My "Health" Hero!!!!

Well, it was Lamon's birthday yesterday . . . and that means only one thing.

That's right, I get to write an embarrassingly cheesy blog post about him. Yeah! Because we all know that next to writing embarrassing stories about myself . . . Lamon's Awesomness is my next favorite subject!

And he is Awesome. And I think that everyone that knows me knows that I know that he is Awesome. But I LOVE LOVE LOVE it when I hear that other people know he is Awesome too. Because he is MY Awesome man. In a way it's kind of like he is my claim to Awesomeness. I claim Awesomeness through association. He + Me = Awesome. Right? . . . Or something.

Anyway the last couple months have been pretty cool, because Lamon's Awesomeness has sort of been in the spotlight. In January Lamon was recognized by Intermountain Healthcare as one of 30 "Health Heroes." Lamon was invited (along with me since I'm married to Mr. Awesome) to come to a special lunch at the Marriot in Salt Lake City where each "Health Hero" was recognized with an award. I'd have to say, I was quite proud. They had a very yummy "healthy" lunch, and then after a few speeches they read each "exerpt" written in the program about each person as they came forward,  shook hands with some pretty important IHC people, and received their awards. Pretty darn cool!

And so we came home with a plaque and inflated self-esteems and that seemed to be that. But then a couple weeks later someone approached Lamon and asked if it would be okay if they spotlighted him in their IHC regional employee meeting and asked him for a picture. They forgot to ask for mine, but I heard that they did mention me when they talked about him. He + Me = Awesome. Anyway, I don't know what they said about him, but they showed a picture of Lamon with his friend Ed at the finish of Ed's first 5k after losing 180 lbs. post gastric bypass. Lamon helped Ed train for the race and we along with other PACU employees ran along with him. It was so fun! It's been pretty cool to hear people mention that they saw Lamon spotlighted in the presentation. Anyway, here is what Lamon's co-worker who nominated him wrote to get this whole thing started! :)

"LaMon is a very healthy person anyway, but he has made a significant effort to change the culture in our department to spread that healthy lifestyle to his coworkers. He bikes to and from work daily. He and his wife have allowed coworkers to borrow fitness equipment (road bikes) and have encouraged us all to be more active by signing up to run races and marathons. He encourages us to keep our bodies fit so we can care for our patients more effectively. He also encourages us to eat well and brings recipes, ideas, and resources to keep all of us healthy. LaMon is someone who can be a support system for those who are struggling. I have really appreciated LaMon's great example and encouragement as we all try to change our workplace culture to a place where a healthy lifestyle is an expectation."

I love how many times she used the word "encourage", because that is Lamon. Lamon encourages people. In my own health journey Lamon has never told me he thinks I should exercise more, or eat better. He's never suggested I do a race or diet. But the minute "I" have decided I wanted to do something and have vocalized my desires . . . he has made it his mission to help me. Whether it was my first 5k when he helped me go from "waddling" to running 3 miles continuously (which seemed so hard at the time and was), to a 10k (because the 5k was so much fun), to a half-marathon (in which he ran with me and endured verbal abuse and heard ultimatums that I would never run a marathon) to a marathon (because I have runners amnesia), to many many many more races, hikes,  . . .  bike rides. He's always been there to support me. Whether it's helping me come up with training plans, watching the kids and allowing me the time I've needed to run, driving around with the kids to meet me on long runs to cheer me on and bring me water . . . Lamon is the true definition of "support". Lamon doesn't just tell you when he sees you, "Hey, you can do it!" Lamon will help see you get there and be there cheering for you at the finish. There is nothing Lamon loves more than seeing someone triumph and reach their goal.

And that is why Lamon is so great. He is like the fittest guy I know and has done so many hard things. And yet, he cares about the 5k you are running. In fact, he thinks you are awesome for doing it and will talk about how awesome you are to others. He will get excited about that sprint tri you are doing and will help you train for it and come and cheer you on. Oh I could go on and on, but Lamon truly loves to be there during peoples health journeys. And he will "be there!" I will never forget when Lamon ran the last 10 miles of my marathon with me in street clothes because I asked him to. In his street clothes! I am pretty sure Lamon gets more pleasure out of seeing someone else triumph and finish a race than he does from racing himself. I love that about him. He is certainly my "Health" Hero!!!

He is so Awesome . . . Therefore . . . I am Awesome . . . Right? :) . . .Right!

Ada is a Funny Girl!

So yesterday I overheard Ada talking with Aunt Lizzy on the phone. It was about 10 am in the morning and Lizzy said, "What are you guys doing?"
Ada responded, ". . . Eating ice-cream!"
Then Lizzy asked, "You are eating ice-cream for breakfast?"
To which Ada responded by bursting out laughing and saying: "Ha ha. No!!! . . . Ha ha . . . We had Cake for breakfast!!"
It was so funny that when I took the phone from Ada Liz and I proceeded to laugh for a long time. It was so funny.

So then after yesterday's culinary pleasures Ada again wanted a mid morning snack of ice-cream today, and I told her, "I don't think so Ada . . . you know, ice-cream is really bad for you!"
Ada replied, "It is? . . . Then why do we eat it so much?"

Ha ha. Okay, That is a pretty fair question. I just said, "Well . . . it tastes so yummy! But it really isn't the best thing for our bodies."

Then Ada in all seriousness turned to me and said, "Mom? . . . Did God make Ice-Cream?"

Ha ha! I love her.

Blowing out Candles and the Plan of Happiness

Oh my little Tilson is getting so big! He is turning three years old in a couple weeks, and I just can't believe it.  The time has flown by!

I was actually thinking about Tilson in the middle of Sunday School today. It was about one year ago that Tilson was turning two and as we were getting ready to sing Happy Birthday to him, Lamon lit the candles and something that we had never experienced before with the older kids happened . . . Tilson freaked out. He was afraid of the candles . . . of the fire. My oldest three kids have never really been afraid of anything. It was kind of sad. Here we were trying to sing Happy Birthday, which is supposed to be fun, and Tilson was whimpering through the whole song. Then at the end of the song Lamon shoved the cake in his face saying, "Blow out the candles Tilson!" To which Tilson turned his head and scooted backwards and cried. Come on! Really? Shove the cake in his face? That is torture! So while Tilson was crying and totally afraid Lamon didn't give up. "Come on Tilson blow them out like this. . . " and he blew them out.

"Phew . . ." I thought to myself. "Thank Heavens that's over . . . poor guy. Lets cut the cake!" But no, Lamon lit the candles again. Oh boy. So then Tilson watched the candles intently as we sang again and then Lamon pushed the cake in his face again. In fear he started turning away whimpering again. I felt bad and blurted out, "Okay Daddy! That's when Dad comes to the rescue and just blows out the candles for him!" Birthdays are supposed to be fun you know and here is Tilson scared to death!!! But then Tilson suddenly got the courage to blow out the whimpiest little blow and scooted back as he did so, not knowing what would happen. And after just seeing the candle flicker a little he mustered up enough courage to blow a little harder until he finally blew one out . . . then the other. And what happened after was quite magical! He laughed, like only he can laugh, in pure joy . . . and then he wanted to do it again and again and again. Lamon kept lighting the candles . . . and he kept blowing them out while we all laughed.

 So the reason I was thinking about this during Sunday school today was because we were talking about the Pre-existence when Satan presented his own plan for mankind that would ensure everyone of God's children would make it back. Only Satan's plan removed Agency from man. Satan wasn't thinking about our progression, or to glorify God, he in his selfishness wanted all of the glory for himself.

But God's plan was different. His plan required us to come to Earth to be tried and tested. And yes, we would face opposition. At Tilson's little Birthday party I was kind of like Satan(work with me here). I know it's a far stretch.  Any way, I was like . . . "Oh no . . . it's too hard! Look at him . . . don't make him do it!" I didn't want to watch him struggle or be afraid . . . "Just blow it out for him!" I said. And we could have done that, and he probably would have calmed down, and eaten his cake. All is Well.

But Oh seeing the pure joy on that kids face after overcoming his fear and doing something hard . . .  made me think of Heavenly Fathers glorious plan. He knew that life would present trials, hard choices, heartache, all sorts of risks . . .and that it would be HARD!And it was all by divine design! He knew that through exercising our Agency and using the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ in our lives we could overcome all . . .  sadness, heartache, fear, and sin . . . become more like Him, and just like Tilson after blowing out his candles . . . experience Happiness unlike we could ever imagine.

How thankful I am for God's wonderful Plan of Happiness!!! :)

"Positive" Talk

So you know that phrase, "If you can't say something nice don't say it at all?" It is really a great concept and we have tried to teach that to our kids, but up to this point they haven't really caught on very well. My kids are talkers and they tend to say whatever they are thinking, which is great except when what they are thinking is mean. I don't know how many times we have told them "If you can't say something nice don't say it at all" with out a whole lot of success.

So the other day I presented a different strategy. I told the kids, "What if when you are about to say something mean (even if it's true) you say the exact opposite instead?" I know that is not a perfect idea . . . but if they are going to be impulsive talkers . . . maybe it might help them quickly change a negative thought being expressed into something positive. 

So this morning I got back from my six mile run in barely enough time to take Lamon to work. We shuffled all of the kids out the door, and got in the car . . . and as we got into the car Ada says to me with total sincerity, "Mom . . . you smell good!" Ha ha ha. 

It made me laugh so hard. Oh . . . how I love my children!