Leaving

I have a nephew leaving on a mission today! I am taking my wife out to be with the family so she can go down with them to say good-bye. What a wonderful yet poignant time for them. I remember when my oldest left, wonderful and now that my youngest boy is preparing to go, I am so excited for him. It will be tough to lose his presence for a couple of years but there is nothing better that he could be doing at this stage of his life to make him a better person, father, son, student, friend and servant. It is an incredible and blessed time in the lives of those who choose to serve. I made my ride this morning on a full 17 for ride in the part rather than bump it half way through the mini hills. I can feel it a bit and I know I went farther and burned more calories and I feel good. Work is progressing. It looks like we might be making some progress with some larger accounts/customers in the valley. Fabulous! My 2nd assistant and I went on visits last night (my secretary and 1st assistant had other commitments on a Tuesday rather than our normal Wednesday visits) and had a wonderful time with a couple of our brethren. I really enjoy my calling. I hope I am able to touch lives and affect people by being a worthy representative of my Elder Brother. I love Him. I want to serve Him always and I can do that best by leaving my carnal self behind. Life and progress is about leaving.

Blowing

The wind is and has been blowing all night. Out basement (where we have our bedroom) is not the most airtight place in the house and I have been up, off and on, for most of the night listening to the wind howling and blowing. It whistles down here when it blows real hard and that was what kept awakening me all night. I woke up at least 5 times. Needless to say, I am not the most rested of individuals right now but I did get my ride in and it was a good one. I helped a daughter with a resume last night. She is looking for something that pays more. I can't say as I blame her for wanting more money but there is a LOT to be said for having really good insurance and being close to where one lives. She can walk to work if she wants. Gas and parking and time also play a huge role where one works. My work is going well. I think we have completed, and then some, our attendance for the IICRC certification that we are having in a couple of weeks. I just finish one big project and we have another one. What was I thinking?!?!?!?! Regardless, I got the place reserved in Ogden and it will be successful. Not because I am doing it but because we have a great presenter and the people coming are top notch. Life is good and things are blowing the right direction.

push

It's amazing what happens when we push ourselves, or, rather, in particular, what happens when I push myself. I bumped my riding level 1 this morning on my "Ride in the Park" from 16 to 17 as I entered the "climbing" stage (I used that term loosely because it's not really a climb but a sustained small up and down but the hardest portion of the ride, it is, afterall, called "Ride in the Park") and my heart rate got up to 158 and I was able to add an extra 2 tenths of a mile that that ride. Doesn't sound like much but it is at the end of a ride. Anyway, I am dripping and it feels good and I feel accomplished for my ride this morning. I started off at 10 just to let you know and I am at least at Level 14 on all the other rides except for "Pike's Peak" which I haven't done yet because I would be/am too noisy in the morning and I don't want to disturb my wife. On another note, I had Stake Priesthood last night and the Stake President spoke of a training they attended with President Packer and Elders Nelson and Ballard. Bishops and Stake Presidents were there. Elder Nelson asked all the Bishops to stand and he then asked them how many of them were dealing with the problem of pornography in their ward. If anyone wasn't, to please sit down. NONE sat down. He then asked how many had 2 or less, again, no one sat down. 3 or less, a few, very few sat down. He got up to 7 and approximately 60% of the bishops were still standing! I am amazed and saddened by that. I guess the computer, internet and our phones bring whatever we allow into our homes and lives. Our children have such challenges as we never did. I had magazines (they were put away and hard to access) but we, today, have it at our fingertips and can access it at any time we desire. The adversary is loose and rejoicing in his success. It is imperative that we have the computer in open areas, visible to everyone, we set limits on our and our children's phones and that we be ever vigilant. If we don't continue to push the evil one away we will be the ones that are pushed over the edge until it is everlastingly too late. Please be strong and push!

Much better

Things are much better this morning. Yesterday I reached my goal for the month of March on push-ups and I did that last month on sit-ups. Both were done early and this morning I did my bike ride, as I sit here dripping (feels so good) on Rolling and just plowed through it. Since I missed my ride yesterday, I am going to ride tomorrow, Saturday, and do Pike's Peak and see how I do. I have been increasing the resistance on most of my other rides and I think it is time I did it on Rolling as well. I shall have to see on Pike's Peak, however. Work is going well. Things are progressing and now I have to prepare for our next big event which is the IICRC Carpet Certification. Should be good. Things are moving forward. We are already seeing some success from Wednesday's event. A school district called for pricing on some machines. Family is good. Things are quiet here at home just because no one is here. I like the quiet, I really like how neat and clean the house stays but I miss the buzz and the noise and the love and the energy that children and grandchildren provide in a home. I finished the BOM yesterday for the 3rd time this year and started on it again. I have to get going this morning because I have sales meeting in an hour and a half and I still have to shower, get there and set up but today, things are much better!

NOthing

I didn't do anything or nothing this morning. I think I am still recovering from yesterday. I woke up initially at 4:19, knew I had more time to sleep and I did until 5:44 and I have Rotary this morning. Too late to do anything. I also have sales meeting tomorrow so I have to get up early to do my ride. I didn't do push ups or sit ups yesterday, I was exhausted. We had our Open House yesterday and it went really well. The people with whom I work did a great job and the place looked great and we have over 100 people there yesterday. Fabulous. I grilled for about 3 hours straight, interacted with our customers and had a great time. It was very successful. I came home and grilled last night as well as my daughter from Provo came with some friends for Ecuadorian food. Good times! I feel lazy this morning. That's what I get for doing nothing.

Wasted

This morning was a wasted ride. I was doing the recovery test and the pulse monitors was all screwed up. Kept fluctuating and reading incorrectly. I ran it twice and it was messed up both times, tried another run but my heart just wasn't into it. I rode like 18 minutes all told and I am not even close to dripping. I have our Open House at work today. I am not nervous per se but I am anxious and hopeful that it turns out well. As of yesterday we had 72 confirmed!, which is way more than we had for our Open House a year ago. I hope we have enough food and stuff. I will see I guess. The people in the office have done a fabulous job of helping get ready. It's so great to work with competent people. I don't really have much else to say other than I hope tomorrow isn't wasted...

Nerves

We have a big Open House/Equipment Rodeo on Wednesday and I have a bit of nerves. I remembe we did one last year and it went all right but I had done Open Houses before. This is my first go around with an Equipment Rodeo. I think it is the same thing but we don't have a keynote speaker nor hard defined classes on things so I have a bit of nerves. Things are coming together fine but I don't know what I don't know about this and I guess I will find out after 2pm on Wednesday. I did go with my patient wife last night to Costco to get most of the stuff but I still have to make a run to Dick's for hamburgers, pop, water, plates, napkins, tablecloths, name tags, etc. I have succh great support from my co-workers at the office that there is no way I can mess it up. It is comforting to know that. My youngest daughter scored an A- in math!!!!! I am so proud of her. That is one subject in which she has struggled and to see her progress and, in some instances, teach herself the concepts, I am just so proud of her. Way to go, princess! My other girs (all of them) are in school and doing well. Keep up the great example for everyone else princessi (that's the plural for princess, kind of like octopus, in case you were wondering...) and keep making progress to take care of yourselves. You are educating the future as you are educated. That was a profound thought for so early in the morning, don't you think? Anyway, I slept in until 5:40 today, that is why I am a bit late. Good ride and a wonderful looking day. I wonder how does one kill a raccoon? We have one that keeps eating our dog food and it is getting, really bad, on my nerves!