They call me the fireman, well that's my name!

 The Z&T Inspection team has added a new set of skills to their growing rep·er·toire.  








The two have been practicing their Fire inspection skills. 


 Above Zach is preparing the hoses while Tyler keeps the paparazzi at bay.  Regular hose inspection is an important part of any firefighting operation.  


Here the team is working on their technique and strategy.  Tyler is explaining to Zach that holding the hose at too high of an angle will cause the water to evaporate before it gets to the fire.  


Tyler also explains that proper operation of the hose requires both (2) hands.  

Zach now has the technique down,  if you see not only does he have both hands on the hose,  and the angle is obviously lower.  Tyler is operating the fire departments newest engine.  This beast is a giant mobile toolbox.








Here Tyler is operating the departments newest fire engine.  Its tons of steel and tools.  Tyler informs us that the truck is really a mobile toolbox platform.








Now Tyler is instructing as that proper operation of the fire engine requires us to take a few steps away from the engine.  He says he is an easy going type of guy,  but safety must always come first.

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Zach,  a little less serious,  is explaining to us how he can stand up while Tyler is driving,  and how much more fun that makes the ride.

Lastly, Zach is demonstrating the importance of hold the hose with two hands.  Though Tyler is quick to point out,  he may be holding the hose a little too high.  

1st Day of School

The night before the first day of school,  Zach was giddy with excitement.  We had been telling him for weeks that he needed to be well rested for school.  I did't get an argument from him when I told him it was bedtime earlier than usual.  

Here he is in the morning with the clothes he wanted to wear on his first day.   I forgot to take pictures of his shoes,  I will put those up soon.  These shoes make him really fast.  

When we picked out the bag,  I didn't realize it was so big.   There was some worry whether it would fit into his cubby at school,  but it fit without a problem.  

Once we got to school,  Zach was as cool as a cucumber.  I won't call him shy because he did speak when spoken too,  but he was quite and reserved.  There were several children sobbing because there parents were leaving them,  and a couple of those children were in full on melt down mode.  

I am guessing the first day was fairly uneventful.  He didn't have much to say about it,  and told grandma he didn't learn anything on his first day.   

Before I left,  I did notice the girl next to him had very nice handwriting,  and I noticed that Zach noticed this too.  If I know Zach,  I would expect to see his name written well on your next birthday or Christmas card. 

The Big Week

This week started out big.  Shannon had games on the weekend and then left Tuesday morning for a week long tour of Oregon.  School started for Zach. Community Picnic (of which I was responsible).  Lots of work to get done on the Man Cave 2.0 (as Jessica has dubbed it).   The recent DOJ announcement.  On top of all of this,  its September and tax returns are starting to come due.

I started  the week with an anxiousness and uneasiness that I couldn't quite understand.  I pulled up Groove Shark one morning at work in an effort relax.  I wanted to listen to some Dave Matthews.  After finding the song that had been in my head all morning,  I then stumbled upon this song.  Suddenly I found myself sobbing like a little girl on her first day of Kindergarten (Zach didn't sob on his first day, but the girl next to him did).

"The first time I saw you was like a punch right through my chest" 

Tuesday was the 3rd anniversary of Nathan's birth.  After spending three months mentally preparing ourselves for the challenges our family and Nathan would face once he was born, the sudden development of his early delivery and the corresponding complications caught me by surprise.  The first time I saw him,  I realized the battles he had fought just to make it to this point.

"I will forever, cause you forever be my one true broken heart, pieces inside of me,
and you forever be my baby"

I don't know why after three years, Nathan's memory, still haunts me so.  I remember that morning in the Hospital and the intensity and the pureness of the emotions.  I remember holding him and being sad for all the things he would never get to do.  I also remember the calm stillness in that room and knowing, for that moment, the importance of forever.

"You will rest your head,  your strength wants saving
and when you wake, you will fly away holding tight to the legs of all your angels"

I know that had Nathan lived his life would have been challenging.  I know it was mercy that allowed his suffering to end early.

"Goodbye my love, into your blue blue eyes in your blue blue world
You and me forever"

I do want to apologize for approaching this subject in a forum where I usually try to share our experiences in a comical and light hearted way.  But I did want to share this part of my testimony because I think it may be what I learned from our experience with Nathan.  Last week I had a discussion in my Sunday school class about the importance of life.  Sometimes I think in our narrow view of life we place to great of importance on the few moments we have here on earth.  We forget in the longer view of eternity that there are greater experiences available to us.  That life while precious and unique and needs to be experienced to the fullest extent possible, is not all there is for us.  We shouldn't get so caught up with life,  that we forget about Heavenly Father.

I will stop now with this scripture and attempt to sob no more.
  
Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what isyour life? It is even a ^avapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.  James 4:14

The summer of FHE

Bellevue Temple in the July sun

"Let us be a temple-attending and a temple loving people. Let us hasten to the temple as frequently as time and means and personal circumstances allow.  Let us go not only for our kindred dead, but lest us also go for the personal blessing of temple worship."

President Howard W. Hunter

One evening, after work, Shannon brought the boys to Bellevue from Renton and we had a Family Home Evening (Hereafter "FHE") at the Bellevue Temple.

The Temple grounds in Bellevue aren't large,  but the boys  always find a way to entertain themselves and make the most of the situation.  Here Shannon and Zach are posing for a picture while the Stone Family attempts to teach their little girl walk.   However,  Tyler is concerned with the size and shape of Mrs. Stone's hands.



Tyler continued his close examination, now of Mr. Stone's hands.   A conclusion was never reached as to the appropriateness of this family's hands,  or whether or not baby girl Stone ever made it her fathers hands.  Perhaps we can return soon to allow Tyler to continue his investigation.

Other FHE Shenanigans

Most evenings, after dinner, becomes a wild time.  Both Tyler and Zach move about the house at a frenetic pace.  Sometimes Tyler chases Zach,  sometimes Zach chases Tyler, sometime Dad chases both of them (This is now called "The Awesome Game").

In an effort to bring order to Monday evenings Zach was named FHE president.  The presidents duties include asking individuals to: prepare a lesson; give the opening and closing prayers; and choosing opening and closing songs; As president Zach's first official action was to decree that ice cream be served after every FHE.  Normally Zach does a great job of leading FHE and is very focused throughout the entire event.(The purpose of "calling" him has president).  However, he can still be distracted from time to time.

On a prior FHE evening, the distraction was provided by Tyler.  After gathering the family in the living room,  we sat down and started an opening prayer.  Tyler,  recognizing what we were doing,  stopped his meandering around the first floor of the house, which is what he normally does during FHE, and joined us in the living room for the end of the prayer.  With eyes closed  you could hear the heavy footsteps of a toddler approaching across the wooden floor.  As the prayer ended,  Tyler came to a stop in the middle of the living room,  and yelled "Amen!"  Then, pausing only long enough to ensure we had all opened our eyes,  Tyler declared it was time for Ice Cream by yelling, "ICE CREAM."  Requests from his mother to wait until after the lesson were rebuffed by louder and more shrill demands for Ice Cream.  After a moment of debate, Zach in his wisdom as FHE president, decided the program could be adjusted and the lesson could be taught while ice cream was being served.  This change to program not only appeased the toddler,  but also allowed us to teach the lesson in peace.

Fast forward to Monday nights FHE;  Where Zach and the rest of the family gathered for FHE.  Uncle Jeff and Grandma had also joined us for the evenings festivities.  The larger crowd had unnerved Zach, but these challenges he would overcome. Zach tried to begin the meeting by singing a song.  Despite asking Tyler to join us,  he continued his normal meandering. Tyler, again, upon hearing us, lumbered into the family room.  Expecting demand for Ice Cream,  I began watching him closely.  However, This time, rather than demand ice cream,  he picked up a football helmet.  The football helmet and many other toys had been relocated to the living room due to renovations taking place in the playroom.

First Tyler puts the helmet on his head, backwards.  While the rest of us were given to song and trying to ignore the FHE rebel,  Tyler was stumbling around the living room, vision impaired by what would normally be the back of a helmet.  He corrected the problem by removing the helmet.   Rather than set the helmet down, Tyler decided to give the helmet to Zach.  Tyler crawled up on the couch and carefully placed the helmet on his brothers head.  Tyler then climbed down and seemingly continued on his meandering.  Zach, now thoroughly distracted,  was prompted by Shannon and I to ask someone to give the opening prayer. After some discussion we were set to begin the opening prayer.  Tyler, who was again asked to join the family, and this time he came running from across the room with a soccer ball in hand.   With a full head of steam,  and using all his weight Tyler flung the soccer ball at Zach's head from halfway across the living room.  The shot was a direct hit on Zach's head,  where only moments ago Tyler had placed the helmet.

Lessons Learned from this FHE:

1. Sometimes FHE is a full contact sport.  
2. Tyler is capable planning and executing multiple step tasks
3. If a Tyler hands you protective gear,  its probably wise to use it.  
4. We may need to have the video camera out and recording more often.