Getting Back Into The Groove

Well we're getting back into the groove, back into our regular schedules after our trip to Utah. The kids, however, are already counting down to Christmas and the next trip to Utah. They are keeping busy, playing hard, and excited about upcoming events. Halloween, Tommy's birthday, Thanksgiving, Maddie's birthday, and then finally Christmas in Utah.

They certainly have been getting into the Halloween spirit by wearing their costumes almost everyday. I'm pretty sure we will get our moneys worth out of them. Tommy needed to be a tough, cool Batman. Maddie is obsessed with pigs. She points out the piggy trucks, she lets me know if she can smell piggies (which is never a good thing for any of us), or if she sees a piggy "house". She loves them...me, not so much, but Maddie sure makes a cute piggy.

Painting pumpkins. Lucky Maddie got to paint pumpkins and her shirt (and by her shirt, I mean my shirt, awesome).

Other than Halloween activities the kids find themselves busy in all sorts of adventures. Often they put on their "flight" goggles, fly their jets around, then jump out of the planes with their helmets and back packs on for a little sky diving. Who knew Guymon was so exciting?

This is one of our favorite places...actually it really isn't, it is just the only place. And lucky for us you can drive anything you want to the Walmart. Cars, trucks, bikes, skate boards, and even riding lawn mowers. You know you're in Oklahoma when riding lawn mowers are parked at the Walmart.

Here we are at Walmart...again. This time at night, probably on the same day, who knows. We had the blessed event of smelling pig. Maddie was plugging her nose and saying, "It's stinky," while Tommy took cover in his shirt. We found out recently that Seaboard the pig factory in town processes twenty-two thousand pigs everyday. These pigs are trucked in from pig "houses" all around town. Each house holds one thousand pigs. The drive from our apartment to Brayten's job site ten minutes away we get to pass 18,000 pigs. It is so disgusting... The people in town tend to give us weird looks as our whole family jumps out of our car, clutches our faces, and runs into the store attempting to evade the nastiness. I just wish that one day my brother Tom could come out to Guymon because I would love to watch him "react" to the smells that surround us each day. I'm pretty sure instead of his weak constitution just retching he may actually puke, it is that bad.

I have found that since we have been in Oklahoma and Brayten is busy at work and we don't have any family around to watch our kids for us, ever, that I sometimes seem to dissolve into my roles as mom and wife. I sometimes start to lose "Stephanie" in the everyday monotony. Not that I would have it any other way because I do love raising my kids and being with my family as often as I am, but sometimes I start to lose me. It is never a good situation because when I lose me I sometimes get a bit grumpy or a bit depressed. Well this past week "me" was not there. So on Saturday Brayten sent me out the door. I went and had a manicure then saw Footloose. It was a good few hours of reintroducing myself to myself. When I got home I saw Brayten's list. Awesome! Please note, "Feed," and "Feed again." I love it...only a man...and I really didn't mind that they were still in their pajamas.

So it is good to be getting back into the groove, getting back to everyday life, but at the same time it is so Terrible, and I mean terrible with a capital "T" that life in Utah is moving along without me. I mean, I'm my parents only child...except for my brothers and sister of course... Really, are my parents even eating? (That's a quote from a commercial that I love, it makes me laugh and laugh, and is quite applicable to me). My nephew Logan broke his first bone while I've been away. Who better than me to be there for him when he breaks his first bone? But I wasn't and it kills me. Then Karson has the audacity to kill his first deer and where am I, oh right Oklahoma... good job Karson! The Jone's had their cute dog Kiska pass away while I've been gone and puppy Slush has found a home with them and I am here. Then sweet (and giant) baby Max is born and I haven't even kissed him yet, or hugged my sister-in-law Megan, or given my ugly brother Russ a congratulatory bear hug (maybe he's glad I'm in Oklahoma). Groan...Sigh... It's breaking my heart that the world still turns in Utah without me. But alas, here we are and we are doing well, and all in all I'm so happy that everyone back home is doing well too. We love you guys!

Maybe a Coincidence...But Probably Not...

Since we have been here in Oklahoma Brayten has had this fire for missionary work. It is interesting but almost everyday he has opportunities to talk about the gospel and generally it is not him bringing up the subject. These discussions seem to fall into his lap when the other men he works with realize he doesn't swear, he doesn't drink, he doesn't smoke, he doesn't chew, he is moral...they are amazed at his standards. And their obvious next question to him is, "Why?"

Brayten decided a while back that if anyone had a discussion with him about the Church he would give them a Book of Mormon. He told me last night, "You know Steph, giving out Books of Mormon hasn't been hard at all for me. It has even been easier here than it was on my mission." We both made a few observations in an effort to explain this: 1) So many people come to him curious about his behavior and happiness. They are all working at a construction site where, let's be honest here, the stalwart are generally not found. They see that something is different about Brayten and they want to know what it is all about. 2) Brayten has grown up (I know, I know he still has a ways to go) but he isn't concerned about what others think of him, especially in regards to his religion. 3) He has found confidence as he has given out Books of Mormon and received such a positive reception. These co-workers are appreciative of the book and are actually excited to read it. 4) The image of the Church has not necessarily changed over the last decade, but rather, it has grown. Most of the people he talks to have heard of Mormons but once they find out Brayten is a Mormon they ask, "So, how many wives do you have?" The Church is definitely known-but there are some amazing misconceptions about it.

About a month ago one of Brayten's friends from his job site had an incredible loss in his family. He had an eleven year old son who was so happy, a little boy full of spunk, life, and curiosity. He loved making everyone around him smile and laugh. This little boy had found his Dad's unloaded shot gun, he then found some shells, and accidentally fatally shot himself.

What is worse still is that two years ago this same man lost another son. One of his twins who was two years old at the time. This little boy was being babysat by his sister and her fiance. The fiance physically abused the boy and as a result he ended up passing away.

This family has lost two sons in two years.

When Brayten was at the funeral for the eleven year old boy his friend said to him, "I am just so angry. I am so angry at God." Brayten at the time didn't feel like it was the right moment to talk to Selso about the gospel. But as he watched Selso walk away, a man heavy in sorrow, one of their other friends said to Brayten, "You have to talk to him. You know. We (pointing to himself and the other men around him) don't know anything. You know. Talk to him."

Brayten later found a time to talk to Selso. He gave him a Book of Mormon, he talked to him about eternal families and the plan of salvation, he told him he knew that his boys were okay and that he would be with them again. He also told him that he couldn't imagine what he was going through or how immense his heart ache must be and he hoped to never know how he was feeling but God knows and he loves you.

As of a couple of weeks ago Brayten had given away nine Books of Mormon. Six of those nine were to men who live in Childress, Texas a small city about four hours away from Guymon. Selso and his family live in Childress. Brayten found the phone number for the mission home in Texas that includes Childress. He was talking to the secretary about how he had given out some Books of Mormon and was wondering if there were missionaries in that area who could visit these families.

"Well, yes," she said, "In fact, we have two elders serving in Childress right now. They are Elder Shaffer and Elder Harrison."

"Did you say Elder Harrison?" Brayten asked.

"Yes," she replied.

"Is Elder Harrison from Bountiful, Utah?" he asked.

"Let me check. Yes he is, Ben Harrison, from Bountiful, Utah," she replied and then gave Brayten the Elder's phone number.

Brayten hung up the phone with a smile on his face. Ben Harrison was in our Ward back in Utah. He is an amazing, smart, talented, and kind young man. He also comes from a family who has had an abundance of sorrow. Ben's Dad struggled with pancreatic cancer for several years and ultimately lost the fight with it almost five years ago.

Brayten quickly dialed in Ben's number. "Hello, this is Elder Harrison," Ben said.

"Hi Elder Harrison," Brayten replied.

"Hi, how can I help you?" Ben asked.

"This is Brayten McGee," Brayten said.

"What?!?" Ben replied.

It was a joyful reunion by phone. Ben actually was performing service at the time doing some sanding, "Something," he said, "I actually know how to do." (His Dad had been a wood worker).

Brayten later called Ben's mom. "Hi Lisa this is Brayten McGee," he said.

"Hi Brayten," she replied.

"I've been talking to your boy," Brayten said.

"My Ben?" Lisa said.

They talked for some time and both concluded that who better to teach the gospel to Selso and his family than Ben, someone who knows what loss feels like and through the embrace with the gospel has found peace and comfort knowing that his Dad is up there and he will see him again. Who better than Ben, someone who knows Brayten and is good friends with Brayten, can teach all of Brayten's friends, who have received a Book of Mormon from Brayten's hands, the gospel.

Maybe it is all just a coincidence...but probably not. It still amazes me to see that even with the whole world to look after God still is present in individual lives, in each of our lives.