin our trip. At different stores I made suggestions, but always their answer was a solemn shake of the head, no. Finally I asked, "Where would you suggest we look?"

"Could we go to a shoe store, Sir?" answered Timmy. "We'd like a pair of shoes for our daddy so he can go to work."

In the shoe store the clerk asked what the boys wanted. out came the brown paper. "We want a pair of work shoes to fit this foot," they said.

Billy explained that it was a pattern of their daddy's foot. they had drawn it while he was asleep in a chair. 

The clerk held the paper against a measuring stick, then walked away, soon he came with an open box. "Will these do?" he asked.

Timmy and Billy handled the shoes with great eagerness. "How much do they cost?" asked Billy. 

Then Timmy saw the price on the box. "They're $16.96," he said in dismay. "We only have $8."

I looked at the Clerk and he cleared his throat. "That's the regular price," he said, "but they're on sale for $3.98, today only."

then with shoes happily in hand the boys bought gifts for their mother and two little sisters. Not once did they think of themselves. 

the day after Christmas the boys' father stopped me on the street. The new shoes were on his feet, gratitude was in his eyes. "I just thank Jesus for people who care," he said. 

"And I thank Jesus for your two sons," I replied. "They taught me more about Christmas in one evening than I have learned in a lifetime."

The Mood of Christmas Joy

Logan and I have been in such a great Christmas mood lately. We always love it about this time of the year because we get to see friends and family and enjoy blissful times together. I also love the peaceful Christmas music! The music also helps so much with my finals as well, because it buts makes me so humble. We also love reading Christmas stories. We love the fact that you learn so much from them. I was thinking of starting to post the stories that we think are the best.

We put up our Christmas tree the day before Thanksgiving because we was going to be in Idaho Falls all days and we wouldn't have the time to get it after Thanksgiving because of dead week and finals. It pretty much takes up 1/3 of our living room, it's really funny. Logan doesn't remember the tree taking up so much room last year...but than again it was fake. I love it, it's silver and green...but I think I'm going to stay with silver and blue or maybe even try purple....I'm not sure yet. We are almost done with our Christmas shopping too. I only have two or three more family members to do. We got Korey a present this year too! He had asked for the Forgotten Carols book and soundtrack, so we got him them. I really spoil him sometime, but I think the reason behind this is because I never see him since he is on his mission and I miss him so much. By the way, he comes back in 11 months!! I can't wait! ^-^

This coming Monday is dead week for school. WE ONLY HAVE 2 WEEKS OF SCHOOL LEFT!!!! I can't wait for the holiday break. I need it so much. I'll have so much fee time to catch up on things that needs to be done. I'm also hoping to pass all my classes this semester but I really don't know my grades because none of my teachers post the grades online so I can never check them. But right now, it doesn't matter...I'm really working on the fact of passing my finals...they will help pass all my classes. I think I'll be done with Finals on the 16th. I have a final on Monday for my accounting class, and may be Thursday for my Psychology class. For my final in my advance cooking classes I have to do a mystery three course meal (appetizer, soup and entree). We will have four hours to get everything done. Wish me luck!!!

The Chili Cook Off

This last Wednesday we when to the Chili Cook Off that was held at ISU. On Monday of this week, we decide that we should do boys again girls. It was a blast! The boys kept on tell us that theirs was going to taste the best and everything like that. We just kept on making our Chili. So Monday was Prep Day. Prep Day is when we go back to the kitchen and start getting things together and making sure we have everything. Tuesday; we cooked off our chili half way because the recipe called for sour cream and heavy cream. If we had put them in that day they would taste weird the next days, so all we did was cooked the beans, onions, chicken with some spices. Wednesday; we got to class early because we had to be at the place for the competition by noon with everything sit up and we also had to finish the chili. It took us a while to finish the chili but we got it done in time to go. The guys had beer in their chili in which they didn't cook it all the way out (which was sad, because I really wanted to tired it). Anyways, we get there and the guys had not gotten all the things that they needed so they used what we had....I really don't know if they had read the rules or not. Anyways, the girls took 3 out of the 4 awards! We took 'most favorite', 'overall winner', and 'best placement'. We didn't win the last one because our chili wasn't "hot" (spicy, in other words) which was fine with us. When the guys found out they didn't say a word besides great job. Anyways, it was a great overall experience. I hope I get the chance to do something like this again. But this time I hope it will be involving baking through. ^-^

Back Left to Right: Emily Brown, Teri (Nikki) Kerbs
Front Left to Right: Me, Genesis Romano, Jessica Sheetz

Life As We Know It

A lot has happened since the last time I updated the blog. Let's see...school started, we had our second anniversary, I know a bunch of people who are having kids soon, Korey is still on his mission, my Dad's retirement is getting closer, weird events with old phones, lots with my health, and life at home.

School started a month and half ago. It's weird...I think midterms are not this week but the next. It's so weird. School is going great...I've not had any bad grades yet (and I'm hoping it stays that way!). This year my schedule is very open. I only have 4 classes. 1 required (Concepts of Accounting), 1 general (Psychology 101) and 2 advanced classes. This semester is pretty easy going for me. I may only have to take a few more next semester which means that I will be packed! I have 3 advanced classes and  maybe 2 generals. It's a maybe because I think I will be able to not take one of the classes because I already have a 4 credit class on my record, but I have to go in and talk to a counselor about the whole thing...I'm hoping that I don't have to take it.

As for our second anniversary....we went to Utah again and spent some time together. We also saw some family too. We left from Pocatello around 3 and arrived at Provo about 6:30. We hit a lot of traffic and construction too. It really sucked a lot. Anyways, we went there to see some friends that we have not seen since their wedding the month before. We had a blast with them. We went out and ate together and than we kind of went shopping (more like them...we was trying to not spend a lot of money.) and than we went back to there place and played Phase 10 for about three hours. It was so much fun! After that we headed to the hotel for the night. The next morning we went to Lagoon from 10 to about 5:30. I had hoped that we could stay later but I kept on getting sick from the rides (and to this day, I think I got sick because of all the medicine I'm on). Afterward, we headed towards Logan's Aunt house (Susan's). By accident we ended up in Bountiful and visited the temple since it was so close by. Later on we got to Susan's house and Logan's mom and Carolyn was at the house too. So we all sat down and talked for about 4 hours before everyone decided to go to bed or work on homework. The next morning we headed home around 11...I think....so we got home about 2 (because we made a stop at a rest area where we ran into Logan's mom and Carolyn again by surprise).

So....I know about 4 or 5 people finding out that they are pregnant. In a way....it's kind of upsetting me (which also has to do with all the medicine I am on again!) I love the fact that they are so happy about it. I can't wait til everyone has their kids. Let's see....there is Jacqueline and Jack, Tyrel and Tricia, Logan and Alli, Jessica and Tanis, and there was one more but I don't remember at the moment. But it's amazing what the Lord does for us.

As for my brother, he is doing great! He's still on his mission. He has had multiple companions that he has really love serving with. He's been to a total of three different areas now since he got to his mission. Right now, he is at Capital Heights, right outside of D.C. He's hoping to get an area that he can ride a bike around in. He's also has gained some weight (would too if I was on a mission too! All that food!), at one point he actually had a trainer training him at a gym from one of the wards. He really enjoyed that! But right now he's driving a mini van or something like that. It's so funny! Korey driving a van!! Hahaha...I thought I would never hear that happening. Anyways, I got some pictures from Korey that I will put together a slideshow to put on my blog.  

As for what's going on with my Dad and he's retirement....It's a long story. Let's just say that he had a lot of trouble with his heart and now he is having neurotic problems with his back. The doctor at the hospital doesn't really want to release my Dad on medicinal retirement but the other one does. He doesn't really get to sleep whatsoever while he's on the job. It pretty much sucks! And I don't ever get to talk to him unless he's not busy.

So we have been having some weird events with our new and old cell phones. So first, the red one that I got when we got our own plan got ran through our clothes washer...and it didn't work. So that was about over six months ago and yesterday, it just started to work out of the blue!! So, all the contacts that I lost, I now can get them!!! ^-^ Also, my littlest brother dropped his phone in the mud one day so we took it to someone we know, so that maybe he can save it. But...again...Char dropped his phone in mud which has water. Soooo after trying to fix it for about a month the guy couldn't get it to work. Anyways, the guy was so busy for a month but within that time the phone started to work again!!! So now we have two back up phones. It's so weird! I also have been having problems with my phone through. I have to take it in because I have not been receiving texts or calls again (yes, this has happen before when I first got the new phone).

Well, as for my health...back at the end of July I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. I guess all three conditions that I have usually come in a package. They just didn't know about this until they took a blood test in mid-July. Anyways, I've pretty much gotten it under control since than...I have another appointment this week to take a few blood test. If I remember right, they wanted to check everything to see if everything is getting better. As for the other two condition, I think I have been managing them pretty good. I'm crossing my fingers that the PCOS is going away (actually, cured). With the insulin resistance, I can easily manage it with exercising everyday. 

As for Logan and I, things are going great! We are having some hard times but we are getting through them. We see each other a lot more this semester because he works less hours at the moment at Sears. But even when he's home I don't usually get spend the time with him because he has a lot of homework this semester. I'm the opposite so I get so bored to easily when he's not even in the apartment. Logan also has been busy at the Lab finishing up an experiment that they are working on. They should be done with it this week. He now has a class from his boss, Dr. Williams, which he finds weird but he really enjoys it. Logan is a senior (like me) but he won't graduate until December of next year. I found out recently that when he's home I do a lot more than I do when he's not home....I wonder if that is really weird???? Anyways, I have recently picked up a lot of projects so it should keep me busy til after Christmas....I hope anyways.

In Mine Memories...

Last night, I was looking through my brother's senior yearbook and I saw a picture of a very dear friend of my and Korey's. When I saw him, I about cried. It's been so long since he left all of us. To this day, I still miss him. He was such a great friend. I sometimes regret not going with him to get ice cream the day before he died liked he asked. We had made a promise to go get some together sometime but I guess it wasn't suppose to happen. You know, if we did go...I wonder what we would of all done. It seemed a lot that year, we saw each other a lot. Work, school and sometimes when I was just hanging out with some of my close friends. I wonder what kind of mission he would be serving? There are so many questions that I want to ask but then again I don't want to know. I don't want to get hurt and found out things that I don't want to know. I just hopes he is watching all of us. He will always hold a place in my heart.

Life is so crazy!!!

Life has been so crazy lately. There is so much to update on so I'll just do it all in this blog.

For over a year, I have been having weight gaining problems. I would work out and not lose a pound. Actually, I gained a lot when I did. I went to doctors and tried to tell them that there was something wrong with me. Most of them would tell me that I just need to get active more and said that I was too young for anything to be wrong. So after moving to Pocatello, finally after working out for over two months with a classmate and gaining about 20 lbs, I went to the student health center to get help. Well, I have finally found out what was going on with my body. Last month, I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and Insulin Resistance. When I heard this, I was so thankful that I found out about it. If I had not, well, there would of been a lot more trouble for Logan and me. My doctor told me that it was a good thing that we found out now. She said if I had waited for about 6 months to a year, I would of been diabetic and probably won't been able to have kids. I've been on metaformin for a little over a month now and I have lost 10 lbs! It's soooo exciting! I'm really happy that I decide to go to the health center for help. I really do love the doctors there. I don't know how to thank them but I want to from the the bottom of my heart.

Because of my medicine, I've been having a hard time with keeping up on school. My body is not used to having medicine everyday, so I've been getting really sick and been missing days of school and work. But as the days go by my body doesn't freak out so much anymore. It usually does it when I up the dose. The doctor doesn't know fore sure when I'll be getting off of it, but each time I go in she says that I've been doing great and that I still have a ways to go. It's hard sometimes to keep up on my medicine daily and keeping out of the sweets.

I have been having a lot of trouble with one of my professors right now. He's so closed-minded. I do not learn that well from teachers like that. He thinks that he knows everything and that everything he does is right. I have so many things that I want to tell him but I think he will only learn from someone over him. Everyday, he tells me to do something with my specials and it always seems to ruin them. I've already told him off once this semester about it. I have one more week with to deal with him than I'll be back in the bake shop with Chef Karen. It will be easier. Although, we have two mysterious demos. There is so many ways he could take points off because of them. To tell you the truth, I'm actually thinking about transferring colleges so I won't have to deal with it...I have not really learned anything this semester. So many are dropping out of the program because of him...most are transferring to a different school but there are some that are actually planning on never going back to it again. It's a good thing that I only have three more semesters. I don't know what I would do if I had more than that. One of my friends from the program has been talking to me about just staying and deal with the problems because I don't have that long to go. There is a part of me telling me to do that.So I think I will. It's going to be hard and tough but I have friends, family and Logan to help me out with my schooling. As for Logan, he has three more semesters too. Only he will get done at the end of Fall of 2011.

Life for Logan and I is going well. We have so many things going on right now. Logan works and goes to school most of the time. I'm still working a little and practically living at the school. We have now known each each other for 2 years. It's so weird to think that we have been together for a year and a half and it's only been that long since we had met. Also, we are very excited for Natalie to come in May. Nathan, Katlin and the family is so antsy and can't wait. In a way it's kind of weird for me to have another niece and also Katlin having a kid before me. Hahaha....Life is so fulled with gifts in so many ways. I can't wait to have my first bundle of joy to come. Logan can't wait either. It's funny. Every few weeks, he changes his mind on what he wants. Right now he wants a boy first. To me, I would love to have a boy first. I had always wanted an older brother to look up to. Also I've recently gotten really depress about having kids. I was afraid that I wouldn't get the enjoyment of motherhood. But after reading my blessing a few times, it helped out a lot. I'm so happy that I have blessings like this. I do not know what I would of done if I could not be able to give Logan a kid.
Also, we have plans to move back to Idaho Falls. We will be moving back in Spring '12. I can't wait!! We miss both of our families. We have such a hard time see them every week because most weekends we use them to catch up on many things that needs to be catch up on the things we need to do get done. We was thinking of getting a small house and waiting for Logan to get his PE test done and passed before we get a bigger house built.

Birthday that have been since December are: Oma's, my, Brooklin's, Barbara's, Nathan's, and Char's.  Birthdays for this month are Amanda's and my Mom's. 

November

This month was so busy. There was a lot that happen.

Korey left for his mission on the 4th. I went with him when he got set apart at the stake center. I bald my eyes out...it was so hard for me to left him go. Bubba's family also when to it along with Perry, Carol and Zackary. I made Carol cry because I was crying so much. Mom is also having a hard time too. I think that she thought that Korey was going to go on one. Well, he surprise us all. I got a letter from him this month too. He's doing great. He went to the Provo Temple and helped out with some sealings. He also was called to be district leader two days after he arrived. He also said that he could feel the spirit so strongly that it made him want to do better and that he was having so much fun. I hope I get another letter from him soon. I do really miss him.
My dad had to go back into surgery. The doctor up in Salt Lake City messed up on the bypasses. So my Dad had to go in again and get two stints in the arteries. Last time that I heard from him, Dad was going to sue the doctor for it.
This month was Brea's, Katlin's and David's (Logan's Father) birthday. Brea got an Oreo cake from the store. She was also spoiled a lot too. We gave he a gift card to Barnes and Noble too because she also loved reading books too. I've notice this month at she is going to be the biggest tom boy with in the family and more than I was too. She still looks up to me a lot. I'm so surprised that she is knowing her mother (by the way, she hates me). We also went to David's grave that weekend and gave him flowers. I still feel lonely when it comes to him. I didn't get to know him as much as everyone else did. I wished I had. Katlin turned 21 this month. It's so funny. She can do all these things now but she's pregnant so she can't but she wouldn't anyways. We gave her a gift card to Deseret Book. When she got it she wanted to go to spend it. So, all the girls (Katlin, Carolyn, Amanda, Logan's mom and me) went. She got some Christmas music for her and Nathan. When we got back we played with one of the gifts she got. It was a stamp that for recipes cards so I gave her some recipes to put on them. I was a lot of fun!
During Thanksgiving break, Logan and I visited his family. We had a lot of food. I think I ate a little to much because I kept on fall a sleep. Logan also had to work a lot so I got to stay home and do nothing. It was pretty boring.
After Thanksgiving Break, I had a final. I passed it too! I was also doing better too. The break helped out a lot. I got back on my feet and got all my stuff done. I was in the Bake Shop for my last rotation for school. I made a lot of bread and cookies the first week. The second week we did quick breads too.

October

Well, let's see what happen in October. Katlin found out that she was pregnant. She is due at the mid or end of May. She was 7 weeks a long.

Oh...Logan's birthday. Logan is now 24 years old. Logan bought a new tv from sears for his birthday. He also got a cartoon book from his mom and money from Nathan and Katlin and from Carolyn and Amanda, he got candy bars.
Also, this month was Shami's birthday. She was so spoiled this year, too. She turned 13 years...and she's about as tall as me now. It makes me mad that she is so tall!!! She didn't get the family genes for sure. Anyways, we gave her a gift card to Barnes and Noble because she loves reading books. I would know because she still haven't given me back one of my books.
Brooke birthday was also this month too. She turned 14 this year. We got a pair of shoes for her and I made a carrot cake that I forgot to take a picture of. She also is almost as tall as me too. It's not fair...here I am, this short thing and all my siblings are getting taller than me. I think there is only going to be one of my siblings that I will be taller than...Brea. But we will have to see how she grows.
School is going ok. I only have to wait a few more weeks before I get to go on Thanksgiving break and it is very much needed. I'm having a hard in school because I'm so tired of doing the same things and dealing with a professor who thinks he is running the program. Logan is doing fine still in his schooling too.
Korey is about to leave for his mission soon. He will be leaving on November 4th. I'm already mission him very much. It's really going to be hard for my dad especially because they have such a big bond between them. He will be serving in the Washington D.C. North Mission. I've asked him to take a lot of pictures for me if he can. He's so excited about this and all of us are proud of him especially Oma and Opa. Our uncle George has been helping Korey get ready for his mission. Oh...I went to the temple with him when he went through for the first time. I cried so hard! I can't believe I would cry that much...I wonder how it is going to go when my kids go on a mission?? Will I be worse or just as bad? Who knows...time can only tell.