Somebody's Getting a Haircut

Remember this hair style? This is Nick, the night before his med school interview. He may not have had his hair cut since. When he interviewed, it was on about 16 hours notice. He was in Baltimore, I was in Bountiful. We landed at the St. Louis Airport within 20 minutes of each other. Nick's aunt picked us up, took us to her place, fed us and gave Nick a badly needed and very professional haircut. The results were very handsome, as you can see in this photo. Currently Nick is on a haircut strike. Oh, how we miss the tailored days of yore.

Sorrow Over Rebekah's Passing

I know that everyone is mourning with the sudden passing of Rebekah Sauter. To say it was unexpected is not nearly enough. Her death seems unimaginable, unreal, impossible. It also has been unexplainable. While knowing a cause of death can't change the fact that she's gone, I think there's additional anxiety in the waiting and wondering why.
Her passing seems so cruel and bizarre and certainly unfair. But reflecting on it over the last day, I can see some tender mercies the Lord has blessed her family with. Last year Rebekah and David moved back to Portland. It was the first Time Rebekah had lived really close to her family in seven years. It is a blessing that she spent so much time with them in the last year, and now David will have the support of both of their families. I am sure she will be watching over her children, but I know they are already so loved by all those around them.
When Nicole was born, Katie, Linette, and Doug drove 12 hours to Portland to congratulate the Sauters and meet Nicole. They only visited for a little while, probably less than an hour, and were soon back on their way to Salt Lake. But how precious a memory that is now, to have shared in Rebekah's joy. She loved her children and David so much, she was a mother bear to her family- never get between her and her cubs.
When I was getting ready to move to Saint Louis, Rebekah gave me some advice from what she had learned living in Bountiful. She told me that by moving away, the two of us would grow closer together, that we would learn that having each other was enough, that each of us would be exactly what the other needed. She was right.
Rebekah was beautiful, smart, funny with a touch of sarcasm, but she was also tough. She was capable of a lot. She could rise to meet any challenge and would do anything for her family. I was always moved by her quiet acts of charity. She was busy doing a lot of good in the world. Her children were her work and her glory. She is loved and will always be missed.

Back from all the Action

I realize I've been neglecting the blog, but Dallas has more than made up for it. His blog contains more details than you ever wanted to know about our whirlwind trip to Niagara Falls, Toronto, Frankenmuth, Detroit, Kirtland, Cleveland and finally Salt Lake. When I left Salt Lake 48 hours later, I felt confident in getting into the "Expert Traveler" security line. It was my third flight in six days.
During my brief time in Salt Lake, I got in quality time with Caesar, but missed saying hello to many other important people in my life. I'm planning on coming back May 13, so we'll see you then.
I got home Thursday afternoon, spent a few hours with Nick, and then went to the Sleep lab at the hospital for a twenty-hour test. When I was done, Nick was almost to Las Vegas aboard Southwest (hope you're having a good time dear.) We're taking vacations in shifts because our spring breaks from school are staggered.
I'm spending Friday and Saturday nights at the home of Janette & Brigham Douglas. They've graciously agreed to "babysit" me for Nick, making sure I wake up in the morning and go to work. Wish us all luck on that front.
P.S. I've decided a boring blog entry is far better than no blog entry, hence this one.

I'm a Shoplifter

I am guilty of stealing from the Goodwill . . . unintentionally. I just picked up a sweet Little Tikes Kitchenette from the Kirkwood Goodwill. The really funny part of the whole story is me trying to fit the kitchenette into the car- I found out it doesn't fit in the trunk. The item ended up riding home with me in the passenger seat with the back fully reclined. In this state, my care only fits the kitchenette and the driver- no passengers allowed.

Back to the shoplifting- on unloading the kitchenette, I discovered a stowaway. The stolen item is a doll, but not one I would let a child play with. It has a plastic head and dirty canvas body, with a price tag of a dollar on it. I feel the most responsible thing is to simply throw the doll away and be relieved that the Typhoid Mary toy is out of circulation.

But how to calm my guilt over pirating a $1 item away from charity? Should I donate a dollar? But that rewards the practice of selling dirty dolls. Clean the doll and re-donate to Goodwill? Donate something else they can sell for a dollar, something that won't give children hepatitis?

Comment on your opinion. The kitchenette is for the darling Douglas baby, Afton Douglas. Nick and I use a real Kitchen.

Life in St. Louis

Maybe we've grown to complacent about life in St. Louis and all of its oddities. While my mom was here this past weekend, she brought up several things as odd that normally wouldn't have made me blink.

Example #1-neighbor smoking pot, Linette thinks it's a problem they're smoking pot, while I'm just glad it's outside so it won't stink up my apartment.

Example #2- Someone going on a fairly nonsensical rant loudly in the grocery store, behind us in the checkout line. Linette actually looks at him. Don't make eye contact! You pretend like nothing is happening, unless you need to move away from him for your safety. If that's the case, you still pretend nothing is happening, you just move away while doing it.

Example #3- We saw an older, undoubtedly uninsured pick-up run a stop sign while two pedestrians were in the cross-walk. Linette was shocked and amazed. I was like, "You mean that doesn't happen more often than not where you live?"

On TV recently I heard someone use the analogy of the smell of the ape house at the zoo: when you first get there, you're overwhelmed by the stink, but after long enough, everything seems fine. Nick and I have been living in the ape house, and have forgotten how weird St. Louis really is.

A few months ago I went into the Dick's in Bountiful, a grocery store I used to visit regularly. I was struck by how clean and quiet it was. That used to be my normal. Now I'm used to being pan-handled in the grocery store parking lot, passing the smoking security guard on my way inside, and going through the one-way people gates to begin my shopping. It's a little bit different in St. Louis.

Orchids

http://s257.photobucket.com/albums/hh211/karasjohnson/?action=view&current=5c540cfc.pbw

Click on this link to see the beautiful Orchids at the Missouri Botanical Garden annual Orchid Show. I tried to imbed the photos as a slideshow, but I couldn't get it to work. So, take the extra effort and click on the link.