On Christmas morning, I was handed a wrapped gift from my family that looked suspiciously like a banana. Upon opening it, it was… a banana.
Continue reading “Free Bananas”Uncle Gordon
My Uncle Gordon passed away on May 4, and with his memorial services today I’ve been reflecting on my connections to him through the years.
Nest Expansion
While our nest is headed towards empty with Afton’s graduation, Gerrit and Macy’s nest grew with the birth of Eliza Jane Smith on May 28, 2024.
Continue reading “Nest Expansion”Nest Shrinkage
The high schools here do an alternating day schedule so that students have half their classes on “A” days and the other half on “B” days. They also publish a Google Calendar that students and families can subscribe to in order to keep track of which day it is — especially helpful after long weekends and holidays. Since my “magic mirror” also shows calendar items, it was easy to glance and see what the school day would be like. I unsubscribed from that calendar yesterday.
Continue reading “Nest Shrinkage”Rio
If you just want the highlights, see the video at the bottom of the page. Otherwise, read on…
When Afton was working on her class schedule for high school a couple of years ago, and I saw that a Portuguese class was being offered, I bribed her into taking it by telling her I’d taker her to Brazil if she did.
Continue reading “Rio”New York
London, Paris, New York — the three that always seem to top the list of iconic world cities. I visited the first two many years ago but had never made it to the one in my own country until this past August, when we went for our family summer vacation.
Continue reading “New York”Brothers, Sing On!
This week I’ve been memorizing the second tenor part to an arrangement of All Glory, Laud and Honor by Dr. Brent Wells, current director of the BYU Men’s Chorus. For the past year and a half, Dr. Wells has been working to put together a video of the choir singing this song along with alumni of the choir, and the marching band drum line, and today was the day of the shoot.
Continue reading “Brothers, Sing On!”The Highs and Lows of Rage
A couple of years ago, Afton’s soccer coach decided that she was just too short to play goal keeper. But because he hadn’t let her play any other position for the 8 months she had been on his team, he decided she ought to pursue playing opportunities elsewhere. That was heartbreaking, and did not lead to Rage.
Continue reading “The Highs and Lows of Rage”Gerrit’s Homecoming
“He’s done already!? Wow! Did that seem fast to you, too?”
That was a pretty typical response from ward members when they learned that Gerrit was finishing his mission to Hong Kong and would be home November 14th. Yes, sometimes it seemed to go fast. Other times slow. And now that he’s home, somewhat dream-like. Did that really all happen?
Continue reading “Gerrit’s Homecoming”Epic United Kingdom Trip
As alluded to last time, Shannon and I joined some other family members in September for a trip to the English village of Combe Martin, where my great-grandfather Richard Norman was born in 1850. He emigrated as a young man to Utah, and now lies interred in the city cemetery within walking distance of my current home.
Continue reading “Epic United Kingdom Trip”