First Date

It just so happened that this morning as I was getting ready for the day, scenes, such as the one pictured above, from A Christmas Story popped into my head. And then a little while ago I got an email from a friend with the story below. Once again, this image of Flick getting his tongue stuck to a freezing pole came to mind. You'll see why in a minute.

WORST FIRST DATE STORY EVER--- If you didn't see this on the Tonight Show, I hope you're sitting down when you read it. This is probably the funniest date story I've ever read...first date or not!!! We have all had bad dates but this takes the cake. Jay Leno went into the audience to find the most embarrassing first date that a woman ever had. The winner described her worst first date experience. There was absolutely no question as to why her tale took the prize!

She said it was midwinter...snowing and quite cold... and the guy had taken her skiing in the mountains outside Salt Lake City. It was a day trip (no overnight). They were strangers, after all, and had never met before. The outing was fun but relatively uneventful until they were headed home late that afternoon. They were driving back down the mountain, when she gradually began to realize that she should not have had that extra latte. They were about an hour away from anywhere without a rest room and in the middle of nowhere! Her companion suggested she try to hold it, which she did for a while; unfortunately, because of the heavy snow and slow going, there came a point where she told him that he had better stop and let her go beside the road, or it would be the front seat of his car...

They stopped and she quickly crawled out beside the car, yanked her pants down and started. In the deep snow she didn't have good footing, so she let her butt rest against the rear fender to steady herself. Her companion stood on the side of the car watching for traffic and indeed was a real gentleman and refrained from peeking. All she could think about was the relief she felt despite the rather embarrassing nature of the situation.

Upon finishing however, she soon became aware of another sensation. As she bent to pull up her pants, the young lady discovered her buttocks were firmly glued against the car's fender. Thoughts of tongues frozen to poles immediately came to mind as she attempted to disengage her flesh from the icy metal. It was quickly apparent that she had a brand new problem, due to the extreme cold. Horrified by her plight and yet aware of the humor of the moment, she answered her date's concerns about 'what is taking so long' with a reply that indeed, she was 'freezing her butt off' and in need of some assistance!

He came around the car as she tried to cover herself with her sweater and then, as she looked imploringly into his eyes, he burst out laughing. She too, got the giggles and when they finally managed to compose themselves, they assessed her dilemma.
Obviously, as hysterical as the situation was, they also were faced with a real problem. Both agreed it would take something hot to free her chilly cheeks from the grip of the icy metal!

Thinking about what had gotten her into the predicament in the first place, both quickly realized that there was only one way to get her free. So, as she looked the other way, her first time date proceeded to unzip his pants and pee her butt off the fender.

As the audience screamed in laughter, she took the Tonight Show prize hands down. Or perhaps that should be 'pants down'. And you thought your first date was embarrassing. Jay Leno's comment...'This gives a whole new meaning to being pissed off.' Oh and how did the first date turn out? He became her husband and was sitting next to her on the Leno show...

So this raises a great topic for discussion.

What is your story of your first date with Mr. Right? Please share in the comments.

Here is our story of our first official date. Josh took me to see Remember the Titans in the theatres in Lakewood. As he parked the car I told him that I was pretty hungry because I didn't have a chance to eat dinner before he picked me up. We still had about 20 minutes to kill before the movie started. I told him that I didn't want to buy movie food because, well, I'm cheap and I've never been able to justify spending half my paycheck on popcorn and candy. Josh, being the gentleman that he was...err...I mean...IS (hahaha.), jokingly replied, "Aahh, don't worry about it. It won't be half your paycheck, it will be half of mine!" Perhaps at this juncture we both realized one more thing we had in common; we both like to be very careful with our money.

Anyway, I noticed a grocery store across the street and suggested that we go there to grab some grub. While roaming the isles it dawned on us that you can't just walk in to a movie theatre with loads of "traitor food". Everybody knows that you bring a big purse with you and smuggle it all in that way. Well, on this particular night I did not have my purse. We wanted to buy a big bag of trail mix but had no way of getting it in the theatre undetected by, I don't know. Movie Police? Then Josh had an epiphany. A moment of sheer genius. I was wearing a baggy sweatshirt that night ('cause c'mon ladies. What else would you wear to impress a guy on a first date?!?!) and he thought that if I tucked the huge bag of trail mix under my sweatshirt and evened it out just right, it could pass for a pregnant belly.

Now maybe in that moment I was desperate. Perhaps I was so starving, I was willing to try anything to get that food in the theatres with us. Because I went along with it! (Once again, what better idea to impress a guy on a first date than to appear five months pregnant. Holy cow, what was I thinking?? I don't know, maybe the Peter Priesthoods out there want to know what a prospective wife looks like in that condition. Hey. Wait just a minute. I just figured it out! Maybe Josh had this planned all along. Or maybe he used to ask this of all his first dates as some sort of sick filtering process! Ha.)

We took the trail mix back to his car where I proceeded to evenly tuck the bag in my sweatshirt. I don't know if he remembers this, but as we walked into the theatre, Josh said to me, "You know, you make a pretty good lookin' pregnant lady." (how haunting were those words, buddy. Who ever knew that some day, you'd see me like that 3x in 3 years...and it would be your doing!!) Our little plan worked. Nobody questioned us, and luckily nothing embarrassing happened, like the bag falling out of my clothes in front of everybody. We joked that if anybody was paying attention, they'd have noticed that I looked at least 5 months pg going in, and not pg at all coming out. We had the baby and ate it during the movie.

O Canada

Anybody else want to join us and move to Canada?? We're rollin' on January 20th if you're interested.

Seriously so blessed you guys, like for reals

I recently discovered a blog on one of my friend's blog (thanks for sharing Heidi!) that perfectly encapsulates your typical LDS mommy blog out there. It takes many elements found on most of our blogs and embellishes them in a hilarious, satirical way. I don't know who the author of the blog is, but I guess that's all part of his/her mystique! Enjoy!!

http://seriouslysoblessed.blogspot.com/

I don't wanna grow up...

Oh, if only we could be Toys R Us kids forever...err...I mean, if only we could be perpetual college students forever, then we'd always spend our evenings and weekends studying...then we'd always get to see lots of each other during the day...then we'd always be apartment dwellers...then we'd always survive on mac n cheese and Papa Murphy's pizza...then we'd always shop for great bargains at the Goodwill...(wait, I think I'll always do that last one no matter how affluent we ever become!)

Alas, Josh and I have now officially returned to the adult world. He began a "real" job last Monday!!!!! He works for--get this--his (and soon to be my) alma mater in the Accounting department! That's right. He is now employed by CWU. Ha. His official title is Fiscal Analyst and he works in the admin building. So far he is LOVIN' it!!! His coworkers are nice and fun to be around. What a blessing.

He searched and searched for a job. I betcha that he filled out at least 50 applications and sent out just as many resumes. He even had a few interviews with some pretty cool companies. For example, he interviewed with a company in SLC, UT that makes video game simulators for law enforcement agencies and the U.S. military!! Of course, he would've worked in the accounting end of things and not actually producing or testing the video games, but whatever. It was the company's product that excited him!!

In the end it was Central that offered him the best job for the best moola. And the benefits!!! Dang. This university sure takes care of their employees. Plus both of us are SO thankful that we get to stay in Ellensburg with all of our rockin' friends and church fam. We have come to love this teenie town because we have made some of the best friends that either one of us have ever had.
I'm so proud of my workin' man!! He is suited perfectly for this position and I know he'll do it very well. I just hope that he doesn't end up looking as strung out as that poor sap in the picture. Maybe around tax season each year he will...

Dane Cook - God Bless You (Edited)

Jolie and I watched this on Comedy Central one night and laughed our brains out. The best part is the punch line at the very end. Brings new meaning to the concept of karma!

We had the baby!

Josh holding Jayden

Me and Jayden

Big sister wanting in on the baby action

Dr. Herman and baby

Our horrible attempt at a family picture at the hospital. It's a good thing that my folks were there and captured better ones that I can copy later!

The stork has arrived!! Late Sunday night I went into labor, so we hurried to the hospital thinking that we'd have only milliseconds before baby's arrival. I delivered the girls in record time so we figured that baby #3 would be no different. But we were wrong!! This little feller took nearly twice as long and lots of pitocin to come out. I guess it goes to show you that every pregnancy and delivery is different and that you really can't compare them.

Our good friend Rachelle came over and crashed on the futon to be with the girls so we could go to the hospital at 1:20 a.m. Talk about good friends who are willing to get out of bed and come over in the middle of the night!

By the time we got to the hospital my contractions were 3 minutes apart but then they gradually got further apart and less strong. I was so confused and a little frustrated. Josh and I got a couple hours of interrupted sleep before the doc came in around 8 a.m. to say that he'd break my waters around 10 a.m. and start an epidural at that point. (I gotta say, as frustrating as it was to have a labor that had been starting and stopping for days up 'til that point, it was really nice to be at the hospital with ample time for an epidural!!)

So that's what we did. He broke the waters and I got an epidural around 10. That still didn't get labor progressing very well so then they gave me some pitocin...and then some more pitocin...and then a little bit more. Hey, I didn't care, though! I wasn't feeling any of it!

Now this next part is the craziest thing of all. As a woman giving birth, I almost feel guilty for saying it. But after all that, I was so comfortable that I (and Josh over on the easy chair) actually nodded off for a quick nap! Yeah. I know. I'm serious. I NAPPED during the active and transition stages of my labor. I know. I know!! You can say it. I HATE YOU JOLIE.
Anyway, if you still like me at this point, read on...

Around 1:20 p.m. my doctor returned, checked me, and said, "You're ready to go!!" I could hardly believe him. I was fully dialated and efaced and I didn't even feel it. Man. Drugs are a gift from God above. Truly. Then he said, "Let's push this baby out!!"

At this point Josh woke up to a room full of people and the announcement that it was "go time". I pushed about 4 times and he was out!!!! When he came out we realized why the labor wasn't progressing very well. His position was posterior. In other words, he came out "sunny side up" instead of face down. So it's a great thing that I was all drugged up.

For about 8 months of the pregnancy we felt certain that we'd name this baby Jacob. But near the end we had a stupor of thought you could say and started thinking of other names. We really liked the name Jayden so we thought that we'd keep both names in mind when deciding what to name him. It still took us all day Monday to reach a verdict, but we decided that he seems more like a Jayden than a Jacob. He has lots of dark brown hair, long fingers, and is the spittin' image of Josh's dad!! He's healthy and beautiful, so we are filled with gratitude and love to add him to our family. We love you baby Jayden!!

Jayden Glen Ramsey
born Monday, Sept. 1, 2008
1:39 p.m.
7 lbs, 4 oz.
18.5 in.

Fun with Friends

Before my family stopped interacting with the outside world when I went on bedrest a few days ago, we actually did stuff with other people. Here's proof!!

About a week ago we got to watch Taya for a while. Taya and Jaclyn were born days apart and they played together really well! Here they are sharing some cereal while Jaclyn showed Taya a book.

This past weekend was a HOT one in Ellensburg. It got up to 102 on Saturday so we had Dustin and Lore and their son, Dalan, come over so the kids could play in the pool.

This is a bittersweet picture of Tiffany and Jeremy. It was taken on one of their last evenings in Ellensburg before they moved to Moses Lake. The bums!! ;-) They held a big ol' BBQ at a local park as kind of a going away bash. Josh, me and the girls have grown to LOVE them over the past four years and we already miss them so much. Joanna adores Jeremy and lit up whenever we'd announce that we were going over to their house.

Bedrest

Last night around 8 p.m. life threw a curve ball at us. I started having contractions and other signs of labor! I couldn't believe it at first 'cause I'm only 35 weeks along. But I went in to the hospital to get checked out. They hooked me up to every gizmo they had, and sure enough, I was in pre-term labor. So they had me stay the night for observation while they monitored the baby and my contractions. Good news is, the baby is just fine. His heartrate is normal and he passed the stress test with flying colors. Bad news is, I'm on meds to stop the contractions and have been put on bedrest until at least 37 weeks when my doc said that he'll let "nature take its course".

At least I only have to be on bedrest for 10 days or so. I've only been confined to bed for one day so far and I'm already going nuts! I feel so lazy and helpless. And the meds make me feel really jittery and anxious, like I've just downed 6 cups of coffee in 15 minutes. They make me stammer over my words, make my hands shake and my heart race. Fun fun!! I do feel grateful, however, that this will be short-lived. I can deal with this for a week or so. I now feel so sorry for those women who have to be on bedrest and on meds for months at a time. I'd go insane!

You know, this whole time I always thought that "bedrest" meant that you could just lounge in bed with your feet up and read, work on crafts, etc. But apparantly not. It means laying down the whole time, only getting up to eat and use the bathroom. Aaaaahhhh!!!!
But I want a healthy baby more than anything so I know that it's worth it. Josh has assumed the role of "Mr. Mom". He's been doing everything today and will do the same tomorrow, the day after that, and the day after that....We now have a bet going on to see who, at the end of this pregnancy, will be the more insane person; he or I. He for having to do everything or me for having to do nothing! Time will tell.

We'll keep ya'll updated. Please keep us in your prayers so that this baby won't come too early.

Calm Before the Storm

*Warning*: Novel ahead

I am calling these next few weeks of our lives "the calm before the storm." And rightfully so. Summer classes are OVER, Josh graduated (but is still job hunting) and we have nothing to do except for enjoy our last full month of summer and await Jacob's soon-approaching arrival. Then life as we know it will, I'm sure, return to "cyclone mode".

I took 13 summer credits from June 16 to July 25 and that was one of the craziest things I've ever done! I took an online class called Culture and Marriage which was super interesting. I learned a ton about marriage in different societies and cultures. For instance, did you know that among the Vanatinai of the South Pacific, unmarried couples can sleep together, but until they intend to move their relationship "to the next level" they do not eat together separately from their family or other kin. The couple is considered to be married when the new husband stays the night with his bride and she cooks him breakfast the next morning! (An interesting difference in our culture’s/religion’s beliefs about “taking a relationship to the next level.”)
So there ya go ladies. In some cultures, the surest way to a man's heart IS through his stomach!! hahaha
(sheesh. If that were the case in our culture, I'd be an old maid for life! It wasn't until I got married and had a family that I forced myself to learn to cook! Josh would have taken one bite of my morning-after, homemade breakfast and bolted out the door, never to be heard from again.)

I also took a Law and Justice class about Family Law where I learned all about divorce, child custody, visitation rights, and annulments...every day it was like going from one extreme to the next. First I'd learn about the glorious institution of marriage and how various cultures celebrate love and integrate family into society. Then I'd go to Family Law class at 10:30 and learn about what happens when it all goes to pot, families are torn apart and husband and wife duke it out in the court room. Yikes.

My third class was a philosophy class called Intro to Logic. To my right-brained mind, this gen ed class turned out to be anything but LOGICAL! I mean, really. I've taken chemistry, organic chem, nutrition, anatomy, and physiology classes before and done quite well in them, but then I go and sign up for this philosophy 201 class and learned that: Jolie's brain + logic = silly putty. It was like giving Kryptonite to Superman. My brain just couldn't wrap itself around anything that prof talked about all quarter. But oh well. What knowledge I did walk away with from that course was that I am a very ILLOGICAL person and that my brain is apparently in backwards. :-P

But enough about me. Let's talk about the rest of the fam for a minute. For two weeks--yes, count them--TWO weeks out of that 6-week summer quarter, Josh and the girls ditched me to go on vacation. (I would’ve gone but obviously I had to be here for school.) First they went to Burley, ID to see his grandma Ramsey before she left on her second mission. After a couple days there they pressed on to the great Salt Lake valley where they stayed with Karen and Kevin (his folks) for what turned out to be a two-week excursion. The original plan was to stay "only" one week, but then near the end of that first week Josh called me and said that he wanted more time there. I reluctantly responded yes to his request. I about died without them for that long!

You know, since parenthood for me began nearly 3 years ago, I’ve experienced dozens of fleeting moments of fantasizing about having the house all to myself for a couple days without any children or even, yes, husband around. (Sorry sweetie, I love you to pieces, but everybody needs "me time" every now and then!) I'd day dream about all I'd do with that quiet time spent in solitude. I'd read a book for pleasure for hours, uninterrupted. I'd catch up on scrapbooking projects, baby book and journal writing, and other half-finished projects around the house. I’d sing to my music and not hold anything back, watch a few chick flicks without worrying about Josh teasing me for being such a cheese ball, and eat fruit loops for dinner at, like, 9 p.m., because hey. I could!

To be honest, the first few days of their absence were heavenly. It really was nice to get up to an alarm clock at 8 a.m.; not by the sound of starving children at 6 a.m.! And the silence was eerily pleasant. But after about day 3, it SUCKED with a capital S. Seriously. The fantasy was over. I really wanted my family back! And then when Josh called to announce that they’d be away for an extra week, I about broke down in tears. My mom was able to come and hang out with me for a few days the first week and that was so nice. We chatted each other’s ears off, went out to dinner, and watched “Definitely, Maybe” (A MUST SEE LADIES! If you haven’t seen it yet, go rent it!) . She was also a HUGE help with all my projects around the house. We stained my bed frame, rearranged my bedroom, hauled a bunch of stuff to our storage unit, and organized the kids’ rooms. But when she left I still had an entire week solo mio. It was, well, weird! If I think about it, I haven’t been alone for that long in nearly 7 years! (5 years of marriage plus 18 months on a mission.) There were times when I didn't know what to do with myself because nobody needed me. I didn't have to take care of anybody or fix anybody food. WEIRD. ;-D

I kept super busy by studying and researching so I did have that to distract me. I also scoured the house from top to bottom and man, did that feel gratifying! I'm a bit of a clean freak so it was nice to have the house immaculate, if only for a couple of weeks. I organized EVERYTHING we own, threw away lots of junk and made at least 4 trips to the Goodwill. I also surprised Josh by giving our bedroom an “extreme makeover”. Before our bedroom felt more like a dorm room. Our comforter set was a putrid color of army green and everything from the lamp to the wall treatments was mismatched. So while he was gone I ordered a gorgeous ivory colored comforter set with a bunch of throw pillows to go with it. I was so proud of myself, too, because I found the set on Bed, Bath and Beyond for super expensive, did some digging online and found the exact same set from some online bedding outlet store for nearly half the price! Go me. Then I bought some sheer curtains and a cool-looking curtain rod to cover up our ugly blinds. I hung candle sconces on either side of the window and hung a floral wreath above the bed. My mom actually made the wreath! We went to Michael’s hoping to just buy one that matched my new “motif” but they didn’t have anything I liked. So we selected a bunch of silk flowers and greenery to make our own. I was going to help make it, but when we got home that day from shopping in Yakima I was exhausted so I laid down for a nap. When I woke up she had already finished it. It turned out amazing! I love our room now. It actually feels like a bedroom for one, but it looks so much more romantic, relaxing, and inviting. Ooo-la-la.

Josh and the girls had lots of fun in Utah. They went to Lagoon and to the Hogle Zoo, lit fireworks on the 4th, hung out with friends and family, and basically had a grand ol’ time. My sister-in-law, Megan, and her family were also along for the first week so Joanna and Jaclyn got to play with their cousins. Virtually all pictures taken of their adventures in Idaho and Utah were taken by Megan, so thank you Megan!!

Megan took this picture at Lagoon, and it cracks me up!!!

Joanna playing with a sparkler while cousins Isaiah (yellow shirt) and Josiah look on

Joanna with uncle Nate

Joanna enjoying a ride at Lagoon

Joanna NOT enjoying a ride at Lagoon. That's Josh by her side and cousin Isaiah and grandpa Ramsey on the left

Joanna (right) on a ride with Lexi Gill (left). Lexi is our friends' daughter. They were born just days apart!

Josh with Steve and Shelley Gill. (Lexi is their daughter.) Shelley is expecting, too, and get this. She and I have the SAME due date! Yeah, so Lexie and Joanna were born a couple days apart and now our next children will be too! Funny.

We're in the baby business

We already know full well just how insane we are for having babies very close in age. Heck, assuming Jacob will be born at 38 weeks like his older sisters were, we're going to have three children under the age of three for about a week!! And with Joanna almost, but not quite fully potty-trained, we'll also have three kids in diapers!
So, funny story. Today I was at Wal-Mart buying out their stock of diapers and wipes. I'm not kidding. In my cart was: one case of size 5 diapers, one case of size 4 diapers, 4 big bags of size 1 diapers, 3 bags of newborn diapers, and 3 of those huge boxes of wipes. After clearing the shelves I proceeded to the check out where I was met with a friendly smile by the checker. She took one look at my load and asked, "Oh, do you run a DAYCARE?"
I couldn't help but laugh at her honest question. I explained that sadly, all these diapers and wipes were for my own children.
So there you have it. When you're in the baby business as seriously as we apparently are, you may be occasionally mistaken for someone in the daycare business.

And I'm proud to be an American...

...where at least I know I'm free...to make fun of our President?! Here are a few Bushisms for ya.

The Stupidest Things President George W. Bush Has Ever Said

10) "Families is where our nation finds hope, where wings take dream." —LaCrosse, Wis., Oct. 18, 2000

9) "I know how hard it is for you to put food on your family." —Greater Nashua, N.H., Jan. 27, 2000

8) "I hear there's rumors on the Internets that we're going to have a draft." —second presidential debate, St. Louis, Mo., Oct. 8, 2004

7) "I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully." —Saginaw, Mich., Sept. 29, 2000

6) "You work three jobs? … Uniquely American, isn't it? I mean, that is fantastic that you're doing that." —to a divorced mother of three, Omaha, Nebraska, Feb. 4, 2005

5) "Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB-GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country." —Poplar Bluff, Mo., Sept. 6, 2004

4) "They misunderestimated me." —Bentonville, Ark., Nov. 6, 2003

3) "Rarely is the questioned asked: Is our children learning?" —Florence, S.C., Jan. 11, 2002

2) "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." —Washington, D.C., Aug. 5, 2004

1) "There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again." —Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 17, 2002

It's like what Steve Martin once said in one of his acts: "Some people have a way with words. Other people not have way."

Happy Father's Day

Josh with Joanna

Josh with Jaclyn

Every girl makes a mental checklist when they date a guy. We all did it, right?! There were certain criteria that he had to possess and measure up to, otherwise, there's the door buddy. Does he treat me like a queen? Is he a worthy priesthood holder? Does he put the toilet seat down after use? You know, the important stuff. ;-D

But honestly, somewhere in the process of dating Josh I guess it slipped my mind to make sure that he was good with kids and would be a good father to my children. Mmm, I guess at the time I was too twitterpated and over the moon in love to care!!

I sure lucked out because Josh has proven to be THE MOST WONDERFUL father to our little girls. He is so involved with everything from the diapering and bathing to the giving of horsey rides and building towers out of blocks. He is so patient and tender with them and is pretty darn discerning to their needs. Oftentimes he knows what a cry means before I do. (you know, hungry cry vs. a tired cry)

And I LOVE that he shares this thing called parenthood 50/50 with me. Whenever I'm gone at class, at the store, etc. I never have to worry about the girls being well-taken care of. He makes sure they're well-fed, diapered, and entertained. (Even if that sometimes means popping in a movie!!) He understands that the dad is not just a "babysitter" while mom is out. ('cause man that burns me when I hear women say that their husbands are home "babysitting the kids"!!) He cleans up messes after meals and reads bedtime stories. I mean, really. The guy is such a great dad and I couldn't ask for a better guy to be the father to our children.

Josh, I love you and I am very grateful for all that you do to make our home a safe and comfortable place to raise our family. You set a great example for our daughters of how a father ought to be, and I hope that they can marry a man like you some day. Happy Father's Day to you and all the other dads too!!

Graduation weekend

Here he is!! Our CWU graduate being forced against his will to walk at Central's graduation ceremony last Saturday. His family and I pretty much revoked his agency on this matter and made him. ;-) Josh graduated with a BS in Accounting, in case you're wondering. I like to tease him that he also got a minor in Professional Video Gaming. hehehehehe.

After four years of college life it still does not seem real that he's DONE. All done. (Well, except for a Master's some day, then we'll start the whole process all over again!)
After all, virtually our entire married life has involved school, so it just feels like part of who we are as a couple. Two married people. Broke. Apartment dwellers. Broke. Late night studiers. Broke. Juggling classes and kids. Broke. Mac 'n cheese eaters. Broke. You get the idea. But soon we'll be adults (again!) and he'll get a grownup job. He has applied for various positions at KVCH (the hospital in town) and hopes to get administrative experience there. His end goal is to be a hospital administrator. You know, some day when we're "grownups". ;-D

I am so pleased and proud with his accomplishment. Anymore, not many people can actually complete a four-year degree in FOUR years. We work our way through college, take breaks to "figure out what we want to do", etc. But he did it. He even took summer classes each year to finish on time. So I gotta commend my man on a job well done!!!!

This pic was taken at the ceremony just before he walked onto the stage to receive his diploma. Notice the graduate two behind him bracing her cap on her head and the millions of clothes pins that band members used to hold their music to the stands. Last Saturday was your typical windy, but otherwise sunny and beautiful day in Ellensburg. Wind gusts reached 40 mph that day. Ug. I swear. The longer I live here the more sick of the hurricane, err, I mean the wind, I get!

Josh and Joanna walking home together after the morning ceremony.

It's funny to think that when Josh started college in 2004, these little girls had not yet joined our family. Now it's 2008. One college degree and two (and almost 3!) children later...my how things change!!

Josh's family and some of mine came to dogtown to help us celebrate. His sister Megan, her husband, Jesse, and their three adorable boys stayed with us. Here is a picture of Megan reading a bedtime story to three of the five kiddos on Friday night. The kids had so much fun playing together all weekend.
Altogether we had 13 adults and 5 children crammed in our teenie apartment throughout the course of the weekend. But it was loads of fun!

Beating the SPRING Heat

So is it just me or has it gone straight from winter to summer?! What in the heck happened to this lovely little season we call spring??? Not that I'm complaining or anything. This weekend was SO beautiful; warm weather, no Ellensburg wind. It was a perfect time to take the kids out of this house and go have some fun! We went to the park and played and hung out with some neighbors. They have two little boys about the same ages as the girls. They drew with sidewalk chalk, blew bubbles, chased each other around, and dug in the dirt. They got down and dirty! Let's just say that come bath time later we had a "pre-rinse" cycle before actually drawing the bath water. We came inside and cooled off with some push-ups. Yum yum! Sticky sticky! It's fun for me to watch them play hard and get so dirty. I can't even remember what it's like to not have a care in the world, but I'm sure it was nice. I wish I'd taken pictures of them playing.

Hair

Joanna and Jaclyn are funny girls because they both hate having their hair done. Every time I attempt to put Joanna’s long hair up in pigtails, a ponytail, etc., she just rips it right out. Same goes with Jaclyn. So we’re lucky if hair even gets brushed before heading out the door. But the other day Jaclyn actually let me put her hair in these little pigtails that, I think, look more like antenna or teletubby horns, you take your pick.

As for Joanna, her hair was getting SO long. It was always getting in her face and in her food, and so since she never let me do anything with it, I took her to get it cut yesterday. She did so well. I was impressed. She sat in the chair all by herself and held still while the lady cut her hair. I think she looks so adorable with this new “do”.

Joanna before the haircut













Joanna striking a pose

Blowing me a kiss?

Who says the firstborn has it rough?!

Just the other day I read in the news about a recently-released study which states that firstborn children have it rougher than their younger siblings. Well duh?! Did it really take an expensive study to figure that one out?! ;o) I AM a firstborn child, afterall. But what the study focused on was the extra duties, responsibilities, and higher expectations placed upon older firstborn kids. It did not address firstborn babies.

Here's some funny reasons why us firstborn babies had it WAY BETTER than our siblings!!! They made me laugh and I know we can all relate to most of them. Enjoy!

BIRTH ORDER OF CHILDREN

Maternity Clothes:
1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your OB/GYN confirms your pregnancy.
2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.
3rd baby: Your maternity clothes ARE your regular clothes.

Preparing for the Birth:
1st baby: You practice your breathing religiously.
2nd baby: You don't bother because you remember that last time, breathing didn't do a thing.
3rd baby: You ask for an epidural in your eighth month.

The Layette:
1st baby: You pre-wash newborn's clothes, color-coordinate them, and fold them neatly in the baby's dresser.
2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean and discard only the ones with the darkest stains.
3rd baby: Boys can wear pink, can't they?

Worries:
1st baby: At the first sign of distress--a whimper,a frown--you pick up the baby.
2nd baby: You pick the baby up when her wails threaten to wake your firstborn.
3rd baby: You teach your three-year-old how to operate the baby swing.

Pacifier:
1st baby: If the pacifier falls on the floor, you put it away until you can go home and wash and boil it.
2nd baby: When the pacifier falls on the floor, you squirt it off with some juice from the baby's bottle.
3rd baby: You wipe it off on your shirt and pop it back in.

Diapering:
1st baby: You change your baby's diapers every hour, whether they need it or not.
2nd baby: You change their diaper every two to three hours, if needed.
3rd baby: You try to change their diaper before others start to complain about the smell or you see it sagging to their knees.

Activities:
1st baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Swing, Baby Zoo, Baby Movies and Baby Story Hour.
2nd baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.
3rd baby: You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaners.

Going Out:
1st baby: The first time you leave your baby with a sitter, you call home five times.
2nd baby: Just before you walk out the door, you remember to leave a number where you can be reached.
3rd baby: You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees blood.

At Home:
1st baby: You spend a good bit of every day just gazing at the baby.
2nd baby: You spend a bit of everyday watching to be sure your older child isn't squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby.
3rd baby: You spend a little bit of every day hiding from the children.

Swallowing Coins (a favorite):
1st child: When first child swallows a coin, you rush the child to the hospital and demand x-rays.
2nd child: When second child swallows a coin, you carefully watch for the coin to pass.
3rd child: When third child swallows a coin you deduct it from his allowance!

Surprise Surprise

Josh and I have always had that 'gut feeling' about what we're having. But yesterday we discovered that our hunch was wrong! Yes, that's right folks. It looks like the Ramsey clan won't be as estrogen charged as we'd anticipated. The ultrasound clearly showed us that we're having a boy!!!!! While the doctor and his med student were trying to look at all his organs and make measurements, the baby was tightly curled up in a fetal position. And he must've been sleeping because he was barely moving! But after a while (probably from all the ultrasonic noise and the prodding!) that little guy woke up and started showing us his moves...and...err...his "stuff." Even an amateur like me was able to say, "yup, we got ourselves a boy!" ;-)

I'm sure all of you with children can relate. I just love having that second ultrasound! It's so fascinating to get a look at your baby and watch him/her move around, wiggle the hands and toes, suck a thumb, see the heart beat; whatever. It's SO cool.

Anyway, I gotta tell you a funny story. So after Josh and I left the hospital and returned to our car, the next song to play on our Ipod was none other than the Hallelujah Chorus!!!!!! We had the thing on a church song mix, and that just happened to be what was playing as we drove away!!! We had a good laugh about that. It was so fitting, I guess. As you can probably guess, Josh was wondering if he'd have a son. I mean I know we only have 2 girls. So it's not like we've already had 6 girls or something, but the poor guy was not giving his hopes up.
So when the doctor was able to get the "money shot" and announced, "It looks like you're having a boy!", Josh beamed from ear to ear.
(You know, this whole time, I thought that if we had a boy, Josh would've jumped up out of his chair and shouted for joy!! But he didn't. I could tell that he was extremely excited but there was no hootin' and hollerin'. I guess he wanted to play it cool.)

We're excited that our home will have a mix. Honestly, I'm a little nervous to have a boy now! My brain has been in "girly mode" for nearly 3 years. All I see when I look around the house is PINK. (Well, with the exception of Joanna's dinosaurs and toy cars that she prefers over her dolls and kitchen/cooking toys!) So this will be a fun, new challenge for us. It's a good thing that babies all start out the same. You just love 'em and feed 'em!

On a related subject...

This news article is in today's "paper". (msnbc.com) One of my news sources, anyway. I thought it was relevant since I just posted about gas prices yesterday. I grew up in North Dakota and my dad worked for the oil field for years. He worked during the oil boom of the '80s and early '90s. North Dakota really does have enough oil reserve underneath her to supply our energy needs so we need not rely on foreign oil. But, of course, like every other commodity grown on/in American soil, we ship it over seas.

Government says huge oil fields in N.D., Mont.
Up to 4.3 billion barrels in Bakken shale, some in industry skeptical

BISMARCK, N.D. - The government estimated Thursday that up to 4.3 billion barrels of oil can be recovered from the Bakken shale formation in North Dakota and Montana, using current technology.

The U.S. Geological Survey called it the largest continuous oil accumulation it has ever assessed.
The Bakken Formation encompasses some 25,000 square miles in North Dakota, Montana, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. About two-thirds of the acreage is in western North Dakota, where the oil is trapped in a thin layer of dense rock nearly two miles beneath the surface. Companies use pressurized fluid and sand to break pores in the rock and prop them open to recover the oil.
North Dakota's entire oil production hit 137,000 barrels a day in January, the latest figures available. Industry officials believe the state's record production of 148,500 barrels a day, set in 1984, will be surpassed this year.

Donald Kessel, vice president of Houston-based Murex Petroleum Corp., said he believes the Geological Survey's assessment of how much oil can be recovered in the Bakken may be high.
"That's a lot of zeros," Kessel said Thursday.
Kessel said his company was the first to get a producing well in the Bakken in North Dakota three years ago. The company now has about 20 producing wells.
The report released Thursday by USGS was done at the request of Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., over the past 18 months.
A 1995 study by the USGS found 151 million barrels of oil could be recovered from the Bakken using technology at that time.

"This is great news," Dorgan said of the new report. "This is 25 times the amount of the previous assessment."
The assessment comes as U.S. crude production has fallen steadily over the past three decades, with rate of decline slowed — or offset — only slightly by production from the deepwater Gulf of Mexico. That has led to increased imports. But as oil prices surged over the past few months, calls are mounting for a reduction in import dependence.

"Many of the previous oil discoveries in the U.S. have produced for a long while and are producing at lower levels now," Dorgan said. "This report comes at a time when we are desperately trying to be less dependent on Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries."
Oilmen have known for more than 50 years that the Bakken holds vast oil reserves, Kessel said. But the price has never pushed demand high enough to develop technology to capture the oil, he said.

According to Jim Ehrets, a Denver-based geologist with Headington Oil Co., of Dallas, it costs about $5 million to drill a well tapping the middle Bakken, and companies need crude prices of at least $50 a barrel to make it economical.
Even with crude prices now double that, "there still is a ton of risk," he said.
Oil companies began sharing technology about two years ago on how to recover the oil. The technology involves drilling vertically to about 10,000 feet, then "kicking out" for as many feet horizontally, while fracturing the rock to release the oil trapped in microscopic pores in the area known as the "middle" Bakken.

Initially, companies had kept their technology secret, said Ehrets.
"Everybody was protecting their results while the lease play was still going on," he said. "Once it had been pretty well saturated and not much left to lease, there was cooperation in sharing information.
"I can't remember in my entire career that kind of cooperation," said Ehrets, an oil man for nearly 30 years.
Headington, which is based in Dallas, has about 150 wells working in the Bakken — about 100 of them in Montana — with plans to drill at least 100 more, Ehrets said.

The Geological Survey said about 105 million barrels of oil have been produced from the Bakken through last year. The Elm Coulee oil field in eastern Montana, near the North Dakota border, has produced about 65 million barrels of the total, said Rich Pollastro, a USGS geologist.
The Elm Coulee field was discovered in 2000, he said.
The study released Thursday by USGS does not estimate how much oil may be in the Bakken — only what the agency believes can be recovered using current technology.
Thursday's report did not cover the Canadian portion of the Bakken. Pollastro said a 2000 assessment found only about 15 million barrels of recoverable oil in that area using traditional vertical drilling.
Ron Ness, president of the North Dakota Petroleum Council, said the number of wells in the Bakken in North Dakota increased from about 300 in 2006 to 457 at the end of last year.

I think we can all relate to these

So is everybody just as sick as I am of gas prices being outrageously overpriced?! Of course, it doesn't help that I live in Washington state where we have the highest excise tax on gasoline in the nation, which gives us the second most expensive gas prices in the country only behind Hawaii.

I would get on my soap box about big business oil companies, the war in Iraq, our oil rights-preoccupied commander-in-chief, and the fact that there is enough oil underneath American soil to supply our energy needs for the next two millennia, but I honestly don't have the mental energy to get into it today. ;-)

So in lieu of my ranting, here are some more light-hearted pics that I hope will make you laugh as hard as they made me. I guess that's all we can do for now is laugh our way to the pump...as the oil industry big wigs laugh their way to the bank.

Presidente Soares

To all you Porto sisters, wasn't it AWESOME to hear Elder Soares (he'll always be President Soares in my head!) give the closing prayer in Sat. morning's session? Just hearing his voice gave me warm fuzzies. ;-)

I'm curious, were any of you able to attend the mission fireside last Sunday? If so, please tell me all about it. Blog about it or leave a comment here. I would have loved to be there. I miss the Soares family so much!!

On another note, I thought it was really incredible to witness the process of sustaining a new prophet, a new first presidency, and a new quorum of the 12. President Hinckley was the prophet when I was baptized eight years ago, so this is my first experience with this whole process, so forgive me for being so in awe by it all. But it's a testiment to me of the validity of our faith. The Church of Jesus Christ will always follow a pattern set by the Lord Himself and we can see it carried out in our local meetings as well as these world-wide meetings of the Church. Very cool indeed. The Spirit of God has helped me to know for myself that President Monson really is a true prophet of God and that we are still being led in the correct path.

Survival mode

I'm sure all of you at one time or another feel as I'm currently feeling. Like you're living day by day in "Survival Mode". These past few weeks of existence have been pretty much that. Existence. Surviving. ;-)

Not much to blog about because between our school and work schedules and me feeling like death warmed over, we haven't done much.

But I do have some CUTE pictures of my little kiddos, so here they are. I can't believe how big the girls are growing. Joanna looks like such a young lady in the pic with me and the girls, huh?! Not like the toddler that she is. I also love the one with Joanna playing guitar hero. She watches Josh (or me sometimes) play and has learned how to hold the guitar and "strum" the notes. She's our little rock star!!

Jaclyn has been walking for about a month and a half now, and she's really cruising. But she often starts running too fast for her little legs to keep up and then she trips and falls. Her falls are so hilarious to watch!!! That's probably not a nice mommy thing to say, but when she falls, she does it right!! ;-)

Fred Meyer's had a big fat sale on all Radio Flyer bikes so we got the girls one. Joanna's is a tricycle and Jaclyn's is one of those toddler bikes that they scoot with their feet. It even came with a bell and tassles on the handle bars. And the weather is warming up so we've been able to take them outside almost every day (well, when good ol' Ellensburg wind isn't HOWLING!) and practice riding. Joanna is really getting the hang of it, but Jaclyn doesn't have that much interest. Jaclyn rides hers for, like, a minute, and then she's off...you guessed it...RUNNING away!!! She'd rather practice her short distance sprints than her bike-riding skills.

It's finals week at Central so Josh and I are getting through that. Well, more so me, actually! Josh had his first and only final this morning, so he's already done. I still have two more later this week plus two papers due by Friday. Yikes!!! Mmmm, maybe I should be studying instead of blogging!! Nah. Who likes to study?! Blah.

Also, I am nearly 13 weeks pg so that brings GREAT news to me!!! It means that I'm almost out of the woods with the nausea/fatigue phase. Hip Hip Hurray!!!! I am SO ready to feel better and to start liking food again! I told Josh that the minute I'm feeling better he has to take me to the Olive Garden! ;-P Oh yeah, and I also told him that this better be our last baby 'cause I ain't never doin' this again!!! (But you just watch me...I'll be eating those words within the coming year. I said the same thing after having Jaclyn and then I'd go somewhere, see someone else's baby and get baby fever all over again. Yes, yes. I AM insane.)

a mother's influence

"If human infants are not surrounded by genuine love from birth, radiating outward into a truly caring family and social environment, then we pay for our failure toward the next generation by having to live in a world torn with fear and hate...The importance of security for babies and mothers outweighs every other issue. If that is not achieved, everything else we do merely sustains human masses to struggle on from crisis to crisis."
~ Harry Guntrip

I read this quote in a textbook and I thought wow. Even the "big brains" acknowledge the importance of loving, stable homes as the basis of a righteous society!!

Growling Grizzly

Okay, do anybody else's kids behave like a grizzly bear when they're sick?!?! Joanna has had a NASTY cold for five days now and all day, every day, she has been growling, moaning, and screaming like a grizzly bear! I sympathize with her completely, I really do. I, too, hate being sick. It's so miserable. But c'mon. We've got wailing and gnashing of teeth going on over here!!! What a drama queen. I hope she gets better soon. Not just for my sanity, but for her to feel healthy again.

10 more fingers, 10 more toes

There truly must be something in the U.S. water supply!!!!!! Well, chalk me up with the rest of the momma crew that's expecting again, 'cause Josh and I just found out that we're going to have our third baby!!!!!!!! [cue shrilling freak out scream] Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!

Yep, that's right folks. Dear Jolie, the girl who, just LAST WEEK (two days before testing +) told someone that my baby factory was gonna have to be closed down for a while until we both finish school. My, my, how life (aka, Heavenly Father!) throws you some curve balls sometimes. This is the way it always goes with me, though. If I were a more superstitious person, I'd knock on wood after making comments like that. HA!

We are actually SUPER excited, and WAY more relaxed and calm about this than I'd originally imagined. I mean, most people will tell you that it's having that 3rd child that really throws things off kilter because now the children outnumber the adults in the house!!! But I know we'll adjust. I'm already looking forward to having s'more teenie fingers and toes to tickle!!! (Incidentally, baby toes are probably my favorite feature on those little things. They're so cute!!)

**This part is for Shara: Do you remember when I called you in a teary panic when I found out that I was pg with Jaclyn?! Josh was at work and I needed someone to talk to before I, like, passed out. I was SO shocked that we were having baby #2 so soon! Joanna was only 6 months old at the time. But you helped me so much and calmed me right down. Ah, I was just reminiscing about that whole experience and it made me laugh.**

My 1st doc appt. isn't for another 3 weeks, so I'll have to wait to tell ya'll what our official due date is. I would have a better "guesstimate" of my own, but my cycles have never been regular, so I really don't know how far along I am. (Sorry if that was TMI for you. I used to care about sharing that kind of stuff but after being in the Ramsey family for 4.5 years, I'm open to pretty much any subject of discussion!!) But judging from my last two pregnancies and when I started "feeling" pregnant with them, I'm guessing that I'm currently 5 weeks along, which would make the baby due in September...right around Joanna's 3rd birthday. (Her b-day is the 10th) And OH BOY am I startin' to feel it!! Ug. The good ol' nausea and fatigue thing is beginning to hit. Hurray for the 1st trimester!! BARF. It's a good thing that it's all worth it in the end, right?!

For anybody who's interested to know, I met with my advisor today to tweak my academic plan to compensate for the new baby's arrival. I can still graduate on time (this coming fall '08 quarter) as long as I take one extra class next quarter (spring) and two summer classes. Then this fall (yes, as in a few weeks after I deliver) I will only have to take one class and my senior exit interview crap-ola class. I figure, I can handle one class and a few interviews with the new baby. PLUS, my sweet mother-in-law has offered to come up here and stay for a few weeks to help out with everything, so that will be a huge, huge weight off my shoulders. And Josh will also be completely done in the fall, so it looks like we will have much to celebrate later this year!!

See, so in the end, everything will work out and at the end of the day I can breathe a cleansing breath of relief and say, "God is in complete control." I know that He is. This is His little child and He wants him/her to come now.

So, let's see here. I now join the ranks of so many of you who are expecting right now!!! There's Anjuli, Tasha, Beth, Shara, Ruth, Janae, Stephanie, and Lacey. I hope I'm not excluding anybody. (Well, unless, of course, you're glad to not be on this sort of list right now!! haha)

Healthy pregnancies to all, and to all a good night!!!

Professor Corihor update

Thanks everyone for your comments and concern. I have decided to stick it out and stay in the class...for now. It's a three-hour class that meets once a week, so I've only attended that one meeting. I figure I'll give it another chance and see how it goes. (Besides, I've been told that taking this course from him is a cinch, and that the other professor who teaches it really piles the work on. So part of me really wants to stay the course!!)

I have not had a chance to make it over to the Dean of the Psych. dept., but I certainly will pursue it if it comes down to that. What I have done in the mean time is spoken candidly about this matter with another professor I have this quarter. I did not tell her who the prof. was, but I guess through process of elimination she figured it out! (oops) Anyway, she was appalled to hear that he would act like that in the classroom, as they have taught together for years. (I thought about that Carl Rogers quote and about the different masks he must wear to hide who he really is.)

She insisted that I have rights as a student and that he can in no way give me a poor grade based upon my religious beliefs or upon what I said to him. She advised me to keep close track of my grades on tests, papers, quizzes, etc. and make sure that everything adds up correctly at the end of the quarter. She also advised me to question any grade I receive on those assignments if I feel that they merited a higher grade.

So, there ya go. I guess that's where I'm at, for today. Man, as if life couldn't get any more stressful going to school full-time as I (attempt to) stay afloat on the homefront with laundry, dishes...and, oh yeah, CARING FOR TWO YOUNG CHILDREN?!?!?!?! Oi veh.

MY strong self, real self

Okay, this post relates to the previous post; the one with the quote from Carl Rogers. So first, read the quote, then come back and read this little story I have to tell. It's a true story. *Names have been changed to protect the innocent.* ;-)

Winter quarter classes just began, and among the courses I am taking is a Relationships and Personal Development class. Since I am (now) a Family Studies major, I am taking this class because it pertains to intimacy, relationships, marriage, self-exploration, etc. You know, FAMILY STUDIES and PSYCHOLOGY type stuff. My professor is an older gentleman. He began the hour by going over the syllabus, explaining course objectives...all the usual things. Okay. Then the professor began telling us a little about himself. He shared some background about his upbringing and education. So I'm still thinking to myself, typical first-day stuff, right?!

Now here's where it got interesting. After a few minutes or so he mentions the fact that he grew up in southern Utah and went to the University of Utah. So I'm thinking, okay, maybe the guy is LDS. Well sure enough, he begins a 45-minute schpeel (I timed him!) about the "Mormon" church, making sure to include everything from polygamy, the "restrictions" of the Word of Wisdom, and a handful of anti-Mormon beliefs. His voice and mannerisms were snide, sarcastic, and cynical, and it seemed like he took great pleasure in getting a rouse out of my fellow students. Students laughed at many comments he made and I heard many sighs of disbelief as he shared a story about his great-grandfather who practiced polygamy and had two wives that hated each other.

It also seemed like he had a bone to pick with the church because he said that he never married, and he chose not to do so, to intentionally defy the LDS culture's philosophy that everyone should marry and have large families. (Of course, the church does teach that families are important, but the way he described it made our doctrine sound completely twisted and confounding.) He even explained that when he lived in SLC years and years ago, his bishop tried to set him up on blind dates and would periodically call him into his office to tell him that he was going to hell if he didn't get married.

By this point my blood was boiling and I had the feeling that my heart was pounding hard and would jump out of my chest at any moment!! I had raised my hand a couple times in attempts to interrupt his rant, but he didn't see me. When he was finally done indoctrinating the class about our beloved faith, he called a 10-minute break, so I seized the opportunity to give him a piece of MY mind!!!

Here's the gist of what I told him...
*Professor Corihor*, I want to tell you that I am an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and I did not appreciate anything you said regarding our church. What you just shared was false and misleading, and none of it pertained one bit to this course's description!! This isn't a religion or philosophy class. If you harbor ill feelings toward the church for whatever reason, that's YOUR business. You have the right to express those feelings with your family and friends. But using your classroom as a forum to share your anti-Mormon beliefs is NOT appropriate, tasteful, or respectful to students such as myself who hold high esteem for the church.

Then *Corihor* rebuttled saying that he didn't think that he was being cynical or rude at all!!!!! He felt that everything he said pertained perfectly to the course and that it needed to be shared in order to understand his background and beliefs on family. (Aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.)

So then I told him that if he felt it was necessary to explain his Mormon upbringing, he should not have included ANY false remarks which attack the church, its doctrine, its culture, or its people. I told him that he was way out of line and that he should apologize to me and to the other students. He just looked at me and said nothing.

Well, the break ended, I returned to my seat, and he resumed class. But he didn't offer one word of apology.

...okay, so now I pose a question to ya'll who've actually read this entire thing. Do you feel that I should speak with the Dean of the dept. about this? I mean, if this is what the man did yesterday, I'm sure he's done it in previous classes, and I'm sure he'll continue to spread anti-Mormon sentiments in the future. (Which, of course, have NOTHING to do with the course material.) I know that I am in the right, and that in today's world students have rights about these sorts of attacks on their spiritual beliefs. I'm also concerned now about my grade in the class!! What if he black lists me and gives me a bad grade because of what I said to him?? Should I even stay in the class or drop it?

Most of all, I've been thinking about him all day. I can't help but wonder what could have happened to him that made him so incredibly bitter and angry about the church. I can only imagine that it had something to do with the whole never-getting-married thing. (He also told the class that he moved to Washington to "escape" the pressures he faced in Utah.) I want to reach out to him and help him, but I just don't know if it's my place. I've been trying to think about what I could say. If you have any advice, I'm open to it!! Please share your insights about the situation and about what you might say to him that could console him in any way.

Oh, one more thing. I find it ironic that he shared the Carl Rogers quote with us. What I observed from yesterday's proceedings is that *Prof. Corihor* still wears his mask every day. He hasn't been able to forgive the people who have insulted or hurt him, which makes him very vulnerable. Oh, and did I mention that he used to be a Marriage Counselor?!?!