Referee Lessons

Last Friday night was a 70th birthday party for my Dad.  Before the party started, we dropped by to give grandpa some Tag time.  My Dad's going through chemotherapy for bone cancer and also had some skin cancer recently "frozen" on his hands and nose.  His attitude is full of optimism and he is inspiring to be around.

As an example, his wife Babs asked him the other morning as they were reading the paper, "Will you help me write your obituary?" He told her that was another seven word sentence that one doesn't want to hear, like the doctor saying some months ago, "You better get your affairs in order."

We had a good laugh about that. Then he told me, "However...I am insisting that she take the first bite out of all the food we eat!"

I posted a video of Grandpa teaching Tag the fine art of refereeing.  Enjoy! 

Click here to view video:   Tag's Referee Lesson 

Utah Man Am I Sir

Joann I spent a long day yesterday in Pocatello, Idaho for Jordan's state wrestling tournament.  It was quite the event, and his last sporting competition as a high school student.  

All state qualifying wrestlers from 1A-5A in Idaho were packed into the dome and for 8 hours there was non-stop wrestling on 16 mats.  It was fun to watch Jordan compete, and he did himself proud.  We left at 7:30 AM to get there on-time and didn't return home until 11:30 PM.  That's 16 hours to watch Jordan wrestle in 3 matches lasting about 5 minutes each.  That means we waited over an hour for every minute of his actual match time. That's tough duty.  Luckily, rather than driving all the way home, we crashed at Jo's brother Mitch Spence's house in Salt Lake, but still didn't get to bed until about 1 AM.

Anyway, this morning Joann and I were exhausted.  Of course, Tag's tummy timer takes none of this into consideration and he was up at 7AM ready to eat and smile.  At about 10 AM he went down for a nap, and Joann and I followed.  We napped until 1 PM and both woke up feeling like zombies.

We threw on some sweats and headed over to my favorite fish taco place for some lunch.  I had on my Utah sweatshirt and while we were eating, a nice looking man walked up to our table and said, "I'm guessing by your shirt you're a Ute fan?"

"Yes sir, I certainly am," I replied.

"Well good. I just had a friend call and cancel attending the basketball game with me and was wondering if you guys would be interested in two tickets.  They are on the floor, 2nd row." Next thing we knew, we were heading to take Tag to his first Utah game!

The Utes aren't having the best year this year, but being on the floor was a blast.  Tag was a big hit with his red/white hat and he got lots of looks and smiles.  It's so funny how much noisier an event seems with a 2 month old baby in tow.  I kept wondering what that environment must seem like to a little dude of Tag's size. I found myself so excited to bring Tag into Rice Eccles and teach him the fight song!  He hardly fussed the entire game and was a big hit as you'll see from the pictures below.

 Dad and Tag attend their first Utah game.

At halftime, our friend Steve Rich came by to visit and meet Tag for the first time.  He mentioned how he had been reading this blog and was excited to meet Tag.  

Steve mentioned how his little girl was a chunk when she was 2 months old, compared to Tag's little size. We got laughing about how when you have a child there's always those who have to give their opinion on how you're messing up.  We get comments all the time from people wondering if we are starving Tag, while Steve had people telling him they should watch what they were feeding their little girl. "I'm not going to make my girl diet before she's 1 year old," laughed Steve.  No kidding.  When I was single, it was "How come you're not married?"  When I got married, it was "When are you having kids?"  This sort of unsolicited "wisdom" is a pet peeve of mine.

The Utes beat Wyoming and there were some great dunks and basketball action.  Got me excited for March Madness coming right around the corner.  They also announced that BYU lost to New Mexico to the cheers of the Utah fans.

Here's some more photos from the event:

Brinton Family, courtside. 

Note: The guy in the red hat behind me yelled and screamed like it was the NCAA finals the entire game.  At one point I turned and told him he was spitting on us. Gotta love hoop fans.

Cute Exhausted Mom with son checking out the crowd.

Crimson Line wanting a post-game photo with Tag.

Cheerleader Sandwich!

Note how Tag acts uninterested. Very sly move, son.

Cute cheerleader on Tag's left is Rachel Thomas, 
our neighbor where we live. 

She threw Tag a little basketball during the game. Nice!

Late night thoughts

     I am usually up with Tag around 3 or 4 am for a feeding.  Typically he's up an for an hour and a half or so and it's a very happy, smiley time.  The past couple of nights however, he's been stuffy.  He gets upset that he's not eating/breathing and lets out lots of frustration via snorts and whimpers.  To assist him I put saline drops in his nose and then used that old infamous bulb/nose sucker.  To him, and all babies I assume, it is really just torture that they don't understand.  Tag has just started honing his hand/eye coordination and night before last was trying to push me/it away and struggling quite a bit.  He was crying, moving his head all over, hands flying, etc...  It made me so sad to have to put him through this ordeal; and yet I knew at the end he'd be breathing easier and be happier. 

     
At the end of it I felt this quiet, yet profound feeling come over me that this was symbolic of life very often.  Life is hard, it can be uncomfortable, painful and scary at times.  We get frustrated and don't understand why things are happening to us- just as Tag didn't.  And yet, our Father in Heaven has a grand design where everything He allows to happen in our lives is for our ultimate good so we become who we need to to get back home to Him.  How often have I fought things and not understood that they were for my good in the end?  It is so easy to forget the bigger picture as trials come in varying ways.  Life is painful at times and we can't understand the why's right now.  

     
It's hard to describe the peaceful feeling that came in the wee hours of the morning.  It was just like a little light of understanding turned on.  I am so grateful for a loving Father in Heaven who knows better than I do what I need; and for His Son whose sacrifice paved the way for us to continually repent and progress.  I may not understand the why's just as Tag doesn't right now, but I do have faith that He has my best interests at heart always.

-- Joann

Family Power

Tonight, during the Olympics, Tom Brokaw was a special guest and reported on a story of one Kevin Pierce, a young snowboarder phenom who was a serious US Olympic contender.  On December 31st, 2009 in Park City, Utah, Kevin sustained a serious injury to his head while practicing in the halfpipe.

Brokaw interviewed Kevin's awesome family and it made me cry as they told of the uncertainty they felt during the first few weeks after the accident.  One of Kevin's brothers commented how the same calm demeanor that helped him excel in snowboarding would make him a great patient and it made me think of my little Tag man.

Kevin's father commented how many ask him how they think it will turn out and he said, "We really have no idea... I mean the brain is a tricky instrument."  AMEN.

I really wanted to reach out and hug this inspiring family as they calmly told their story and seemed to bond together in their hope for their son and brother.  It so reminded me of the love and hope I have felt from my own family and friends, who have stood by Joann and I during the challenging beginnings of Tag's life.  We really don't know the ultimate outcome for Tag, but we have seen so many miracles happen in these short 2 months since his arrival.  Two months...WOW.  Feels like two years in quality of events.

Cheers to Kevin Pierce for a speedy recovery.  We'll be praying for you and your family.

A Note From Joann

District Wrestling in Idaho:

Tag took his 2nd road trip back up to Idaho this week.  We made the trip to watch Jordan wrestle in the district meet.  Wrestling is such an intense sport.  It is really such a battle from start to finish and as a mom I find it hard to breathe sometimes watching my boys on the mat.  

Tag, I think you'll have a lot to learn from your big brothers about sticking in there when life gets tough and fighting through till the end with all you've got.  I was so proud to see Jordan's determination and focus both on and off the mat as he warmed up and prepared for each match.  

The final match of the day was a nail-biter (hoping to get the video to post soon).  Jord and his opponent were both getting points pretty evenly throughout.  At one point the other kid launched him up in the air and then body-slammed him down onto the mat; for which a measly 2 pt penalty was given. They were tied at the end and Jordan got the take-down in overtime to place 3rd overall.  Seeing his bloody mouth and body dripping in sweat at the end I found myself tearing up with appreciation for the battle he'd just won.  If he takes that same determination and strength into college and beyond I see great things ahead. I hope Tag was taking mental notes and soaking up the life-training by osmosis.

 

 Always plenty of downtime at these meets and Tag enjoyed some with Michael & friends.

 

 Mitch doing some work in between matches.

I have started getting out for walks with Tag and showing him the great outdoors here in Woodland Hills.  I'm sure glad we're up higher than most of the smog in the valleys! Although it's hard getting into it at first, he usually falls asleep pretty quickly whether he's in the front pack or the BOB stroller. 

 

 

My Aunt Lynn and Uncle Allan (aka Lyndie & Wulf) sent Tag a prayer bear who sat on the pew of their Methodist Church in Raymondville, TX.  It's a sweet reminder of the many prayers said there on his behalf.  We feel so blessed to have had so many praying for little Tag! He and the bear looked like they matched today after church (see photo). 

Tag seems to be pointing to the bear- maybe he likes that it's got a hat too??

-- Joann

Olympic Gold!

We've been enjoying the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.  My personal favorite events are the Men's halfpipe, snowboard cross, and Men's short track speed skating.  I just love watching Apollo Ohno battling it out with the Koreans.  It was also fun to watch Lindsay Von and Bode Miller in the downhill skiing events.

I used to enjoy the figure skating, but now that the men wear more makeup than the women it's just annoying.  Also, as soon as they start mixing ballroom dancing with skating and you hear the announcers say things like, "This pair brings so much romance into their skating" I just have to leave the watching to the females in the room.

Anyway, in the spirit of the Olympic Games, Tag executed his personal best bowel movement last night. His diaper was simply no match for this performance, and it was so impressive that we had to decommission his clothing and give him an immediate bath.  Gold medal to Charles Taggart Brinton!

Tag Brinton on the medals podium to accept the 

Gold Medal for Men's Freestyle Bowel Movement.

A Weekend to Remember

This last weekend Joann, Tag and I had some great spiritual experiences. Jo and I had been married civilly since March 2008, but on Friday Joann and I were sealed for time and eternity in the temple in Provo, Utah by a nice patriarch named Ron Vincent.  It was a very special event. In our church, we believe that a couple can be married for time and eternity through the power of the Priesthood (as opposed to "til death do you part" in most Christian marriages).  This is one of the special ordinances performed in our temples.  

We had about 40 of our closest family members and friends there and as I entered the room, it was so cool to see those happy faces smiling and enjoying the spirit of the occasion with us.  In fact, this was perhaps my favorite part, as they brought Joann and I into the room and my eyes caught the group who was waiting for us.  What a great group of people!  I tell you what, if I am lucky enough to make it to heaven with these people, it'll be a happy eternity!

After the sealing ordinance, they brought baby Tag in to the room and he was sealed to Joann and I.  This is another interesting feature of our faith and our temples.  We believe that in addition to couples, families can be sealed to each other for the eternities.  Tag was sound asleep and so his grandmother Marina Spence held him over the alter and placed his tiny hand on ours for the ordinance.  When the sealer stated his name, all of a sudden he awoke and smiled as if awakened by someone to witness the important moment.  Then immediately after the ordinance he fell calmly back to sleep.  It was very cool and uplifting to everyone in the room.

On Saturday, my sister Darcie was in town to have her daughter, Adele, baptized.  Again, another unique feature of our church compared to most Christian churches, where our children are not baptized until they reach the age of 8 years old which we believe is the age of accountability, where one is old enough to choose this ordinance for themselves.  We believe that little children have no need to be baptized, as they are incapable of committing sin, and the "sin of Adam" is swallowed up with the Atonement of Christ.  Additionally, our baptisms are performed by one with Priesthood authority and done by immersion in the same way Christ himself was baptized.  After the baptism, I was honored to join the group of Priesthood holders who laid their hands on Adele to give her the gift of the Holy Ghost, just like the early Apostles did in Christ's day.

This ordinance reminded me of my mission where I had many conversations with people of other Christian faiths who seem to miss this important fact in the scriptures.  In Acts 8: 14-20, it talks about the people of Samaria who had been baptized, but hadn't yet received the Holy Ghost until the Apostles (who had the higher priesthood) came by and laid their hands on them.  After viewing this power, Simon offered the Apostles money to give him this special power.

This was a great event with many friends and family there to support Adele.  As per usual, Tag was in great demand by many who wanted to hold and touch him.  By the end of the day, Tag was quite fussy as he is not used to such crowds and attention.

 

Tag's cousin Ceci Davis practicing her motherhood skills. 

Then on Sunday, I had the honor of giving Tag a baby blessing.  Again, holders of the higher priesthood place their hands on the young baby and the baby receives his name and a blessing by the father.  My sister Darcie made some notes of what I said in that blessing, and I am putting those here for Tag to reference in the future:

• I mentioned to Tag how ironic it was that I was giving him a blessing when he is the one who has blessed me in so many ways.  I also mentioned that he had already made many friends and influenced many in the positive, even in his young age, and that this would continue.
• I also told him about how he was named after his two grandfathers.  His first name, Charles, was after his Grandfather Charles Spence and I blessed him to share Charles' humility and diligence in living the gospel.  
• I mentioned to him that his last name made him the first grandson and namesake of his grandfather Howard Brinton.  I blessed him with Howard's sense of humor, optimism and tolerance of others.  
• I also felt impressed to mention to him that he was blessed with his Mother's heart and that this would serve him well in his life, especially as an example to his brothers, Jordan and Michael.

A few times, I had tears well up in my eyes, and I had to pause to gather myself, as I was so honored to bless this little guy as my son.  We did the blessing at the home of Ralph and Bonnie Brinton, my aunt and uncle. Many family members were there and it was a blast to see everyone there, from both sides of the family.

 Grandma Julie Brinton Poses.

Fight Club

Grandpa Brinton gave Tag his first fighting lesson and in no time at all Tag surprised Grandpa with two swift right jabs, one to the chin and another to the nose.  I was lucky enough to catch these on film (see below).  The shot to the nose was even more impressive as Grandpa attempted to block the jab with his much larger right hand, but Tag was so fast that he connected before Grandpa knew what had hit him:

 

 

As a prize for being such a quick study, Howard's wife Babs made Tag a beret, which not only fit well, but led to quite a few funny nicknames, like Blacque Jacque Chirac, and Little Pierre Derriere:

Be Creative

Tag,

Your grandfather, Charles Spence (who you are named after), gave me this story today and told me it reminded him of me.  I was flattered!  Anyway, this story has a great moral and I hope you will remember to be creative and innovative in your life.

 ------------------------------------------------

A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: "I am blind, please help." There were only a few coins in the hat.

A man walked by and took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.

Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. Later that afternoon, the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were going. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?"

The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way."
I wrote: "Today is a beautiful day but I cannot see it."

Both signs told people that the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people that they were so lucky that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?

Moral of the Story: Be thankful for what you have. Be creative. Be innovative. Think differently and positively.

Patience, The Overrated Virtue

Tag, I hope that someday you master the art of patience much better than I have.  Perhaps it's because I live in a culture where everything is NOW.  I mean, if someone sends me an email that takes more than two minutes, it seems like a burden.  That is crazy.  Even as little as 20 years ago, when I was in college, email didn't even exist, let alone cell phones.  With DVR, I can fast forward through all the commercials in order to get back to the football game (which is one of the greatest inventions of the 21st Century!).  Drive thru's deliver full meals within minutes.  I could go on and on.

The challenge with these conveniences is that they create an unreal expectation that other, more important parts of life, should be as fast.  For example, building a successful company, stopping you from crying, paying back debts, waiting for your mother to get ready to go out (ha)...

The scriptures are clear (and filled with examples) in teaching us that patience is a critical virtue to develop.

Colossians 1:11 -  Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long suffering with joyfulness.

Hebrews 6:12 - That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience, inherit the promises. 

Alma 26:7 - Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren ... and bear with patience afflictions, and I will give unto you success.

However, look at the rewards in these three examples for those who exercise patience:

1) We are strengthened with all might.

2) We inherit the promises.

3) We will be given success.  

 

All the trials of 2008 and 2009 have been a patience training ground for me.  I have waited so long to meet you.  And then you arrived with this little "mass" on your head to test me once again.  I'm so glad to be a little more prepared in patience after these trials.  I still have much work to do, but I am so glad to be able to share the rest of it with you.

PS.  After reading this post, my Mom and your sweet grandmother, Julie Brinton, sent me this discourse on patience by Elder Neil A. Maxwell, one of the twelve Apostles.  One would benefit greatly by reading and pondering this this powerful defense for the virtue of patience.  Talk On Patience