hApPy BdAy BIG brother BRIGHAM

I wish I could post one of his classic Jr High school pictures here, complete with early '60's Beetles bangs - but this photo happens to be a mano on this laptop tonight -- and I'm already a day late in posting this!

Mr Baby Boomer Brig has been MY buddy since i was born! Then as i grew up i began to realize that everyone who knew him genuinely felt he was THEIR buddy too - and all of us were right!

Our parents had 5 kids in 7 years; he's the oldest - I'm the youngest. So he was my protector, peacemaker, and even patient playmate many times.

OK - so - people may find this HARD to believe- but truly, when I was little, I was pretty much a 'pain in the petutti' to have around!! So when others (understandably) lost their patience with me, HE would calmly interest me and include me in whatever fun he was having. He's always been great about including anyone around him - he & Tara both personify 'abundance mentality'!!

When he and my next older brother, Dan were young, 'grown-ups' often described them as "always on the go" - and they pretty much still are! And, of course, like every little sister, I loved tagging along... They were always going and doing and building (skate boards, skim boards, go-karts, even a dune buggy) and laughing and inventing and wrestling and little league-ing, footballing, boxing, (Wow - i just now thought of a closet they had in their bedroom with a half-sized door FULL of sports equiptment - and smelled of musty leather from baseball mits and boxing gloves!!).

I also remember wrestling matches Sue and I, (the "little girls") would have with them - They began on their knees while we got to stand. I would climb all over them; tugging, pushing, pulling, until I was red in the face and sweaty, and they would still pin me effortlessly. Sandra was the ref! -We had to have a pitcher of lemonade ready for our cool off breaks.

I don't remember how Brig was first exposed to SOCCER... but he took to it like a fish to water! (And YES, he loves fishing as much as Soccer). He was passionate about soccer and highly skilled at it before most of the US had ever played the game, and also before any high school had a team! I remember going with him to the school in our neighborhood before his mission (?) and being facinated as he headed the ball repeatedly as easily as someone else dribbles a basketball!

And I wasn't the only one impressed with his serious skills... But even HE was surprised to see a candid close up photo of himself (heading a ball) on the cover of "Soccer World" magazine. He soon became a star on BYU's team in the early days of their soccer program (pre scholarships, unfortunately). I LOVED reading articles about him in the Daily Universe, especially his final season, fall '77 ~ my freshman year.

I LOVE MY BIG BRO BRIG

One last thing - speaking of the Beatles - The whole world loved watching them not only because of their amazing guitar talent and catchy tunes, but also because it was FUN to sense and see how much fun THEY were having as they performed!

THAT's what it's like being around Brig! -- It's enjoyable because of ALL HE enjoys!

MARCH 10th '52 ~ a day the world became a better place

There is a curious paradox...

I finally went to see "the Fantasticks" at PHS tonight -
I've always loved that little musical, ever since Sandra took me to see it when i was young - I remember being so excited to go because of what she had told me about it, and because i liked the songs I'd heard from it.

I often forget how much i LOVE going to plays... surprising?, I know - coming from this drama QUEEN, right? However, we must remember that I am also the textbook ADHD queen - ...which translated means:

I LIVE IN THE MOMENT; living ONLY whatever happens to be right in my face at any given time, and not just living it a little bit, but completely! And yes, I know what you're thinking: even many things in my face at once - the same applies. As long as it has found a way to secure a spot in my face, I'm living it fully too.

But wonderful, enriching, worthwhile things like plays, vacations, 'wholesome recreational activities', celebrations, or even just a drive to Magna or Alpine to say, "Hey, i miss you - here's your Christmas present! - let's go get some lunch" - are just NOT on the beaten path of my face, therefore they usually don't stand a chance!...

Unless a caring someone - puts them right in front of my face long enough to secure my attention, or patiently prys me away from several of the things that already have, then diligently helps get my face to whatever i want to live next!

...OUCH! The first word that comes to mind after describing the harsh reality above is: EFFORT. The next words are: GRATITUDE & APPRECIATION - for loved ones and friends that have made that effort on my behalf for over 50 years!! -

And believe me, if anyone knows what you've gone through to help get my face to what we want me to live next, I DO!!...
YES - Because it has not been enough for ME to be challenged in this way in this life, NOPE - the 'kicker sir' (1) is that i have the 'opportunity' of bravely parenting several children who require the same!! - All while attempting to keep our critical concept of SELF WORTH in tact!

But hey -- BRING IT ON -- 'I'm feeling very Olympic' (2) tonight.

WAIT - I digress. (i should have interjected a TANGENT ALERT sign way back there).

'The FANTASTICKS'! Remember? - That's where I was actually going with this.
Refresher: Mostly a comedy - Next door neighbors want their kids to fall in love, so they tell them not to, and build a wall between the 2 homes... Their plan works, the kids marry blissfully, then reality sets in, they find out their fathers were behind it all along, so they split and try to find happiness out in the superficial 'real' world, only to come back around to each other - more wise - more grateful.
But along their journey they come across this trouble maker character, 'El Gallo', several times in several ways. (same character is also the narrator)

I liked hearing El Gallo's little rhyme before the last song, but couldn't remember it right after he said it, let alone after the song... So I 'Googled' it!

"There is a curious paradox
That no one can explain.

Who understands the secret
Of the reaping of the grain?

Who understands why spring is born
Out of winter’s laboring pain?

Or why we all must die a bit
Before we grow again.

I do not know the answer.
I merely know it’s true.

I hurt them for that reason
And myself a little bit too."


A good reminder of the benefits of adversity.

Just that.



1. Anastatia 2. Cool Runnings

~ HOPE ~

...In spite of adversity!!

...Remember when i said, "So long, Jan & Feb -

and DON'T hurry back!" -- I think maybe they

were offended and bitter, and wanted revenge

Thursday, March 4, 2010 - Provo snow storm

Major set back in the long-awaited wonders of

S P R I N G

Happy Bday John MARK

FUN AFTER ALMOST FIFTY ~ (at our 30 year reunion)

For me, for decades, March 3 = Mark B!

Both of these wild and crazy guys in this

photo have been my buddies since we were

kids being 'scolded' by our various teachers.

(mostly just for making each other laugh!)

But today's post goes to the the amazing

distinguished gray-haired man in the middle!

Whenever I think of him, or see any photo

of him, I immediately think of his fun laugh!

It's infectious, I can't help smiling even now!

Mark & I go way way back; we were raised

within the same ward family - which in our

Menlo Park neck of the woods would have

been enough to make us close, but beyond

that, we were in the same circle everywhere.

Our paths crossed constantly!

And although we haven't spent much time

together in the past 3 decades, our lives have

STILL always been linked* and we just pick

up right where we left off - we are FAMILY.

Mark was around to tease me and appreciate

me through every phase of our 'coming of age'

Wait - Did I mention his teasing?

But I have to admit, I did a darn good job of

dishing it right back at him! Yes, he gave me

a hard time, but it was different with him,

it was endearing - there wasn't any malice -

When others may have been annoyed - he was

just AMUSED! Don't get me wrong, we were

each capable of feeling annoyed with people,

and policies, etc... but not with each other -

Why bother, when there was always so much

and so many others for us to make fun of?

Even -or especially- at 6:30 am, day in and day

out in 'Early Morning Seminary'! I can just hear

him singing his rendition of: 'L i k e U n t o U s'.

Mark was surprisingly very observant, even

though many people thought he was oblivious.

He was observant of both truth and hypocrisy -

even while appearing to be carefree or just

teenage apathetic. Sarcasm was just his way

of getting through adolescence! (i wonder if

he's had to remind himself of that during the

past decade while parenting HIS teenagers).

We even had fun sharing our observations

of others and what made them 'tick'. He & I

had zero tolerance for FAKE; we saw right

through it - (and still do, but we TRY to be

more kind about it as we get older, -or at

least HE tries, especially as Bishop these days).

.

¡LOVE YOU MUCHO JUAN MARCO NOW 51!

And if you are still enjoying this tribute... read more below - otherwise,

hasta la vista and thanks for stopping by.

* Yeah - the "always been linked" thing began long

ago... with our common connection to wonder boy

~ Ma r C ~ Who was Mark's constant side kick

from roughly age 12-18 - and had been MY major

crush... from as early as a crush could begin. In

my mind while growing up, marrying MarC was a

'given' - duh!! It was on into high school before i

began to snap out of it - and finally concluded

whole-heartedly (about the time i left for college),

That M.A.S. was NOT my Destiny Man!

This enlightenment, (not to mention moves out of

Sharon Heights) could've potentially resulted in

the weakening of my link w/ Mr J Mark - but NO!

¡Al contrario! Our paths continued to cross at

some fateful moments that fall of freshman year

at "the BYU" in Helamen Halls ('77)... And during

Conference weekend he took my SoCal Pal slash

Dorm Buddy /Natural Beauty /Animated Brainiac

/Incredible SISTER of my sister-in-law: KEVIE

on a drive to SQUAW PEAK!! At which point they

became romantically involved, - (total SHOCKER

for me at the time) and have been ever since!!!

i miss you both... and your perfect children too :)

just some of my peeps

thanks to ashley thalman, we have this one photo

full of the bride's side: ~ grandparents, aunts,

uncles, parents, siblings, cousins, and offspring

~ precious, priceless. august '08

PS: HOORAY for MARCH!! so long JAN & FEB - and DON'T hurry back