So, we went to get our 20 week ultrasound today. Start the drumroll and watch the little vid.
Posts
14 Days of Love - 6
2 days ago
8.03.2009
4.04.2009
There is No Place Like Home....
After a long arduous journey trying to figure out a good home for us to live in with Nick, we have come full circle and have decided to try to make our home work again. It's a long story, but in summary, this is what happened. Originally we were planning on making our basement into a sort of apartment for Nick. For that to work, we needed a fancy lift to get him into the basement and back up to the main floor. It would cost $18K. After thinking it over and over, it just didn't seem like a good solution. It would leave us only 2 bedrooms upstairs for the rest of the family, and would be a huge investment that would not add value to our home. So we started the search for something that would work better. We looked at MANY houses. A few of them had some good features, but none of them were an obvious fits. The one we wrote about earlier looked pretty good until we found out how expensive a lift into the basement would be.
After looking at a ton of mother-in-law apartments in basements, we decided maybe an apartment wasn't the best idea after all, so we started looking for homes that had at least one good bedroom and bathroom on the main floor that Nick could use. Again, we looked at MANY houses, and found a couple that could potentially work, but had other issues....like no yard, or they were far away from anything Nick could get to, or far away from the rest of our family.
After a long afternoon of looking at houses with our wonderful agent, Jed (my bro), we came back to our house to grab something. Someone started measuring our doorways, and hall. They looked a little tight, but not any worse than some other properties we were seriously considering. Hmmmmm....this got the wheels turning. The next morning I called our lift guy and he said a lift that only accesses the main floor would be about $9K. We would probably be able to get a little grant to cover part of it. $6,000 sounds much more reasonable. Heck, I'd pay almost that much not to have to move.
So, we have come full circle. And, I am feeling a bit silly, like Dorothy. The answer was staring us in the face all along: There is no place like home.
If I had known two months ago we would be back where we are, I would not have dragged everyone along for the ride. We did what we thought was right in the moment. So many of you have helped get our house ready to sell. I don't think the yard has been this well-maintained since we moved in. All I can say is, "thank you." It always seems ironic to finally get things fixed up right before you sell a house. Then someone else gets to enjoy all the work. Well, we get to enjoy it this time....bonus :).
There are a few projects we need to do to make the main level of our home work for Nick. Our plan is to let him use the large master bedroom upstairs, and modify the upstairs bathroom to work for him. We will use the bedrooms in the basement with the kiddos.
At the bare minimum, we need to tear the stairs off the deck and put in a lift, and widen the doorways upstairs. If we get really ambitious we may make the bathroom more spacious by moving a wall, and installing a roll-in shower. We'll see how far we get.
Many of you have expressed a desire to help us out. We will get busy making a plan of what we are going to do when. The timing may be a little tricky with Easter and Spring Break coming up. We don't know how long we have until he comes home. We are just waiting for his Medicaid to come through. It could be 2-5 weeks.
Thank you for being so patient with us as we muddle through this. Nick is doing really well. He is ready to come home. We are all looking forward to when he will be safely home, and happily settled in with our family.
We are also looking for someone to help us with home health care. We can either use an agency, or find individuals on our own. We are looking to fill 2 2-3 hour shifts in the morning and evening. The pay would be about $9.50/hr. If you know of someone that may be interested, please let us know.
Thanks again!
love,
Heather & JT
3.27.2009
Our house is officially for sale!
I have to start by saying THANK YOU to everyone who responded to our "plea for help email." We are feeling very loved and supported. Especially thank you to our sissies, brother, moms, dads, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, friends, and neighbors who have watched kids, raked leaves, scrubbed walls, folded laundry, cooked meals, donated funds and supported us in every way imaginable so that we can support Nick and get our house ready to sell. There is NO WAY that fancy Prudential sign would be out in front of our house with the yard and the inside all pretty and clean without help from all of you. So thank you, thank you, thank you.
The reality of it all kind of hit today (along with the total lack of sleep). I couldn't help but cry a little when my brother put the lock box on the front door and the sign in the yard. This home has been a place of healing and miracles. We will miss it. At the same time, we are excited about the next part of the journey for our little family.
We've already had 2 people look at it today, and I've noticed a few cars slowly driving by, checking it out. We are very hopeful that we will be able to find a buyer quickly, even in this cruddy economy. If you know someone looking for a home in the Orem area, please pass this info on.
Thanks again for all you've all done! We love you.
Heather, JT & Kidlets
Here are a few more photos:
3.19.2009
Service Anyone?
Y'all probably got an email like this recently:
Dear Friends and Family,
For weeks now many of you have been asking if there is anything you can do to help us in our current situation with JT’s brother, Nick after he broke his neck and became paralyzed. (If you don’t know the situation, check out our blog entry: http://bit.ly/2BUFY4 ) Many of you have helped watch kids, visited with Nick, remembered us in your prayers, and have supported us in every way imaginable. Thank you so very very much. The time has come that we actually have some really specific areas we could use a little more assistance. As Dora the Explorer (and Eli) would say, “We need YOUR help.” Please don't feel obligated in any way, but since so many of you have specifically requested to help, we're responding with a specific list of things we need help with. :)
Over the last weekend we found a home that is for sale in north Orem that would be a very good set-up for our family. It has a separate living area where Nick could have some space, and room for us to grow our family. The home would need some modifications, but nothing like our current home. It has been a difficult decision, but we feel that all things considered, this home would be a better space for all of us.
So, here’s where we could use some help. Many things need to happen over the next few weeks for this all to be able to work:
Get Our House Ready to Sell
First of all, we need to sell our current home ASAP (sniff, sniff). We (our entire extended family) have worked really hard to update the inside, and it really is cute right now with lots of new paint, moldings, doors, fixtures and flooring. Despite our ignorance and neglect, the yard is still a dreamy oasis in the middle of the city. There are a few very specific little projects we could use help with to get it ready to start showing. For example, we need to do some basic spring clean-up of the yard, like raking pine needles. There are also a few projects we have been putting off, outside and in that would be good to get done, like fix the garage door opener and replace a broken light fixture in the kitchen. We are going to be having a workday next Saturday (3/21). We could also work on weekdays, and evenings if we plan it in advance (What a great FHE idea). We have brainstormed a list of things we’d like to do. Here’s the link to the list: http://bit.ly/1mSgap
Find a Buyer
There are many ways all of this could work out on the financial end, but they all depend on our ability to find a buyer for our home as quickly as possible. We don’t feel really worried about it because our current home is such a unique house. We have always felt like this home and yard has a special spirit to it. In so many ways it has been a place for healing and miracles for our family. We love it here, and hope to pass it on to someone else it can bless. Please spread the word to anyone you know who may be looking for a five bedroom house in north Orem with a fantastic yard in a really great location. We will be forth coming with an official listing and marketing materials shortly.
Make Some Modifications to the New House
Assuming we are able to buy this house, there are a couple projects we would need to do to make it work for Nick. First, we need to build a ramp into the home. There are only 3 steps into the main floor, so it should be pretty straightforward. We will need to have a simple stair lift installed for Nick to be able to get into the studio apartment in the basement. (There isn't a lot people can do to help put the lift in except fundraising :).)We may need to modify the shower in his bathroom by removing some glass panels and tweaking the threshold. We would like to reconfigure his kitchen sink a little so that he can roll under it.
Move
Ideally, we would like to move in and get a little settled before Nick comes home. He will most likely be coming home sometime during the first part of May. We'll see how it all works out. When the time comes, we could definitely use some help moving.
Help With Fundraising Efforts
Anyone who would like to donate money and/or materials/labor to our cause is invited to pitch in. It’s amazing how quickly costs can add up. We’ve already extended our resources about as thinly as we dare in working through the situation so far. We know everyone’s budgets are tight right now, but if you are in a position that you could help us and Nick out, or if you would like to spearhead a fundraiser of some sort, we would be super grateful. JT has set up an account for fundraising/donations. We have a PayPal account plugged in. You can make payments to it by sending a payment to nickluvrs at gmail. We'll also post 'Donate Now' buttons on our blog and his blog. It won't be tax deductable initially, but if we continue to get a bunch of donations we'll set up a foundation. Don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions.
So, there you have it. We are excited about the opportunity of getting into this house, but are a little overwhelmed at all that would need to happen to make it work. We really appreciate all of your support. Even if you aren't able to get involved in any other way, we still appreciate prayers and spreading the word about selling our house. Please contact us if you would like to get involved on any level, even for things not on the above list. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Dear Friends and Family,
For weeks now many of you have been asking if there is anything you can do to help us in our current situation with JT’s brother, Nick after he broke his neck and became paralyzed. (If you don’t know the situation, check out our blog entry: http://bit.ly/2BUFY4 ) Many of you have helped watch kids, visited with Nick, remembered us in your prayers, and have supported us in every way imaginable. Thank you so very very much. The time has come that we actually have some really specific areas we could use a little more assistance. As Dora the Explorer (and Eli) would say, “We need YOUR help.” Please don't feel obligated in any way, but since so many of you have specifically requested to help, we're responding with a specific list of things we need help with. :)
Over the last weekend we found a home that is for sale in north Orem that would be a very good set-up for our family. It has a separate living area where Nick could have some space, and room for us to grow our family. The home would need some modifications, but nothing like our current home. It has been a difficult decision, but we feel that all things considered, this home would be a better space for all of us.
So, here’s where we could use some help. Many things need to happen over the next few weeks for this all to be able to work:
Get Our House Ready to Sell
First of all, we need to sell our current home ASAP (sniff, sniff). We (our entire extended family) have worked really hard to update the inside, and it really is cute right now with lots of new paint, moldings, doors, fixtures and flooring. Despite our ignorance and neglect, the yard is still a dreamy oasis in the middle of the city. There are a few very specific little projects we could use help with to get it ready to start showing. For example, we need to do some basic spring clean-up of the yard, like raking pine needles. There are also a few projects we have been putting off, outside and in that would be good to get done, like fix the garage door opener and replace a broken light fixture in the kitchen. We are going to be having a workday next Saturday (3/21). We could also work on weekdays, and evenings if we plan it in advance (What a great FHE idea). We have brainstormed a list of things we’d like to do. Here’s the link to the list: http://bit.ly/1mSgap
Find a Buyer
There are many ways all of this could work out on the financial end, but they all depend on our ability to find a buyer for our home as quickly as possible. We don’t feel really worried about it because our current home is such a unique house. We have always felt like this home and yard has a special spirit to it. In so many ways it has been a place for healing and miracles for our family. We love it here, and hope to pass it on to someone else it can bless. Please spread the word to anyone you know who may be looking for a five bedroom house in north Orem with a fantastic yard in a really great location. We will be forth coming with an official listing and marketing materials shortly.
Make Some Modifications to the New House
Assuming we are able to buy this house, there are a couple projects we would need to do to make it work for Nick. First, we need to build a ramp into the home. There are only 3 steps into the main floor, so it should be pretty straightforward. We will need to have a simple stair lift installed for Nick to be able to get into the studio apartment in the basement. (There isn't a lot people can do to help put the lift in except fundraising :).)We may need to modify the shower in his bathroom by removing some glass panels and tweaking the threshold. We would like to reconfigure his kitchen sink a little so that he can roll under it.
Move
Ideally, we would like to move in and get a little settled before Nick comes home. He will most likely be coming home sometime during the first part of May. We'll see how it all works out. When the time comes, we could definitely use some help moving.
Help With Fundraising Efforts
Anyone who would like to donate money and/or materials/labor to our cause is invited to pitch in. It’s amazing how quickly costs can add up. We’ve already extended our resources about as thinly as we dare in working through the situation so far. We know everyone’s budgets are tight right now, but if you are in a position that you could help us and Nick out, or if you would like to spearhead a fundraiser of some sort, we would be super grateful. JT has set up an account for fundraising/donations. We have a PayPal account plugged in. You can make payments to it by sending a payment to nickluvrs at gmail. We'll also post 'Donate Now' buttons on our blog and his blog. It won't be tax deductable initially, but if we continue to get a bunch of donations we'll set up a foundation. Don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions.
So, there you have it. We are excited about the opportunity of getting into this house, but are a little overwhelmed at all that would need to happen to make it work. We really appreciate all of your support. Even if you aren't able to get involved in any other way, we still appreciate prayers and spreading the word about selling our house. Please contact us if you would like to get involved on any level, even for things not on the above list. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
2.17.2009
I'm Embarrassed to Post...It's Been SOOO Long.
Life has been crazy since my last post. JT's previous job started really faltering around Thanksgiving, and JT got laid off the week before Christmas (excellent timing). Then it was Christmas, with the normal craziness of presents, parties, and creating the family video, etc. I didn't think life could get crazier.
Then, on January 7th, our world was really shaken when JT's brother fell from a balcony and broke his neck. He shattered his C5 & C6 vertebra which left him paralyzed from the chest down with limited use of his arms and hands. He has handled the injury with optimism, patience, and grace. It has been a blessing to share this journey with him, as difficult as it has been. He is amazing. I didn't have a very close relationship with him before, but I consider him one of my dearest friends and a true kindred spirit after spending a lot of time with him over the past month. His is the tall cute guy with braids in this pic taken last summer.
You can track his story at:
Needless to say, we've been busy. Thankfully, Nick was moved from NC to Utah to do rehab at the U of U. He's working hard and is doing really well.
We are getting ready to have him come and join our family after rehab. I hope he realizes what he is signing up for :). We aren't the quietest house on the block. We are excited to have him and his puppy, Alley Dog join us.
JT found a great job that he really likes at Lead Media Partners doing really cool geeky things. We feel super blessed that he was able to find something so quickly, working with super smart people, doing stuff he finds really interesting (data mining?). He'd have to explain exactly what it is. I am just thankful to have a happy husband and paychecks on the way. Unfortunately he doesn't work from home, which is a major adjustment for all of us.
So, here's a special little treat. Many of you have already seen these, but some of you may not have. Every year (at least the past 2 years) I have made a family video to give as Christmas presents. I don't scrapbook, or journal nearly as much as I should, so this is my big effort to record a little bit or our lives.
Here are my two favorite segments from this year:
Brother's Highlights
and
Sissy's Highlights
I hope you enjoy.
Also, a HUGE thanks to everyone for all their support and prayers over the past month. We have felt very loved and supported. I am convinced we have the awesomest family and friends in the world. We literally couldn't do it without you.
Loves,
Heather
11.17.2008
Palo and Sis, what we've been up to...
Okay, my kids have been so funny lately. I need to share some the craziness with all of you.
Sissy: Sis moves about a million miles an hour, as does her tongue (although only about 1/3 of the verbiage coming out of her mouth is real words). Her sentences usually start with a bunch of jibberish with a couple recognizable words thrown in at the end. Here's an example "I (unidentified cadence of syllables that sound like they could be words) Grammy house?" Translation: "Can I go to Grammy's house?" Her most common phrases are "Emma do it." and "Emma's turn." Both of which are often used in the form of a question.
She has figured out how to get out of her crib, which has complicated our morning and evening routines considerably. The other night I went in to check on them before I went to bed and she was asleep on the floor by Brother’s bed. It wasn’t until I felt something warm with beads that I realized it was Sissy’s head I was about to step on.
I am slowly learning how to do her hair, and she loves it. Her favorite dos are “poofs,” or twists with beads. She will sit still for about 45 minutes at a stretch to get it done. It helps that she is vain. As soon as I say she is finished, she runs to the full-length mirrors in my room to check it out. Today I went in to see if she liked it and she said, “Camera. Take a picture.” I guess that means yes.
She is also starting to show signs of learning empathy. The other night we were looking at our Jesus picture before bed and we were talking about the crucifixion (a little advanced and hard to explain to two-year-olds). She was very interested and quite concerned. We were trying to explain that Jesus got owies in his hands because he loves us. She took the picture from me and gave his hands a kiss. It was very sweet. Now she looks for the marks on Jesus’ hands in every picture.
Her sense of humor is also developing nicely. Whenever she farts, she can’t help but giggling. Lately she lets one, giggles and then asks, “I do it again? Okay.” Then she attempts to do it again. We try really hard not to laugh. What a gross child…she definitely gets it from her dad.
Oh, and she is a little obsessed with going potty. I know that if is too quiet, chances are she and Palo are in the bathroom. It’s going to be a long journey to get these two trained. I'm open to suggestions.
Now a little about Brother:
Palo couldn’t be more different than Sis if he tried. He is mellow most of the time. His idea of the perfect day is to have someone read books to him or to have free reign of the TV. He would watch TV all day if we let him. If the TV is on, it is almost impossible to get him to do anything. He won’t even eat. If he gets more than about 45 minutes a day he undergoes severe personality transformation and turns into a monster, so we really try to limit his brain-frying time. Although, there are those bad mom days….
Currently he loves Dora. He can spot products at the grocery store with Dora on them from a mile away. She's on everything. Sis has a Dora jacket I bought at Savers that Palo is obsessed with. He always wants to wear it. The other day I had to chuckle. He had on camo pants, his blue and pink Dora jacket, socks with watershoes, a bead in his hair, and a pink binky. Not nearly as many people came up to talk to me at Costco about my cute kids, because I think they were confused. It was actually kind of nice.
He also loves Elmo. We have an Elmo’s World DVD about the Wild West that shows Mr. Noodle doing a line dance. That is his favorite part. He’s a good little line-dancer. That kid has got rhythm. Unfortunately, both he and Sis are losing some of their natural moves as they try to imitate my dancing. The other day I was watching them dance, thinking, 'Man, those kids look lerpy." Then I realized they were copying me. Dang.
Palo's favorite toy is the Magnadoodle. He loves to sit on your lap and have you draw fishies for him. JT and I have gotten pretty skilled at whipping out sharks, octopuses, whales, guppies, anglerfish, you name it. The cutest thing is to see him draw fishies by himself. He starts out by drawing a circle then adds little flourishes. Very cute.
He is also becoming quite the little talker. Like, Sis, he uses a lot of jibberish. The hard thing is that he decides that the sounds he is using to describe what he wants are the only way to describe it. If it doesn’t make sense, or you don’t understand what he wants, he typically loses it and starts weeping and wailing and gnashing his teeth. By the time he calms down, he usually has forgotten whatever it was that he wanted. It can be exhausting if this happens more than a few times a day.
Brothy also loves being involved in food preparation. Whenever I am cooking, he wants me to hold him so that I can explain what I am doing. "I see what doing," he says repeatedly until I pick him up. If he is remembering even a fourth of what I tell him, he’s going to be a fantastic cook by the time he is 5. It is getting harder to hold him, as he weighs a solid 30+ lbs. Opening a can is pretty tricky while lugging him around. It is fun to watch him cook on his own little stove. He has his own pots and utensils. When I ask him what he is doing, his most common responses are “I make noodles. I make eggs.” And of course, MEATBALLS (his favorite food).
Both of the kids have discovered the water dispenser on the fridge. They love to get their own drinks, complete with crushed ice. Unfortunately, they can’t resist the urge to play with the water, dumping it in the sink, on the floor, on the table, in their little play dishes. It’s a constant battle. We have a lot of wet socks around our house.
So, these are the kind of things our days are filled with. What a fun age. In some ways it seems like the best of times and the worst of times. The best because the kids are so funny, sweet, and amazing. The worst, because my patience is constantly being tested, and I fail so often. It’s hard to always remember what a miracle our family is, and how short this time is. Already, my babies won’t hardly let me rock them to sleep anymore. Sniff, sniff. They are just growing up too dang fast.
Here are some recent pics.
Cute as bugs on Halloween!
Checking out a fresh do.
The first snowman of the year
A snack with Coco
Reading our current favorite book: Pinkalicious!
And a little bonus video:
Sissy: Sis moves about a million miles an hour, as does her tongue (although only about 1/3 of the verbiage coming out of her mouth is real words). Her sentences usually start with a bunch of jibberish with a couple recognizable words thrown in at the end. Here's an example "I (unidentified cadence of syllables that sound like they could be words) Grammy house?" Translation: "Can I go to Grammy's house?" Her most common phrases are "Emma do it." and "Emma's turn." Both of which are often used in the form of a question.
She has figured out how to get out of her crib, which has complicated our morning and evening routines considerably. The other night I went in to check on them before I went to bed and she was asleep on the floor by Brother’s bed. It wasn’t until I felt something warm with beads that I realized it was Sissy’s head I was about to step on.
I am slowly learning how to do her hair, and she loves it. Her favorite dos are “poofs,” or twists with beads. She will sit still for about 45 minutes at a stretch to get it done. It helps that she is vain. As soon as I say she is finished, she runs to the full-length mirrors in my room to check it out. Today I went in to see if she liked it and she said, “Camera. Take a picture.” I guess that means yes.
She is also starting to show signs of learning empathy. The other night we were looking at our Jesus picture before bed and we were talking about the crucifixion (a little advanced and hard to explain to two-year-olds). She was very interested and quite concerned. We were trying to explain that Jesus got owies in his hands because he loves us. She took the picture from me and gave his hands a kiss. It was very sweet. Now she looks for the marks on Jesus’ hands in every picture.
Her sense of humor is also developing nicely. Whenever she farts, she can’t help but giggling. Lately she lets one, giggles and then asks, “I do it again? Okay.” Then she attempts to do it again. We try really hard not to laugh. What a gross child…she definitely gets it from her dad.
Oh, and she is a little obsessed with going potty. I know that if is too quiet, chances are she and Palo are in the bathroom. It’s going to be a long journey to get these two trained. I'm open to suggestions.
Now a little about Brother:
Palo couldn’t be more different than Sis if he tried. He is mellow most of the time. His idea of the perfect day is to have someone read books to him or to have free reign of the TV. He would watch TV all day if we let him. If the TV is on, it is almost impossible to get him to do anything. He won’t even eat. If he gets more than about 45 minutes a day he undergoes severe personality transformation and turns into a monster, so we really try to limit his brain-frying time. Although, there are those bad mom days….
Currently he loves Dora. He can spot products at the grocery store with Dora on them from a mile away. She's on everything. Sis has a Dora jacket I bought at Savers that Palo is obsessed with. He always wants to wear it. The other day I had to chuckle. He had on camo pants, his blue and pink Dora jacket, socks with watershoes, a bead in his hair, and a pink binky. Not nearly as many people came up to talk to me at Costco about my cute kids, because I think they were confused. It was actually kind of nice.
He also loves Elmo. We have an Elmo’s World DVD about the Wild West that shows Mr. Noodle doing a line dance. That is his favorite part. He’s a good little line-dancer. That kid has got rhythm. Unfortunately, both he and Sis are losing some of their natural moves as they try to imitate my dancing. The other day I was watching them dance, thinking, 'Man, those kids look lerpy." Then I realized they were copying me. Dang.
Palo's favorite toy is the Magnadoodle. He loves to sit on your lap and have you draw fishies for him. JT and I have gotten pretty skilled at whipping out sharks, octopuses, whales, guppies, anglerfish, you name it. The cutest thing is to see him draw fishies by himself. He starts out by drawing a circle then adds little flourishes. Very cute.
He is also becoming quite the little talker. Like, Sis, he uses a lot of jibberish. The hard thing is that he decides that the sounds he is using to describe what he wants are the only way to describe it. If it doesn’t make sense, or you don’t understand what he wants, he typically loses it and starts weeping and wailing and gnashing his teeth. By the time he calms down, he usually has forgotten whatever it was that he wanted. It can be exhausting if this happens more than a few times a day.
Brothy also loves being involved in food preparation. Whenever I am cooking, he wants me to hold him so that I can explain what I am doing. "I see what doing," he says repeatedly until I pick him up. If he is remembering even a fourth of what I tell him, he’s going to be a fantastic cook by the time he is 5. It is getting harder to hold him, as he weighs a solid 30+ lbs. Opening a can is pretty tricky while lugging him around. It is fun to watch him cook on his own little stove. He has his own pots and utensils. When I ask him what he is doing, his most common responses are “I make noodles. I make eggs.” And of course, MEATBALLS (his favorite food).
Both of the kids have discovered the water dispenser on the fridge. They love to get their own drinks, complete with crushed ice. Unfortunately, they can’t resist the urge to play with the water, dumping it in the sink, on the floor, on the table, in their little play dishes. It’s a constant battle. We have a lot of wet socks around our house.
So, these are the kind of things our days are filled with. What a fun age. In some ways it seems like the best of times and the worst of times. The best because the kids are so funny, sweet, and amazing. The worst, because my patience is constantly being tested, and I fail so often. It’s hard to always remember what a miracle our family is, and how short this time is. Already, my babies won’t hardly let me rock them to sleep anymore. Sniff, sniff. They are just growing up too dang fast.
Here are some recent pics.
Cute as bugs on Halloween!
Checking out a fresh do.
The first snowman of the year
A snack with Coco
Reading our current favorite book: Pinkalicious!And a little bonus video:
10.29.2008
Church Calls for More Diversity
I swear this is my last post before the election. I was sent this article this morning, and I feel compelled to share it. It is an article from the Salt Lake Tribune about an interview with Marlin K. Jensen. The interview took place in 1998, but I think it is just as relevant for today.
Here is an excerpt from the interview.
"Jensen said it is time for LDS members to take a broader view of political affiliation.
"We would probably hope that they wouldn't abandon a party necessarily because it has a philosophy or two that may not square with Mormonism. Because, as I say, [parties] in their philosophies ebb and flow," Jensen said.
"You know, the Republicans came very close last time to bringing a pro-abortion plank into their platform. That was maybe the biggest battle of their [1996 national] convention," he said. "Which shows that if you're a pure ideologue, eventually you're going to have trouble in either party."
"Everyone who is a good Latter-day Saint is going to have to pick and choose a little bit regardless of the party that they're in and that may be required a lot more in the future than it has been in the past. But I think there's room for that and the gospel leaves us lots of latitude."
"We would probably hope that they wouldn't abandon a party necessarily because it has a philosophy or two that may not square with Mormonism. Because, as I say, [parties] in their philosophies ebb and flow," Jensen said.
"You know, the Republicans came very close last time to bringing a pro-abortion plank into their platform. That was maybe the biggest battle of their [1996 national] convention," he said. "Which shows that if you're a pure ideologue, eventually you're going to have trouble in either party."
"Everyone who is a good Latter-day Saint is going to have to pick and choose a little bit regardless of the party that they're in and that may be required a lot more in the future than it has been in the past. But I think there's room for that and the gospel leaves us lots of latitude."
Here is a link to the article: LDS Official Calls for More Political Diversity
I really appreciated his insights. I wanted to share because I have a gut feeling there are a few of you out there who are considering voting for candidates other than those affiliated with the Republican Party. Like me, you may feel hesitant/unsure about the "okayness" of doing so. Here you have it from a church authority. Be bold, be brave. Vote your heart!
Regardless of who you support locally and nationally, get out and vote!!! Early voting in Utah ends on Friday. Let your voice be heard!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)