Thomas from St. Thomas

During our vacation to the Virgin Islands, we spent a day on St. Thomas. We enjoyed our time wandering in and out of shops and through the throngs of people. At the end of the day, as we searched for refreshment, we came upon a man carving hummingbirds out of coconut husks. We stopped to watch. We asked him his name. "I am Thomas" was his reply. As we talked we learned that Thomas' dream was to come to America and take art classes. He spoke of his two children ages 9 and 13. Bart and Cameron were more interested in finding that refreshment and left us.



Then, speaking with drunken ease, Thomas asked me, "Ah dese all yuh dau-tuhs, mommi?".
"Yes, these are all mine."
He asked my oldest, "You a cook?"

At this time, Thomas' buddy, who had been standing next to me, began speaking directly to me and in his Caribbean accent said, "I like to cook. I cook for myself and it pleases me that I can cook for myself. As a little child I stood by my mommi learning how to cook. So today I can cook for myself. But, when my girlfriend cooks for me I am filled with happiness. It is good when someone fills you with love by cooking for you."

I agreed with him and turned back to the conversation with my girls - which had gone something like this:

Thomas: "Yoo know how to cook?"
Bethany: "Well, not very well, but I'm learning."
Thomas: "What's your code?"
Bethany: "Um, I don't think I have a code."
Thomas: "Yeah? So, what's your code?"
Bethany: "Really, I don't have a code."

As I returned to the conversation at this point, Thomas asked, "Ah yoo havin' eny mo-uh babies, mommi?"

HaHaa! "No! I'm not having any more babies. Shops closed now."
Thomas: "Why yoo not have mo-uh babies?"
Me: "Because if I have more babies, I couldn't come see you."
Thomas: "Oh! You come to see me!"

At this point he nodded his head toward Bethany who he had been trying to get her phone number (code) and said,
"I likah yoo dau-tuh, mommi!"

His buddy nodded in agreement. My daughters and I laughed and I said, "I like my daughter, too! 'Bye Thomas!" and off we quickly went to find Bart and Cameron!

We laughed and laughed at that for the rest of the day! And now, when we are all together and it has quieted down, one of us will pipe up and say,

"I likah yoo dau-tuh, mommi!"

And the laughter begins again......

Bethany, Ashley, Lauren waiting for Ferry to take us from St. Thomas to St. John

Here She Is

Miss Bethany Marie Child - This High School Graduate!

My Last Three Paintings

Tickled Pink



Hoorah! To the Green End



El Pollo Loco

Wordless Wednesday

Hey Ya'll!

Well, as you know, I had surgery last February. I had been very sick for a long time. But, as soon as I had healed, I was off and running - literally! I still don't run outside yet, but my treadmill and I are pretty good friends now.

Bethany graduated from High School in June! Yay! She was very busy her senior year working as Vice President in student council. She fulfilled all her responsibilities wonderfully. She stayed home through the summer and continued working at Frugo's the Frozen Yogurt shop. She is now up in Provo and will start school at Paul Mitchell Hair Academy on Monday, Sept. 14th!

In August we went to the Virgin Islands! St. John is the island we stayed on, but we visited St. Thomas and the British Virgin Islands. We even cruised through the bay where Kenny Chesney's music video was made.

Lauren & Ashley are in the 10th grade on the main campus of the high school this year. Although school is not their favorite thing in life, they are having a much better year this year than last! Amen.

Cameron is in the 6th grade and still at the elementary school. He has lots of friends and is doing pretty well until it's time for homework. And then, well, you know...

We started the spring off with 12 baby chicks. We now have 6 chickens and 1 duck. Eventually that story will be posted. We average about 2 eggs a day. We have no idea which of the chickens are laying the eggs, but we are bound and determined to find out!

We started 3 garden boxes filled with onions, peppers, carrots, lettuce, squash, beans, cantaloupe, and watermelon. We harvested 3 squash. Amy got 2, and we still have one sitting on the counter, just to look at.

Our very old in-ground fiberglass pool got really gross! Well, it's always been gross, but we would swim at night and pretend it wasn't gross. But, it got even too gross for that. So we are having it re-built. We went through lots of company's trying to find out who would be the best fit to build the pool and that's all I'm going to say about that; except that the guy that showed up drunk the first time he met us, is the guy that came most highly recommended. We didn't hire him.

The pool was supposed to be finished in July so we could give Bethany a Big Good-Bye Party. Didn't happen, but we had fun anyway.

When we took Bethany up to Provo, I got really sick. I hadn't told Bart yet that we were supposed to meet with Lana & Mickey so he didn't know to call her. Someone at the hotel took an impression of our credit card and charged $15,000+ on our card. Yeah, that's what I said, too!

I started back to school, 3 classes at a time, this semester. They are online/TV classes so I only have to meet on campus a few times each semester for each class. Which is ok with me. I enjoy learning, but wonder why Philosophy was ever invented. So many of the questions just don't make me look cute when I have to think about them. They need to just go away!

I've taken lots of pictures and painted a few pictures.

Several months ago Judy took me for a ride to Twitterville. She dropped me off there and hasn't been back to pick me up yet. So I've made some friends; some really awesome people from all over the world that are really just like you and me. And Heavenly Father really loves them too, so I pray for them occasionally - Like when David Sandum from Sweden needed to sell his art work to clear space in his studio. And when a friend I will not name wrote a humble and sincere post that on that day he felt so unlovable. I said, "Ah! Yes, I understand. That feeling is a lie!" And it made his day better. And when Winston Starling was creating a logo for my 'Cookies By Delivery' business, I prayed he wouldn't get his feelings hurt when I told him to make the boobs smaller. It would have been interpreted I had a different kind of milk for sale to go with the cookies. He did a great job and is still my friend.

I have missed all of you, but feel like I've been around the world on an Anthropological quest! It's been great fun, but I kind of want to come home now. It's time to dust the cobwebs out of the corners and open the curtains and be with my family and closest friends again. I love you all. You make me who I am.

And who I am was just asked by the Bishop to be the ward director for the '40's Radio Show' Activity that is going to be held in November. Yikes! I have two days to find my 'team'. Double yikes. We have to submit our show and commercial thoughts by Sunday. Triple Yikes!

I guess I better go! Caio for now! Oh, but I do get to go to dinner with Judy this Saturday and we are going to eat and laugh and play with our iPhones together! Expect pictures!!!

I Haven't Abandoned You...

...Completely; I promise!

I've been up to some fun, and some not so fun, stuff that I will be posting about shortly!

(P.S. I got an iPhone!!!!!!!!! :) LOVE it!)