12/20/08 He Has His Father's Eyes, Poem by Jean Griffin

He has His Father’s Eyes
By Marva Jean Griffin
Dec 20, 2008

I hold my newborn son so gently in my arms.
And I tenderly caress His tiny form.
His soft features, His tiny hands, I touch them with wonder.
His soft brown hair, just enough there, and His long lashes
Flutter as He sleeps and His mouth moves, and His chin trembles,
As if He is anticipating the meal He will soon partake.
I know He is perfect, so perfect.
And I sit in awe of His miraculous birth. How could I be so blessed?
As I look at his soft features, I realize this boy child is awake now
and looking at me, His mother.
How tiny He is, how beautiful He is
And I know He has His Father’s eyes.

My son grows and is strong—Soon He smiles and coos and laughs too.
His tiny hands want to touch everything.
He is such a good child! No murmuring sound He makes.
I see Him watch and learn and grow.
I see His Eyes that reflect eternity, and He has His Father’s eyes.

Now my son is a young man – He’s grown so fast.
He helps Joseph, and learns as He does.
He watches and tries to emulate Joseph, His earthly father, in everything He does.
He works hard to learn and to please us.
He is a big brother now.
He is gentle and treats His younger siblings with respect and love, watching everything they do.
And as He watches and learns and sees the wonders around him,
I see He has His Father’s Eyes.

My son was lost, or so we thought. But, we found him in the temple.
He was teaching and learning and we saw Him searching all around,
With those beautiful, serene eyes.
And He was respected by the elders who were there in the temple, asking and seeking what He could give to them.
When we asked Him why He had stayed behind in the temple, His eyes registered surprise and then a glint of humor came to them as He asked whither He should be about His Father’s business. And then I knew what His future would hold.
And I could see, He has His Father’s eyes.


Now my son is grown and gone from our home - I miss Him so.
And when He comes home, I see affection in His eyes - for me, His mother, and for His Family.
He tells me of His baptism by His cousin, John the Baptist.
He tells me of the voice from Heaven, which identified that He is His Father’s son.
He tells me how the Holy Ghost came to Him in the form of a Dove.
His eyes glisten with tears as He tells me.
I feel the warmth of His Spirit as I look into them.
And I see that He has His Father’s eyes.

My son’s life is one of service and love to others.
I hear of Him healing the sick and the lepers, raising the dead, causing the blind to see. I hear He fed 5000 people with five loaves of bread and a few fishes.
I hear that He has chosen twelve disciples to follow Him.
He teaches them and ordains them and they love Him and He them.

When He returns home again, I see tiredness in His face and yet His eyes are alive and I see joy in them. I feel His love. He brings peace and joy into our home.
And as I look into His eyes, I see love and compassion and gratitude in them.
And I know that He has His Father’s eyes.

I hear rumors of unrest among the people who follow Him. This alarms me. I worry as any mother would. What will happen to Him?
There are so many people who are so brutal who would cause harm to my son.

I later hear of my son’s anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Of His eyes pleading with His Father, and of the terrible price He paid there.
I could see His beautiful eyes weeping then.
And I know He has His Father’s eyes.

Then I learned of his arrest, the brutal way He was treated and His trial.
I try to find where they have taken Him, I learn of Golgotha, the terrible, terrible place of Calvary. I hurry there, only to find my son - my perfect beautiful, perfect son, hanging on a cross.
How could this happen to my boy? Who did this to Him?
As He is hanging there, I look upon Him as I weep with the sorrow of one inconsolable and I hear Him call out to John, His beloved Apostle, to look after me, His mother. And I look into His eyes, His eyes that are filled with sorrow and pain and in them, I see eternity and I know He has His father’s eyes.

My son, my son. A gift from our Father in Heaven to me – To the world.
He arose on the third day and He lives. And his eyes are no longer closed in death, For He Lives! He Lives!
And I know He has His Father’s eyes.

2008 Girl's morning schedule - school days

Holly's Schedule

School is Fun                                                        Be Excited for a new day!!!!                            SMILE

                                          7:15              Get up!!! No Fuss!!!

                                                                      ** Go to the bathroom

                                                                      ** Wash your face and hands

                                                                      ** Get dressed

                                                                                    *clothes

                                                                                    *socks and shoes

                                                                      ** Do your hair

                                          7:25              Practice the piano for 10 minutes – use the timer

                                                                      **Play what you are assigned by your teacher

                                                                      **FOCUS

                                          7:35              Gather all things needed for school

                                                                      **Backpack

                                                                      **Jacket

                                                                      **Homework

                                                                      **Stuff??

                                                        Put everything needed by couch by door – you should be “ready to go!”

                                          7:45              Check out your room

                                                        **  Are all dirty clothes in the basket?

                                                        **  Are all toys under the bed in the bins?

                                                        **  Are all books in the shelf?

                                                        **  Is your bed made?

                                                        If not, DO IT!!!

                                         

                                          7:50               Read a book until it's time to go

                                          8:00              Walk to School!!!!

NO SLOW POKES!                            BE HAPPY!                             

YOU PICK YOUR ATTITUDE!----MAKE IT A GOOD ONE!

07/10/08 Big Bear Lake Trip: What's up doc...flat tire!

                                                           7/10/2008 BIG BEAR LAKE TRIP

Relaxing after the mountain hike!

We left on Bryce's birthday - Thursday, June 26 about 9:30 a.m.  We traveled to Las Vegas and stopped and had a breakfast buffet.  The kids stuffed themselves silly and with full bellies we continued on happily to California.  Everybody behaved pretty good and about 3 in the afternoon we arrived at our condo.  We checked in and went swimming and checked out the area.  We found a close grocery store and got some beef for grilling.  Andy made delicious steaks for us and we enjoyed a quiet evening at the condo.

Dallas, Shelly, Aj, Holly, Katie & Bryce

Selfie - family portrait outside our Condo

Friday morning we declared it to be "Mountain Day."  We started off early to a ski lift that took us to the top of the mountain.  We had a spectacular view and proceeded to hike down the side of the mountain.  Took awhile...we weren't really keeping track of time...maybe 90 minutes or more.  It was hot but everybody enjoyed the hike and the scenery.  Our muscles were screaming at us later...it is no fun to get old!

Big Bear had lots of Big bears!!!

Holly & Katie

Aj, Dallas, Bryce, Katie & Holly

Another selfie of the family!

We were tired and hungry after our hike and found the Famous Nate's hot dog stand and some 7-11 slurpees to make everybody happy.  We took our grub back to the condo for accessories and relaxed a little.

In the afternoon we went to the alpine slide, water slide, mini golf and go-cart place and we all did a little of this and that.  By evening we were pretty tired-- but not too tired to make Andy grill again and go swimming in the pool.

Andy and Katie at the end of the mountain hike

Holly & Kate

Katie and Holly on our boat ride

Katie and Andy on the boat

Saturday was declared "Lake Day."  We tried to catch a 10 a.m. boat but missed it and had to kill time until the noon sailing.  We got to wander around the town in their little shopping district.  Everybody got t-shirts and tired out from all the walking.  Then at noon we caught a 90 minute boat tour that took us all the way around the lake and told us interesting tid-bits about the lake and homes surrounding it.  The voice of Bugs Bunny owns one of the house and he came out and talked to us through the mega phone..."what's up doc?"  It was cute and kinda cool.

Boys enjoying the Lake!

Katie thinking it's a lil cold!

Holly..not so sure about this!

Oh yea...now she's sure!

Sand castles!

We found a local pizza joint that people had told us to try and had a late lunch.  It wasn't as good as God Father's or Pizza Factory but it was decent.

Condo pool time!

Katie and Shelly

Shelly and Katie

We went back and took a little swim and rest again before venturing out for a road trip around the lake. At the end of our tour we stopped and most of us got in and swam in the lake.  (I stayed out to take pictures!!)

While we went for yet another swim at the condo after the lake AJ warmed up all the leftovers and we enjoyed another patio meal.  It was so fun to have all the fixtures of home and room for everybody to stay.

Sunday morning some of us went for a walk down to the lake and out onto the "boardwalk".  Not what I think of as a boardwalk but beautiful all the same.  We enjoyed the quiet peaceful morning and the scenery before heading back and packing for home.

No trip would be complete without a freeway blowout -- and ours did not disappoint.  We got a blowout on 3:30 in the afternoon south of Mesquite in 110 degree heat.  Luckily I married a stud and have 3 somewhat helpful boys and we were able to put the spare tire on.  We thought we would have to stay over in Mesquite for the night but turns out Walmart is open on Sundays...so 2 hours later we were on our way home with 2 new tires.

(this was almost exactly what happened on the way back from Hawaii if you hadn't heard...'course w/o the intense Nevada heat!)

So things are back to normal and we made some great family memories together.

Shelly and Holly 

Holly, Shelly and Bryce on the boardwalk.

Trip comes to a hault while we wait for the tire change!

Hot desert roadside. Ugh!

Pit crew in action!

We got this!

01/02/08 Trip home from Dad's & new job at church

1/2/2008 LETTER TO BECKY

Our drive home was perfect -- we left dad's house at 10:30 p.m. Friday night.  The roads were clear -- just a little hint of snow through Santaquin and one other town where we were afraid it might get nasty and then it cleared right up again.  I think we made the right choice.  Ed and Wendy came home Sunday and it took them several hours more than they expected and it was yucky most of the way they said.

We had no movies and no treats since it was so late and you know what...there was no mess in the car!  AMAZING!  The kids didn't necessarily sleep well (the girls were restless) but they slept in the next morning and we had a Saturday to do what needed to be done.

Well I'm glad your ward reassignment seems to be working.  I had about 21 girls in my YW program and it was a good size.  Are they spread out evenly?  I had like all beehives, a couple of miamaids and like 2 inactive laurels.

I guess you'll be going to camp again!  You know what's going to happen don't you?  You'll be in YW now until Morgan is old enough and then you'll be out!

Thanks for coming and spending the day with us.  It was nice to have some time together!  I don't know if I am ready for a new year but here it is!!!! Happy New Year!