Fun, Fun, Fun

I had an eventful and fun weekend. I packed quite a bit into this trip. I have had a trip to Phoenix planned for a while. Due to my last post, you know I retook the test for my next work certification. I decided to mix a little bit of work with some pleasure.

I have some friends and family that live in the Phoenix area. I arrived in Phoenix on late Wednesday night. I wanted to have Thursday to study and refresh myself for the test on Friday. So, I studied from 8:00 A.M. to noon. I called up my friend Josh John who I haven’t seen since we attended school together at Eastern Arizona College. I think the last time I saw him was 4 or 5 years ago. We were able to go out to lunch and I thoroughly enjoyed the visit.

After lunch I studied for several more hours and then decided to go visit my sister Jana and her family out in San Tan Valley (Queen Creek). It was so nice to visit with them. I haven’t seen them in 5 years. The last time I saw them was when their son Nick was ordained a Teacher in the Aaronic Priesthood. He had just turned 14. He is now 19 and has grown a lot. I didn’t realize how much I missed them until I saw them. I just wanted to keep visiting, but I knew they needed to get up early next day, so I left after visiting for a couple of hours.

I was able to sneak one other visit in before I retired to bed. I was able to visit with Joel and Shauna John, two more friends I made while attending college. I sang in a barbershop quartet with Joel during the good old college days. It was so nice to hear that Joel got a job teaching music and Shauna is able to stay home with their children. They are such fun people and I really enjoyed the visit.

Friday I started my test at 8:00 A.M. I finished at 1:00 P.M. I caught a 2:30 P.M. flight and flew to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Talk about a close call. I wondered if I would catch my flight. My brother Dan and sister Julie picked me up from the airport and we drove to the great metropolis of Bluewater, New Mexico. (Bluewater has just under 1,000 people according to the 2000 census).

I was able to help celebrate at my brother David’s reception on Friday night. David married Elese James. She was really gorgeous that night. David and Elese seem very happy and they absolutely glowed the whole night. I wish them the very best in their marriage. May the future bring many good things to them. Way to go you two!

It was fun to have most of the family in Bluewater. A lifelong family friend just moved back to Bluewater and it was really fun to see Taylor Payne and his family. My brother Aaron and Taylor were best friends growing up. They did everything together until Taylor moved away to Texas. It was so much fun to hear the funny and scary stories of when they were younger. We had also heard that another friend was in town from Arizona. Aaron, Taylor, Lars, and I drove to Milan and visited with Winslow McNeill and his family. It was so nice to see him. Winslow is now a chiropractor and he and his family are really flourishing.

On Sunday I was able to attend church and then I was able to visit with another friend Edward Romero. Edward and I met in Middle School and have been friends ever since. It was so fun to hear that he is now married and his wife is expecting a little girl in April. I wish him the best of luck!

Wow! What a weekend. Lots of great visits and a few fun memories to take with me. I am reminded of how blessed I truly am. I have many great friends. I am also blessed with a really great family. The best part about my family is that each and every one of my siblings are unique and real. They are who they are and I love them for it!

~Eric

Sometimes we are humbled

I have been humbled once again. I was hoping to post back in December that I passed the test I took in November. I guess that is why I have not posted anything else for a while. I am reminded of a scripture in Ether 12:27:

And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

Taking tests have always been a weakness for me. I wonder if they will ever become one of my strengths. I seem to work and study really hard and then I don’t pass. I have taken several tests with these same results. I seem to learn something every time. This time I decided to retake the test in February. I studied a little bit every week and better prepared myself. I just found out that I did something right. I passed! What a big sigh of relief.

So, what does this mean? I am now a cathodic protection technician. Huh? Most don’t understand this terminology. It just means that I earned another certificate for my work and will most likely get a raise this year.