Celebrating All Hallow's Eve!

Our pumpkins! Can you tell what they are?! Cameron's pumpkin, on the left, is kind of creepy....let's be honest! Cameron thought mine was a scary face but if I tell you its two love birds, you can kind of see it! Right?!

Cameron made me! ;-P One of the problems with this picture is that the baby is holding still, that's a rare occurrence!

 

It wouldn't be Halloween without Carmel apples and Hocus Pocus! We dressed up for the occasion! The Suma Wrestler and her Referee!

King Tut is in Seattle! Well not really, its falsly advertised...to our big dissapointment!

When Cameron and I first saw advertisements for the King Tut exhibit at the Pacific Science Center I remember both agreeing that that could be a really enlightening and fascinating date night. After BYU Alumni offered us discounted tickets we decided to jump at the opportunity. I love studying world history, especially learning about ancient people and cultures.

It was really cool. And we got to see some really amazing historical treasures. However, I must say that Cameron and I were both disappointed that by the end of the exhibit we were not looking at a four thousand or whatever it is year old corpse. We got through the last part of the exhibit and I said out loud, "That's it? Where's King Tut?" However, after the security personal explained that a solid gold casket does not travel well, and even more so a couple thousand year old corpse which has rarely left its burial grounds (solely for medical testing) I understood. Overall, it was really a cool experience and I am increasingly grateful that I was not an ancient Egyptian who had to look forward to their stomach, lungs, liver, and intestines being preserved to ensure their existence through the eternities.

Did you know the reason King Tut is so famous? Or at least why his name is so widely known? This was news to me. He was also known as the boy King, his life ending at the age of 19 for reasons still unknown (possibly due to malaria). At the end of this life he had made some allegiances to military/political leaders that seemed to have been taboo at the time. His death was then a hushed event, and his burial even more sore. Because everything was done so quietly and so quickly there was little attention drawn towards him as a a dead king and his tomb. As the years passed, his tomb was one of few that was left almost untouched by robbers and I think the only tomb in the Valley of the Kings with the dead Pharaoh's body still found within. Interesting huh!? For someone who may not have left a significant mark on his world during his life, he certainly went out with a bang, now the whole world knows who King Tut was!

 
Waiting outside - you can kind of see the space needle. Looks way cool at night time. Also, first camio of Cameron with his new glasses. Still a cutie huh!? Wears them well I think!

Garners came to town!!!

We had an awesome weekend with Mom and Dad Garner. They had school off on Friday and were able to come up north and spend a couple of days with us in the gray rainy weather that Seattle so often offers! How lucky we are to have such great family! Love you guys! Thanks for a fun visit!

First stop!? The gum wall!!!! ... not so much because it is a breath-taking Seattle landmark, one that just forever "sticks" with you! Ha! That was for you Carl! ;-) But mostly because it is almost impossible to avoid as you walk down the side streets to Pike's Place.

  

The Fish Market!!!

 Down on the piers!

 

Our harbor cruise! 

We stopped by the Seattle public library on our way out of town.. did a bit of light reading! :) Actually, it was really cool! And merits a necessary return trip! It was huge! Books after books! And rather a bizarre lay-out for a library. At one point, Cam's mom and I took a trip a couple floors up in search of a bathroom that was not already occupied by an intoxicated and apparently mad-at-the-world homeless women. We ended up on the fourth floor of the library, surrounded by tunnels of I can't even remember how many different shades of red. I felt like I was on the magic school bus - swimming through Arnold's circulatory system! It was so weird...and not a book in sight. All for show I guess.

All in all, it was a wonderful weekend, complete with clam chowder, Mexican food, movie nights, piano music provided by Mama Garner, and rain! Thanks again Mom and Dad Garner!

A sweet lesson on patience...

I fell in love with this the moment I read it - I had to share it!  What a fantastic story to help us refocus and prioritize on what's really important!

A NYC Taxi driver wrote:

I arrived at the address and honked the horn. After waiting a few minutes I honked again. Since this was going to be my last ride of my shift I thought about just driving away, but inst

ead I put the car in park and walked up to the door and knocked.. 'Just a minute', answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor.

After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 90's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940's movie.

By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets.

There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard
box filled with photos and glassware.

'Would you carry my bag out to the car?' she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman.

She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb.

She kept thanking me for my kindness. 'It's nothing', I told her.. 'I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother to be treated.'

'Oh, you're such a good boy, she said. When we got in the cab, she gave me an address and then asked, 'Could you drive
through downtown?'

'It's not the shortest way,' I answered quickly..

'Oh, I don't mind,' she said. 'I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice.

I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. 'I don't have any family left,' she continued in a soft voice..'The doctor says I don't have very long.' I quietly reached over and shut off the meter.

'What route would you like me to take?' I asked.

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator.

We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.

Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, 'I'm tired.Let's go now'.
We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico.

Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move.
They must have been expecting her.

I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.

'How much do I owe you?' She asked, reaching into her purse.

'Nothing,' I said

'You have to make a living,' she answered.

'There are other passengers,' I responded.

Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug.She held onto me tightly.

'You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,' she said. 'Thank you.'

I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light.. Behind me, a door shut.It was the sound of the closing of a life..

I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that day,I could hardly talk.What if that woman had gotten an angry driver,or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away?

On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life.

We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments.

But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.

 

The Pharmacist" to-be" !

This past Friday Cameron had his coating ceremony for the school of pharmacy at the University of Washington. It was really exciting to get a taste of what the next four years are going to be like for him and who he gets to share them with! He should be kept busy that's for sure! I told him he was a bit of a cheater :) The dentistry and medical students don't get their "white" coats until at least half-way through their program. Those pharmacy students haven't done much yet! But sounds like there will be plenty to come!

 Cameron receiving his white coat from the Dean of the school of Pharmacy.

 Signing the graduating class of 2016 student pledge.

  You know, it was really exciting as I sat and listened about some of the classes and some of the out-of-the-classroom experiences that these guys are going to be able to experience. I think Cameron has found a really good fit for him; chemistry, health science, anatomy and physiology, patient care, and exploring new ideas and solutions. Cameron has such a compassion for people, and is such a people-pleaser....meaning he has such a genuine interests in other people's needs. And bonus - he's a smarty pants!!!  I'm excited for him and think this is going to be something that fits his interests to a "T"! He seems to be excited as well. So good news! One week down, however, many in a year times four to go! Ha!