Opposition in all things

2 Nephi 2:11 "For it must needs be, that there is an oppostion in all things."

This last couple of weeks can most apptly be described this way. Without going into too much detail let's review the highlights.

First, Pop met me in Utah two weekends ago for a tightly scheduled two days of meeting with vets, getting bloodwork done in Nephi, and loading horses so that we could bring our two mares into Montana without being pulled over. Pop picked up a trailer I had borrowed from a friend in Jerome and to keep it short, it was an adventure that could have landed him in jail. See Mom and Pop's blog. It had me laughing, but that is usually what happens when Pop and I go on a quest. To keep it short, the trip went amazingly smooth (except the trailer adventure) and the horses are happily settling in to their new home in the beautiful Ruby Valley.

While on the trip I had a funny knot in my right leg. I'm not sure where it came from but it made chasing the horses around the pasture interesting. But it left me and I felt fine, until... I think my horses are now carrying a leg cramping curse. The other day I was out working with Misty, when all of a sudden it felt like I had been kicked in the leg. I heard a pop and looked down as I fell, to see if Sandy had snuck up on me for a little pay back for locking her in a rolling cave on wheels for eight hours, but she was on the other side of the pasture. And as I'm too stubborn to go to a doctor, I figured I had just pulled a muscle or strained a tendon. My leg swelled up a little but I didn't think too much of it. Afte a day of church and rest, it seemed to be healing, at least it didn't feel like a dog was chewing away at it any more. So I went out to work on one of my never ending projects last night and felt pretty good until I cam in and my leg was so tight in my pants that it looked like I had gone back to the 80's when pants were supposed to be skin tight, which they are not. So today my students are checking out the the soles of my boots as I sit at my desk and lecture. I'm sure it doesn't look too professional but I'm here and they are learning, or at least checking out where I have walked in the last 24 hours.

PS Here are some random pictures just to add to the blog.

Shawn's first ride on Sandy

I took this picture last winter on visit to Montana. This if from the road to the south of our property looking back to the north. Heavenly Father was painting some amazing pictures that day.

This is our Dog Sadie. She is learning and finally

coming out of the super hyper puppy stage.

Christmas comes early in Whitehall!

I was sitting in 1st period yesterday when my principal came in proclaiming that Christmas had come early to Whitehall. At first I thought maybe he was telling me it was snowing, but then I remembered it was supposed to get up to 82 that day. He was carrying a box so then I thought maybe he is handing out school stuff, which for us nerdy teachers is almost as good as a Christmas gift, but I was wrong again.

You have to understand our principal and small town life to really appreciate this. Mr. Richards is an avid automotive enthusiast and so in his spare time, he runs an automotive and wrecker shop. This past week he recieved a call to go pick up a car that had been left somewhere in the area. Apparently it had been driven by a group of Mexican boys who turned out to be illegal aliens. When this was discovered they were deported and their posetions were turned over to the authorities. However they had a large selection of music which our principal thought would be useful in my classroom. Thus the early Christmas! I don't know any more details about how the story came about but my students have been loving it.

By the way, here are some photos that I promised:

This is our tiny little ward building. It is nice and the ward is amazing.

Yes, We are the Mighty Trojans!

I love my smart board!

This is the view off my brother-in-laws back porch and it will be almost the same from ours.

Where in the world is Whitehall, Montana?

OK, so Mike and Laura have us beat on living in Small and remote parts of the US but we love our new home in Sheridan. And for those of you who don't know, I have the prettiest commute from Sheridan to Whitehall, where I now teach High School Spanish. I will add pictures as I get them, but for those of you who know me (that should be everyone, or you wouldn't be reading this blog!) you'll understand when you see them. The locals call it "Whitetail Alley" and they tell me it's not "if" I hit a deer, but "when." Although this morning, the local sheriff was herding two big black Angus bulls off the highway. They didn't look very happy and he looked frustrated. Poor guy. Hey Chris or Mike, is there a dispatch code for that one?

Oh, by the way, Whitehall is about 30 miles north of Sheridan, on I-90, east of Butte.

What's been happening lately.

There has been so much it is hard to know where to start. This summer I have been working for a company called On Site Management with my Brother-in-law Ryan. It has been a great experience and I have really loved the work. I have learned so much about how to build a house, although there is still a lot I have to learn. It is very satisfying work. I can hardly wait until we start working on our own house!

On that note, Nona and Dwayne have the house up for sale and they have had a few people checking it out. I hope it sells quickly but I also trust in Heavenly Father. I know that things will happen at the right time and in the right way. He knows what is best for each of us and gives us the trials we need to grow as much as we can.

I have also been able to start working on my fencing again for the horses. It is so much more fun knowing that it is on our own property.

Michelle and Shawn are in Utah and have been for the last two weeks. They have been helping get the house ready to on the market. I sure miss them and can't wait to see them Thursday night. They are the best. It has been fun to get to talk to Shawn on the phone. He loves to tell me what all he has been doing with mommy and Sadie. He gets so excited that I have a hard time understanding him. I'm a lucky guy.

I have also been able to shoot a bow again and it has been fun. It has brought back so many memories of Moscow and wandering the woods with my friend Ryan Malm. Ryan and Mel have been such great friends to us over the years. They were there for us when we needed them the most and I love them for that. They are the best. I'm glad we are closer to them now and will get to see them more often.

And to those in the family who read this, hello. It sounds like Laura and Mike and the kids are doing good. Yeah! And congratulations to Ryan and Tiff. You guys are so awesome and I am so happy for you.

Until next time
Me

More on Europe

While the whole trip was pretty incredible and the group we went with was amazing, I thought I would pick a place to write about each time. There were some of the sights and experiences that were once in a life time and some that will always be special memories for me. This picture is one of them. This is the prisoner's entrance into Dachau, the first concentration camp, the one the Nazi's used as a model for their many others. On the gate is phrase, which translates, "With hard work comes freedom." This was supposed to inspire the prisoners to work hard and stay in line so that they could earn their way out of the Hell which they where entering.

Joseph Smith once said that when a man of God enters an area where many people have lost their lives, he will know by the spirit. He will feel that he is on hallowed ground. While I have many things to work on, as we entered the camp, the feeling was so unique it is hard to describe. So many innocent lives lost and yet the people who lived in the town of Dachau (within walking distance of the camp) had no idea of the atrocities. So often as humans we turn a blind eye to those around us. We, I need to be more aware and try harder to be a better neighbor, friend, home teacher, citizen.

Anyway, the visit was an experience I will never forget. Here are a few more photos from the camp that Michelle took while we were there.

Is it reallu August already!?

Ok, after many hints and guilty feelings, I've decided it's time to update the old blog. Like I said in the first blog, this is supposed to be like my journal ... you can see what a great journalist I am.

Let's see, what is new in my (the family's) life? Well, we've moved to Montana. I was just hired to be the Spanish teacher at Whitehall High School in Whitehall, Montana, which is about 35 miles north-west of Sheridan. And well, there is so much I could go on for a while. Like Laura, my wondrful sister who is so good at this blogging, said, the lord has been watching out for us and blessing us along the way. Or at least she said something like that. Oh yeah, other news, Shawn is registered for kindergarten here in Sheridan! I can't believe he is old enough! Where did the time go?

But tonight, or should I say really early in the morning, I wanted to post a few of Michelle's and my photos from our recent trip to Europe. We, along with three other adults, took a group of 17 teenagers from Payson on a 17 day tour of Germany, France andSpain. It was trully amazing! We loved it!!! More will come on the trip (sometime before January I hope) ;)

This is the staircase in the entrance to the opera house in which the Phantom of the Opera is based.

And here we are in front of the "Rifle" Tower, at least that is what Shawners called it when we first got home.

Ok, I know this isn't much of an update, but it is really early in the morning and I have to work when I wake up at 5:30 am so I am going to stop
here and go to bed. Good night all. Hope you are living your sweetest dreams!

Rod

Let the Horse Trading begin!

Ok, so there isn't really a lot of trading and it's not really new news as most of you have already heard. We did load up Mac yesterday and he went to his new home about a block away. I was a little nervous about how he would load, as he can get a little aggresive (which is why we traded him). Overall though, it went fairly smooth. The guy who took him is a neighbor who rides by our place at least once a week on his way up the mountain. One day I was out riding Sandy in the "arena" (it's not much of an arena) and he rode in and we visited for about a half hour. Somehow in the deal I agreed to trade him Mac in exchange for free pasture with his horses while we are in Europe. It is actually working out to be a good deal. Horses are not selling for much at the auction (Anywhere from$20-$100) and if we were to figure feed and care costs, it would be around $200-$250. So I feel like it is a fair trade and he is happy with Mak and we are back down to just two horses, Sandy and MissDee.

I know this picture of Shawn riding Sandy isn't the greatest, but it is the only picture of MissDee right now. I'll add a better one later.