Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Lovely Life
It's been over a year since Lydia or I have posted on this blog. I know Lydia has been busy, and to an extent, so have I. Let me try to catch you up on the past year.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT HAS OCCURRED:
Henry Patton Taylor was born on June 13th, 2012 at 11:40 am Lovelace Woman's Hospital in Albuquerque, NM. 7lbs, 8.2 oz. What a wonderful blessing he is and has been since he was born. We love him so much.
Things that have happened as a family:
We went to the balloon fiesta. I love going. It's always been one of the things I look forward to each year.
We have moved in with my parents. It's one of the most humbling things that I've ever had to do. We decided to do this with much prayer. The prophets have told us for a long time to get out of debt. We have moved in with them in order to get out of debt. I'm so grateful that my parents have allowed us to do this. They truly are wonderful people. Both Lydia and I are so blessed to come from wonderful parents that love and care for us.
Things of note regarding Doug:
It's been a year. I decided to leave SAIC because of the volatility of my job. Layoffs were taking place across the company. My boss that had been there for 20+ years decided to find other employment. Everything that I saw and I felt seemed to point to one conclusion, my job was in jeopardy. I followed my old boss to her new employment as Qinetiq North America. I get paid roughly the same that I did at SAIC, but I have more job security.
Let's see, what else, I have grown a goatee. I stabbed myself on July 3rd with a knife while preparing a brisket. I ended up with 2 stitches. I stepped on a nail last week and got a tetanus shot.
Things of note regarding Lydia:
She is working hard on raising our 2 little boys. She has made the back part of my parents house a home for us. She continues to amaze me at how she can transform just about anything into something amazing. She is working on a curriculum for Jaxon as he continues to learn and progress. She is my rock. She makes life so much more enjoyable for everyone around her. I'm just glad I get to be around her more than just about anyone else (Jaxon and Hank have me beat there).
Things of note regarding Jaxon:
He is a character. He loves baseball. He'll say no to anything, but if I ask him if he wants a baseball, he'll say, 'uh-huh', without fail. He loves to growl and make the face above. He loves his little brother. He calls Henry, 'Heddy'. He loves Mickey Mouse, Curious George, and Blue from Blue's Clues...oh and Daniel Tiger. He loves to do the dishes, mainly to play in the water. He loves to play 'Fee Fie' with me, which consists of me saying in a deep voice the Jack in the Beanstock phrase 'Fee, Fie, Foe, Fum', and then chase him around the house. He's also the craziest climber in the world. He has no fear. He'll climb anything and everything. He doesn't care if he falls, he knows that mom and dad will be there to fix him up. He is a wonderful, sweet, amazing boy. I love him more than I can express.
Things of note regarding Henry:
What a blessing. Right now he has a miserable cold. He has the coughs and running nose. Even with that misery, he is a joyful little guy. He is easy to smile and quick to laugh. He LOVES being held. He's almost crawling. He scoots himself around to taste everything on the floor. He is curious about everything. He has the most adorable blue eyes (thanks to dad;) ). I love that little boy so much it hurts sometimes. Lydia and I are so blessed to have him in our family.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT HAS OCCURRED:
Henry Patton Taylor was born on June 13th, 2012 at 11:40 am Lovelace Woman's Hospital in Albuquerque, NM. 7lbs, 8.2 oz. What a wonderful blessing he is and has been since he was born. We love him so much.
 |
| Henry 'Hank' Patton Taylor |
Things that have happened as a family:
We went to the balloon fiesta. I love going. It's always been one of the things I look forward to each year.
We have moved in with my parents. It's one of the most humbling things that I've ever had to do. We decided to do this with much prayer. The prophets have told us for a long time to get out of debt. We have moved in with them in order to get out of debt. I'm so grateful that my parents have allowed us to do this. They truly are wonderful people. Both Lydia and I are so blessed to come from wonderful parents that love and care for us.
Things of note regarding Doug:
It's been a year. I decided to leave SAIC because of the volatility of my job. Layoffs were taking place across the company. My boss that had been there for 20+ years decided to find other employment. Everything that I saw and I felt seemed to point to one conclusion, my job was in jeopardy. I followed my old boss to her new employment as Qinetiq North America. I get paid roughly the same that I did at SAIC, but I have more job security.
Let's see, what else, I have grown a goatee. I stabbed myself on July 3rd with a knife while preparing a brisket. I ended up with 2 stitches. I stepped on a nail last week and got a tetanus shot.
Things of note regarding Lydia:
She is working hard on raising our 2 little boys. She has made the back part of my parents house a home for us. She continues to amaze me at how she can transform just about anything into something amazing. She is working on a curriculum for Jaxon as he continues to learn and progress. She is my rock. She makes life so much more enjoyable for everyone around her. I'm just glad I get to be around her more than just about anyone else (Jaxon and Hank have me beat there).
Things of note regarding Jaxon:
He is a character. He loves baseball. He'll say no to anything, but if I ask him if he wants a baseball, he'll say, 'uh-huh', without fail. He loves to growl and make the face above. He loves his little brother. He calls Henry, 'Heddy'. He loves Mickey Mouse, Curious George, and Blue from Blue's Clues...oh and Daniel Tiger. He loves to do the dishes, mainly to play in the water. He loves to play 'Fee Fie' with me, which consists of me saying in a deep voice the Jack in the Beanstock phrase 'Fee, Fie, Foe, Fum', and then chase him around the house. He's also the craziest climber in the world. He has no fear. He'll climb anything and everything. He doesn't care if he falls, he knows that mom and dad will be there to fix him up. He is a wonderful, sweet, amazing boy. I love him more than I can express.
Things of note regarding Henry:
What a blessing. Right now he has a miserable cold. He has the coughs and running nose. Even with that misery, he is a joyful little guy. He is easy to smile and quick to laugh. He LOVES being held. He's almost crawling. He scoots himself around to taste everything on the floor. He is curious about everything. He has the most adorable blue eyes (thanks to dad;) ). I love that little boy so much it hurts sometimes. Lydia and I are so blessed to have him in our family.
Well, I'll try to add more later, but until then, thank you for everything you have done for our family.
Doug
Sunday, December 4, 2011
no peace on earth...
I'm not entirely sure why, but this is my favorite Christmas hymn. I know, I'm weird. I just love it. It's a little bit of a haunting song, I know. But it is so full of hope! And the words are so bold. They're arranged in the LDS hymnbook a little differently than it was originally written, and there are a few verses left out, but the message is the same.
I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
And in despair I bowed my head
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men.”
Till ringing, singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
And in despair I bowed my head
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men.”
Till ringing, singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
What a powerful message. God is not dead! The right will prevail! Peace will reign.
Why will peace reign? How will peace reign? Peace will reign because of the Prince of Peace. Who doesn't love Isaiah, later so masterfully put to music by Handel, when he testifies of our Savior,
Why will peace reign? How will peace reign? Peace will reign because of the Prince of Peace. Who doesn't love Isaiah, later so masterfully put to music by Handel, when he testifies of our Savior,
For unto us a achild is bborn, unto us a cson is given: and the dgovernment shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, eCounsellor, The fmighty gGod, The heverlasting Father, The Prince of iPeace. (Isaiah 9:6)
I love the scripture in the Book of Mormon: "And we atalk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we bprophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our cchildren may know to what source they may look for a dremission of their sins." (2 Nephi 25:26)
During this Christmas season, it may seem a little easier to talk to our friends and our family about our love of Christ and His love for us. What a beautiful knowledge to share with others: we know He lives. We know he is the Prince of Peace. We know who to turn to for comfort, for peace, for calm in this crazy world we live in. And let me just say, it IS crazy. Satan tries his hardest to confuse us, to lead us astray, to make us forget the importance of Christ in our lives, or even to tell us that we do not need Christ. To speak of being bold, Satan's lies go so far as to say that Christ is bad for us! Who doesn't see the constant barrage against Christians and the celebration of Christ and His birth? Satan knows that we need Christ. It is a very real war we are in. But because we know Christ, and because we know He lives, we have the privilege and the responsibility of bearing witness of Him. So offer your friends and family peace. Offer them the wonderful message of our Savior. Celebrate His birth with boldness and with hope.
During this Christmas season, it may seem a little easier to talk to our friends and our family about our love of Christ and His love for us. What a beautiful knowledge to share with others: we know He lives. We know he is the Prince of Peace. We know who to turn to for comfort, for peace, for calm in this crazy world we live in. And let me just say, it IS crazy. Satan tries his hardest to confuse us, to lead us astray, to make us forget the importance of Christ in our lives, or even to tell us that we do not need Christ. To speak of being bold, Satan's lies go so far as to say that Christ is bad for us! Who doesn't see the constant barrage against Christians and the celebration of Christ and His birth? Satan knows that we need Christ. It is a very real war we are in. But because we know Christ, and because we know He lives, we have the privilege and the responsibility of bearing witness of Him. So offer your friends and family peace. Offer them the wonderful message of our Savior. Celebrate His birth with boldness and with hope.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Feasting
We hope you all had a happy thanksgiving! We had a nice day with my family. They came to our home and we enjoyed relaxing and taking a breath from all the stresses of our busy lives.
My brother Richard left for the MTC recently, and we miss him, but we are excited for him!
We also announced our upcoming arrival--we are excited and blessed to expect another child in our family in June!
While we feasted on food and time together with family over the holiday weekend, I have also been feasting on the words of our Savior in preparation for the celebration of His birth in December. We are striving to create a Christ-centered Christmas celebration as we develop family traditions. I have been pondering on some words from my favorite talks, and I wanted to share them with you all, as I believe they can greatly bless all of our lives. I invite you to ponder them in your hearts and feel the Savior's love for us all.
President James E Faust taught:
In our day the Lord has admonished us, “Ye ought to forgive one another,” and then makes it requisite when He says, “I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men.” 11
"Forgiveness is freeing up and putting to better use the energy once consumed by holding grudges, harboring resentments, and nursing unhealed wounds. It is rediscovering the strengths we always had and relocating our limitless capacity to understand and accept other people and ourselves.” 5
(http://lds.org/general-conference/2007/04/the-healing-power-of-forgiveness?lang=eng&query=forgiveness)
I LOVE this talk. It is perhaps one of the most life changing talks I have ever read. When I first heard this talk in conference, it struck a deep cord. I was going through a challenging time, and nursing some wounds. I was letting them fester, and it was keeping me from enjoying life. As i pondered these words and really tried to accept them and apply them to my life, I was blessed with a peace that was so sweet. It is something I wish I could give to everyone.
It is a topic I know we all must accept into our lives, because we are all hurt by others. It's part of life. Our task is to learn to forgive. I know that forgiving others brings peace. And I know that this comes because of our Savior. Forgiveness for our sins, and the ability to forgive others comes through Jesus Christ and His atonement. I am grateful for His atoning sacrifice and His love for all of us. I am grateful for this gift.
My favorite quote of all time goes so well with this topic.
"Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don’t judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone’s differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn’t handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another’s weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other." Marvin J. Ashton (http://lds.org/ensign/1992/05/the-tongue-can-be-a-sharp-sword?lang=eng&query=charity+ashton)
From the same talk, he teaches “The best and most clear indicator that we are progressing spiritually and coming unto Christ is the way we treat other people.”
I love how the gospel is so beautifully simple! The principles we learn, and our Savior as our example will trully bring us peace! May you all be blessed with peace during this Christmas season. May you drink deeply of the words of our Savior and feast upon His words as we remember and celebrate His birth!
My brother Richard left for the MTC recently, and we miss him, but we are excited for him!
We also announced our upcoming arrival--we are excited and blessed to expect another child in our family in June!
While we feasted on food and time together with family over the holiday weekend, I have also been feasting on the words of our Savior in preparation for the celebration of His birth in December. We are striving to create a Christ-centered Christmas celebration as we develop family traditions. I have been pondering on some words from my favorite talks, and I wanted to share them with you all, as I believe they can greatly bless all of our lives. I invite you to ponder them in your hearts and feel the Savior's love for us all.
President James E Faust taught:
In our day the Lord has admonished us, “Ye ought to forgive one another,” and then makes it requisite when He says, “I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men.” 11
"Forgiveness is freeing up and putting to better use the energy once consumed by holding grudges, harboring resentments, and nursing unhealed wounds. It is rediscovering the strengths we always had and relocating our limitless capacity to understand and accept other people and ourselves.” 5
Most of us need time to work through pain and loss. We can find all manner of reasons for postponing forgiveness. One of these reasons is waiting for the wrongdoers to repent before we forgive them. Yet such a delay causes us to forfeit the peace and happiness that could be ours. The folly of rehashing long-past hurts does not bring happiness."
"If we can find forgiveness in our hearts for those who have caused us hurt and injury, we will rise to a higher level of self-esteem and well-being."(http://lds.org/general-conference/2007/04/the-healing-power-of-forgiveness?lang=eng&query=forgiveness)
I LOVE this talk. It is perhaps one of the most life changing talks I have ever read. When I first heard this talk in conference, it struck a deep cord. I was going through a challenging time, and nursing some wounds. I was letting them fester, and it was keeping me from enjoying life. As i pondered these words and really tried to accept them and apply them to my life, I was blessed with a peace that was so sweet. It is something I wish I could give to everyone.
It is a topic I know we all must accept into our lives, because we are all hurt by others. It's part of life. Our task is to learn to forgive. I know that forgiving others brings peace. And I know that this comes because of our Savior. Forgiveness for our sins, and the ability to forgive others comes through Jesus Christ and His atonement. I am grateful for His atoning sacrifice and His love for all of us. I am grateful for this gift.
My favorite quote of all time goes so well with this topic.
"Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don’t judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone’s differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn’t handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another’s weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other." Marvin J. Ashton (http://lds.org/ensign/1992/05/the-tongue-can-be-a-sharp-sword?lang=eng&query=charity+ashton)
From the same talk, he teaches “The best and most clear indicator that we are progressing spiritually and coming unto Christ is the way we treat other people.”
I love how the gospel is so beautifully simple! The principles we learn, and our Savior as our example will trully bring us peace! May you all be blessed with peace during this Christmas season. May you drink deeply of the words of our Savior and feast upon His words as we remember and celebrate His birth!
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Green Chile
I had no idea how much Doug loves green chile. So the first year we were married, I didn't worry about freezing any. That was a mistake. The second year of green chile season hit, but I had just become a new mommy. So dealing with pounds of green chile was out of the question. But THIS year, Doug and I skinned and froze 60 pounds of green chile. It's part of our year supply. Actually, it's part of Doug's year supply, since I can't stand the stuff.
We even grew green chile in our garden this year. This was some of our harvest.
We came upon a monster green chile during all that peelin and freezing...
Of course we made chili rellenos. This was a size comparison to Doug's hand. It was epic.
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