Jared the Super Hero

This is our hero Jared. He is one spectacular kid that has taught all of us how to be better and to love more. On December 4, he passed away at home with his parents by his side after battling- with great courage- a Chordoma Tumor. Jared has always wanted to be a superhero, ever since he was 2 or 3. As he got older, he wanted to use his superhero abilities to help others. He wanted to save the day by talking to a kid with no friends and making him smile, or by finding a band aid for some one that has skinned their knee. Or even by just playing with his younger sister or brother and letting them know that they were special to him. Just a couple days before he died, Jared wrote a birthday letter to his younger brother, Bradley, and told him that he was his best sidekick ever and that he really loved him. He just wanted to save everyone!

And it's no wonder that Jared is such a spectacular kid. His mom and dad are simply amazing! Ever since finding out about Jared's terminal diagnosis, I have cried every single night when I kneel down to pray at bedtime. There really have been about 2 nights in the last two months that I was able to make it through an entire night time prayer with out feeling over come with sadness and tears at the thought, and then at the reality that Jared has died. I have wondered over and over how are Jaime and Andrew handling this!?!

But I have never attended a funeral where I felt more love, faith, courage and hope than Jared's. I KNOW that Jared is with our Father in Heaven, and that God has a plan for each of us, and this was part of his plan. And that is the remarkable thing- Jared's parents had instilled that kind of faith in Jared. He KNEW that his life had a purpose, and he KNEW that he was going to be okay, and live with God, and that his family would someday be joining him again.

When another family member was struggling with something difficult, Jared's sister asked their mom why they had to struggle with such difficult things. She said, "I don't know honey- Why does Jared have to have a Tumor?" Jared piped up and said, "Because God needed to know if I could live with him again!"

And now Jared is there with him, and our entire family has been blessed by having known him, and by having shared in such a sacred experience. I truly have grown so much. And it is only because Jaime and Andrew have courageously shared their experiences and perspectives with us through this entire process. Because of them, we cherish each day we have together, we speak more softly, we pray more fervently, we take every opportunity to say "I love you", we live with more faith and express gratitude more often. These are a few of the gifts that Jared's life and his families experience has given to our family. We love you JV, and we are so privileged to be a part of such a wonderful family, and to have the gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives.

If you'd like to see a little more about this amazing little guy, here are a couple youtube videos that were put together for the Make a Wish Foundation just a few weeks before he passed:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsDknWWS9Kc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PawOEG0y7w

We miss you Jared and we love and are praying for you Jaime and Andrew.

Our Europe Trip

Well, in an effort to really try to catch up on my blog, I am going to go in chronological order. So that means I have to go back about a month and a half and tell you all about the amazing trip Paul and I were lucky enough to take to the Cotswolds in England and to Mallorca, a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea. It was such an amazing trip, that now seems like a dream!

This photo is pretty representative of our trip in England: Beautiful, old, honey colored stone buildings that could have been the country home of any one of Jane Austen's heroines! It was just amazing that there are places in this world that are completely isolated and untouched by modernization- okay with the exception of cars : )

We started our trip in Warwick and Stratford-Upon-Avon. The Castle of Warwick was a beautifully maintained castle that was originally built in the 10th century! It would have been a dream place for Harrison to visit because they had demonstrations all over the castle grounds of fencing, archery and even a live fire ball catapult that they launched out into a huge field! You can check it out at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG3UItO-jTA
I think that was the most amazing thing we saw at the castle. In Stratford-Upon-Avon we visited some of Shakespeare's homes and ate at a pub near the theater that we didn't actually attend! The only play they were putting on while we were in town was a Ukrainian play about death and sorrow- not really a romantic comedy must see! We did however enjoy our time with our hosts at the Winton House Bed and breakfast(www.wintonhouse.com). They were a young couple with two girls and were so much fun to get to know. Each evening when we would return for the day, they would ask what we did and saw and would share a cup of freshly bottled homegrown apple juice, or chocolate milk. We heard lots of interesting stories about their lives and were repeatedly told "Wow, your timing with this trip was just Brilliant, really quite brilliant!"

My favorite day of the trip was the day that we rented bikes and biked around the small villages of the Cotswolds. We had perfectly blue skies and the perfect temperature to not break a sweat, but not get too cold. We did about a 6 hour bike tour of some of the most breathtaking villages in the region. My favorites were Bourton on the Water, Chipping Camden and Stowe on the Wold. But the part that Paul would probably comment on would be the friends that we made while biking. We had gone about 1/4 the distance for the day, and I realized that we had no water to drink. So we pulled off at a tiny little pub that I hoped was open for lunch. As we neared the entrance, a couple was walking out to their car and asked if they could help us. I mistook them as the owners of the pub and said I was hoping to buy a bottle of water. The husband said that they had some in their car they would be happy to share with us. It turned out that the pub was closed, and the nearest town was another 8 klicks away. So we happily took the bottles of water they offered us, and chatted awhile about our trip. They were spending the day posting signs for a 50 kilometer bike race they were hosting that Sunday and invited us to participate. We were leaving Sunday to head to Mallorca, but we kept crossing paths as they drove ahead to post, and we would catch up on bike. Paul just laughed at me because he jokes that if I sit down by someone, I will leave their friend. Well, this couple was just a short acquaintance, but it sure paid to make a friend and not die of thirst!

Our last full day in England was full of surprises and let downs, but still ended on a good note : ) We planned to spend the day in Oxford, to tour the university, take a canal cruise on an old restored boat, and most especially to tour C.S. Lewis's home, he dubbed "The Kilns." We were lucky enough to be in England the weekend of Heritage week, where once a year for a few days thousands of permanently closed historic sites are opened to the public.
The University was as beautiful as I had imagined, and then some! But the city was much more crowded than the small villages we were used to and most of the heritage open sites had massive lines so all the plans that I had made fell through. I was pretty disappointed to miss the canal ride, and was sad to find out that the library I was so excited to see was only open for tours that were booked 6 months previous when the heritage sites were selected. But the crown jewel of the day was going to be seeing "The Kilns." After getting inaccurate directions twice, we finally found it an hour after starting our drive there. And the beautiful room that we were welcomed in seemed exactly what I had pictured the home of C.S. Lewis to be: warm, comfortable and cozy, full of book shelves and dark wood. But after talking with the greeter, we were informed that the home was not in fact open to the public because one of the researchers was working on a publishing deadline and the disruption would be too much. So I reconciled myself to just seeing his lovely den, where perhaps C.S. Lewis sat and read from his favorite books, or even perhaps wrote some of his own works. So I asked our friendly informant if the books on the shelves were his original books. Her regretful response: no, they were actually just books left there by some of the traveling tenants who live in the home to research. Me: Well, at least I get to see his chairs and furniture. Her: No, actually, this is just stuff that we found that matched the period that he lived here, but no, his furniture was sold at his death. Me: Well, okay, but this was still his den, right!?! I am standing in his original den? Her: No, um, actually this was a garage that was added on by the family that bought the home after his death. It was transformed into a visitors greeting room when they bought his home for the researcher to live in. Me: So, none of this is original or at all related to what C.S. Lewis actually had while he lived in the home. Her: No, unfortunately, it isn't. But you can walk around the grounds if you'd like :{ So this is the beautiful outside of C.S. Lewis's home. After walking around discreetly, I managed to sneak up to the window to take a peek, and here is his actual living room, which is closer to what I had pictured in my mind. ~notice the window glare : )

I also peeked in to the dining room and kitchen. It was such a sad ending, to an already disappointing day. All my plans had fallen through and then even the one thing that we were able to get to wasn't at all what I had hoped. So with my dashed hopes and sad heart, we decided to get out of the city and get back into the beautiful country side that had yet to let us down.

So we visited Bibury, a sweet little village that helped to put a smile back on my face, and then ventured to Cheltenham to go see a play and eat dinner. Since it was last minute plans, we didn't have any idea if there were any tickets left. When we arrived at the theater, 1 1/2 hours before show time on opening night, there were TWO tickets left, front and center orchestra seating- the BEST in the house! I was so excited and couldn't believe our luck! But then they told us how much they were, and i just couldn't stomach spending $150 on tickets just to make myself feel better about the rest of the day. So once again, we left disappointed and I thought we had such a bad ending to such a wonderful stay besides in England. So we decided to try our luck again in a small village instead of a city and we headed for the Cotswold hills. As we drove up a tiny little road, we crested the hill and had this amazing view of the countryside below, with the sun setting and we both felt so thankful for the opportunity to be there together. All of my frustrations just melted away, and we enjoyed walking to Sudely Castle near Winchcombe and watching the sun set as we talked about our favorite memories so far. We ate dinner in a 14th century inn and then were welcomed with glee by Alex and James, our accommodation hosts, announcing that "The Proms are on! The Proms are on!" So they told us to watch the Proms, or Promenades, a musical celebration that takes place at Sir Albert Hall once a summer, as well as in their central park in London. I sat in the kitchen with Alexandra as she swayed, with watering eyes, and sang all the British anthems and songs. She said, "this is one time each year that I am sooo proud to be British!" It is also a moment I wont forget. I never would have know what the Proms were, or even more, know their significance to the British people had we not stayed with them. It was so much fun, and a wonderful ending to a not so great day : )

And for the second half of our trip, you will have to tune in next time because it's midnight here!

Where do I begin....

So how do you start a new post when the only thing in your life that hasn't changed in the last 6 weeks is your family and friends!?! Since I last posted, we have gone to Utah to visit family and attend the annual Beck family reunion; Visited California and got a very direct answer that we are supposed to move there; Returned to Durham only to have a few weeks to get our house on the market and more importantly to spend what little time we had left there with our best friends; and now to be in California leasing a house that I hope will become a home. So that is the short list of what we have been up to, but the more detailed one will be really hard for me to write!

In the last 6 weeks I have come to realize just how much I really do count my best friends as family. I just looked at the blogs of these friends and my heart really did just ache, in that real, painful, pitiful way that it does when it is breaking. I never thought that when I left anywhere besides our parents homes that I could feel the homesick, desperate feeling that I felt as a little kid when I rode on the bus the first time and waved good bye to my mom, wishing I could just stay with her. But I felt it when I left each of these homes for the last time at least for a little while.



And when I couldn't sleep this past week I lye in bed wondering how long it would be till I could convince them to move, too, as soon as possible right next door to me! And then I remembered when Paul and I were dating, and we knew that we loved each other, but we weren't engaged yet. We were both leaving to go back to school for fall semester, not really knowing what our relationship meant and how it would withstand the separation and the distance. And I guess it is the same feeling that I have now. What if we don't make it! That is the deepest most horrible fear of all. And just writing it seems cruel. But that is exactly what brings me comfort! I know that Paul and I both felt the same way when we were leaving and going our separate ways. We were scared to death that somehow, things would change and we might not make it.



But the reason that this brings me comfort is that I know the outcome of such an experience. We were scared for about a week, until we realized that we weren't ever going to change how we felt. No matter where we were, how far apart, or how long the separation- we were always going to feel the same way. We loved each other and that is what made the difference! And it really helped us trust and love each other more. So now I am just determined to not break the trust of these dear friends by keeping them as close to my heart as they have always been, and calling them just as I always have. And planning trips for us to take as well ;) I love you Katie and Linds. Thanks for being such spectacular and beautiful women and for helping me to be a better and person as well! Here's to our next trip...how does Kansas sound!?! It's in the middle, but that's about all it has going for it : )

And the funny looking picture of the guys isn't what they always look like. They were trying to illustrate to us women why it's better for our boys to have saggy pants than pants hiked up to their ribs. I think the discussion was well worth it just for this picture!

The Boys' Backyard Adventures

This week was HOT! Really hot!!! It has been in the high 90's, but with the humidity, it's been well over 100, and just suffocating when ever you walk out the door, even at 11 o'clock at night! So there is only one thing to do when it is that miserably hot out- play in the water!

The kids had a fun day outside yesterday. We were watching some of our friends kids since they are moving soon and needed some uninterrupted packing time. And then our neighbor, Javin, came over when he saw the big inflatable blowup slide go up, so he stayed and played as well. Paul stayed pretty busy keeping the kids wet, wiggly, and wild! It's a great way to pass a hot day!

The downer to the afternoon was when Harry slipped on our wood floors and did a "Megan" by catching himself with his face, instead of his hands : ) I did that when I was 7 and broke my front teeth when I fell! Luckily, it was just his chin that did all the work, so it wasn't quite so hard to fix! We used a trick that the ER doctors taught us in McMinnville when Paul split his lip open: Superglue! It binds it quick and as it heals, just falls off like a scab. So Harry has a little bandage on his chin, but came out better than we thought! Especially since it bled pretty heavily at first and pulled about 1/2 inch open since it is on his chin. He was relieved to not need a needle and thread!

Eli just got to play for a little while outside since he was too little to climb up the slide, but he loves to sit outside and eat Mr. Freezes until his little hands go numb! He is a Popsicle eater through and through! Here is a photo of him climbing on the table. What a sweetheart!




We received some news this week, as well. Paul is doing a management training program that generally requires 3 rotations to 3 different divisions of John Deere. We did his first rotation here in North Carolina. And it has been a wonderful year! We anticipated doing our next rotation here as well, but he got word from a new water development group near San Diego, California, that they would like him to join their team. One of his co-workers from his first assignment in Moline, IL, just joined the group a few months ago and has recommended Paul for a rotation there. And while moving closer to family has always been appealing, if it meant moving close for a year, but then moving again, it just seemed a little too unstable for the kids and me.

But after speaking with the management there, it seems that there is a high chance that Paul could do his second rotation there and then skip his third rotation and just join the group permanently after the year is up. So we can move closer to family, and most likely make it a permanent move! That is something we feel really good about. And when we asked Harrison what he thought about moving to the beach he said,"Would it be closer to Pa and Punka's house?" When we said yes, he was thrilled and asked if we could move "this day!" We haven't made a final decision yet, as we still need to fly out there and meet with the group and check out the area, but it is something we are going to seriously and prayerfully consider and are excited about the choice! Harrison seems pretty sure that it is the right choice seeing as he announced today in primary that he is going to be moving to the beach : ) I guess we will see...!

Harrison at the Primary Talent Show

This week we had our ward Primary talent show and it was pretty fun to see all the cute and creative things that the kids did. Paul and I asked Harrison what he wanted to do for the talent show. He asked if he could give the Pledge of Allegiance again, and I said that he should probably show one of his other talents since he showed that one last year :) Here is a glimpse from last year. So after we talked about some different things Harrison could do, he decided he wanted to sing a song. And Paul had an idea. He thought Harrison should sing the song that every girl in North Carolina loves: Carolina Girls! Please note that the song refers to girls that live in North Carolina, NOT girls that go to the University of North Carolina! We are definitely still avid Duke fans : ) It is one of Harry's favorite songs to listen to when we are driving, so he already had most of it memorized. But he didn't want to sing it all by himself. So we asked if Brigham and Eric Aldrich would like to sing it with him since they are his best friends. Then we asked the two girls that Harrison is best friends with to walk past the boys while they sang the song so that the song could be directed at them. It was a hit, and everyone was talking about it afterwards. They were just priceless, and so innocent about their performance. I thought it was adorable. So here is Harrison's online debut! Sorry- the video is too large to post! You'll have to just see it in person some time!

This is a first!

So, here I am typing my first blog post and all I can think of is that I swore I would never do a blog! And yet, here I am :) I guess it is mostly because there has been so much hype among my friends here about blogging, and I have just wanted to stay out of it! But I have wanted to do a blog for my family because there just isn't a better way to keep in touch with each other when we are so far apart. And I think it is so much easier than scrap booking, not that I have ever attempted that, either! So for all of you far away, this is for you!

Also, I have so appreciated Jaime and Andrew Vance's (Paul's cousins) updates on Jared and his tumor removal. It really seems that in keeping a record of your family, it is easier to recognize the blessings in your life, and to keep a clearer perspective on life. I have also thought so many times that if something were to happen to me, I would like our kids to have something besides my journal that only talks about my life. This way, I would talk about us together.

With that being said, please don't laugh at my attempt to keep you all up to date with our family! I am not good with words, and I am not very computer savvy, either! But hopefully I can figure the basics out!