Happy Temple Anniversary of 44 years

     Forty-four years ago today, Debi and I drove to Mesa Arizona to first attend a temple of The church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to be sealed for time and all eternity through a sacred ordinance.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that through the sealing power given to men by the Lord, marriage does not end “until death do you part”.  We believe that as Adam and Eve were joined in the garden of Eden, which was an eternal place, marriage was meant to be an eternal joining.

     So Debi and I made the two-day trip with two little boys in our two-door Pinto sedan.   We spent the night in El Paso with the rear brakes locked up which required me to rent a repair bay in a gas station to back the brakes out so that we could continue on our way.  Mesa was the closest temple to Austin at the time but still over 2,000 miles away.   The next morning, at our motel, we found that the car’s battery was dead and with some help from a jump, I drove to a JC Penney’s where I had the battery replaced.

 

     On Tuesday April 27, 1976, we were sealed together as a family.  I don’t believe that we could have been any happier.   A grounds keeper at the temple the day before walked up to Debi and gave her some Gladiolas and said to her “these are for your wedding day”.   It was very special because we didn’t know him nor him us.

    Because of this wonderful blessing, the sting of death and separation from each other has given me the hope and strength to carry on with my life.   I know that when my journey is complete and I will return home to my Savior, I firmly expect to be able to embrace my beautiful bride once again.

Happy Sealing Anniversary, Debi.

All my love always and forever,  Mike

Stake Conference with family

We had Stake Conference today in the Stake Center with Melissa, Austin and their girls.  I took a selfie with Camile.  Grandma and Mommy photobombed in the picture.  Conference was good and so was Claire and Camile.  We sat at the front of the chapel on the left side.

The 2015 Texas South Padre Island Gater

Debi and I had the week off after Christmas,
so we went to Corpus Christi and then to
South Padre Island for some rest and relaxation.

We walked on the beach some and as per
tradition, I built a Texas Sand Gator. 
He was about 15 feet long.

I had to pat him down to keep him from
looking like he had fur and to make him
last a little longer because the wind was
really blowing.

The first night the gulf tried to take him out...but didn't.
By the next night (see below), the waves took their
toll... and all that was left was the top of his
middle. 

We had a lot of fun walking the beach,
feeding the seagulls, and listening to the
sound of the waves pounding the beach.
We also used some bags that the city provided
to pick up trash (mostly gloves, bottles,
sunglasses, and left people junk). One night
when the wind died down, we even hopped into
the spa for a little soak of bubbles and warm
water.

Enjoyed taking in a little Mav Action

Michael and I took in a Mav's game last night.  It was quite crowded 

but we had good seats on the lower floor.  It was a cold night, Michael got
us a close parking spot and we didn't have to walk too far.   

Our seats were only about behind one of the goals and the over-head video
board kept us up on the action that we couldn't see.  I have to say that it
quite exciting to see game up close and we really had a good time being
together.  We thought that we would going to see the Mavericks take
care of the Pistons but we were sadly mistaken.  The Mavs tied them up a
few times but the Pistons finally won out.  All in all, it was really wonderful
night together just Michael and I.  

Thanks for the Great Evening to WBAP for some free tickets.

Adaptation for the situation

This post is a tribute to my dad.  He had a lot of horse/common sense about him.  One afternoon about the spring of 1968, I had gone to visit my brother Rodney and his wife who were staying out at the lake quite a distance from town.  I left to go back to Austin to pickup my girlfriend from school in my 58 Chevy.  I was cruising through the hill country and "making time" when the engine made a loud noise and died.  Well, I pushed in the clutch in and let the car coast about a mile and then popped the clutch.  Man, the noise that came out from under that hood.  So I immediately pushed the clutch in again and shifted in the car into neutral.  I won't mention my speed but needless to say I must have coasted another ten miles or so up and down the hills out in the hill country outside of Marble Falls.  I should have stopped at a little country store that I went by while coasting but I was more focused on getting back to my girlfriend.  Well, when I walked back to the store, I called my younger brother to go pickup my girlfriend and for him to tell dad that I was having some car trouble and where I was.  
   About 2.5 hours later my dad show up and we started looking at my sick car.  We tried to start it made a heck of a noise.  Well, my dad said this car is not going anywhere on its own and preceded to dig through the back of his car.  He was looking for his towrope but it was not to be found.  "Some of his boys must have used it."   Anyway, he looked around quickly as it is starting to get dark and in the country it can get very dark.  He found a long piece of barbed wire laying in the ditch next to the road.  With the snip of his side-cutters, we had about 20 feet of "tow wire".  My dad wrapped the wire around his trailer hitch and then around the middle of my chrome bumper.  He then told me that I was to stop both cars with my brakes and we proceded to travel the 20 or so miles back to North Austin.
   Well it turns out that I had stripped off all but seven and half teeth of the timing gear.  The gear was a fiber gear which my dad replaced with a metal gear as we rebuilt the ol' Chevy.

Happy Birthday to my lovely wife

Happy Birthday

Today is my beautiful wife's birthday. She is special and I realize that I am truely a very lucky man to have been married to her for so long. I hope she has a great day.

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday Dear Debi,

Happy Birthday to you!!!!!

Happy Anniversary

Today is our 41st anniversary. Its true I did rob the craddle. She is still as beautiful as she was when we were married this day in June. The poor flowers in the back ground are really pretty but they only pale in comparison. We were meant to be together and in spite of everything, she still loves me. Is it ever so true that men marry up and women are so soft hearted that they generally fall for the smuck that she can help to be better. Thanks Honey for all the love and understanding. May God bless and keep you.

Train Ride

On Thursday I had a doctor's visit at UT southwestern in Dallas. Well that shouldn't be a problem but because of the winter wonderland that was visiting the Super Bowl and the roads were covered by ice and the fact that lots of "Bubbas" were out driving their 4-wheelers, I decided to take the new Dart Green Line train to my appointment.
I enjoyed the ride and the train went about twice as fast as I would have in my car. I saw lots of people slipping and sliding on the road.
So, having never riden the train to anywhere but between two stations in Carrollton, when I arrived at my stop, which was elevated, I tried to hurry down to get out of the cold wind. I then tried to get my bearings but I was pretty surrounded by construction. I then started walking toward a street and saw signs that said pathway to hospital. So I went that way and after about 8 blocks, I found myself totally lost and not knowing where I was. Thats when I spotted a sign for the UT Shuttle. I stepped inside a building and waited. After about 40 minutes a bus appearred but was not marked as to where it was going. I approached it and asked and yes it was the shuttle I should take.
I still had about 20 minutes before my appointment, so I thought "Lets ride". Well I then found out that my stop would be the last on the route. (because it was the stop just before where I got on the shuttle). Oh well, at least its warm.
Well I was just a couple minutes late for my appointment but did not have to wait to long to be seen. And it gave me time to look out the 8th floor window at the are below. Now I realized that I was really only 4 blocks away from the train station that I had gotten off at. Oh well at least I got my exercise for the day. :D

Great Bunch of Kids

In August I started teaching a Primary class (Sunday School) on Sunday. These guys are my reagulars. They are a great bunch. It took some doing to get them to pose together as the age of yucky. They are happiest to sit on oposite sides of the room rather than to sit anywhere next to each other. But I am positive that will change in the coming years.

The eye in the sky

Last night I got to monitor one of the new DART rail stations for the Carrollton Police Department from a self contained tower called Sky Watch. The trailer that is attached to sky box has a diesel generator that supplies all the electricity that is needed to raise and lower and to power its heating/air conditioning.


It has a decent size swivel chair to allow the operator to spin around without standing up or leaning around to see out. The windows are tinted in order to hide the occupant from being seen from below. After some radio classes, I will be allow a police radio to notify the police dispatch of any incidents in the area. Well it was pretty quite last night and I didn't get to call out the police to "get" anyone but I enjoyed watching the people and 2-3 people waived at me as they past me. The tower goes up about 25 feet and from a distance the people looked about the size of a GI Joe doll and with the wind blowing, the people didn't lolly-gag getting to their cars. Stay tune "You never know" what may happen. Oh yeah by the way it does shake alittle if I move around or the wind blows too hard.

Evan the chocolate nose boy

This isn't a really great picture but we didn't have our regular digital camera when we visited Kristie, Barth and their family back in September. Anyway, this is a picture of little Evan the chocolate monger. We went to McDonalds for dinner and ice cream. I had almost forgot that I needed to post the picture. Although I had a few "fix" items, I did have a great time visiting and playing with all the kids. I really love that we could be there for Brian's baptism. The older boys play flag football and it was a lot of fun to stand on the sideline and yell encouragement. It kinda took me back to the times when I coached soccer for my boys.

What a day for a memorial fish out

Aaron would have definitely enjoyed the day. I arrived right around 7:30 am. and immediately began snagging fish. The day was pleasant with about 78 degrees or so with a wind of 10-15 mph out of the south. I sat up my claim to the shore near the willow tree at the south-west side of the pond. A small boy and his grampa were there feeding the ducks. Little fish were jumping close by and an egret was close watching me as I was pitching the little sunfish back into the pond. The above picture was taken about 45 minutes after I had arrived. Its a small bass, not big enough yet for the dinner table. :D After about an hour, some friends of mine, the Chatwins, showed up just to visit and watch me fish and to chat. I really enjoyed their company and time flew by so fast that the time that I had set aside for the fish out was over. I didn't catch any big fish like the Master Fisherman but I had a wonderful time fishing and reminiscing with the Chatwins about things that Aaron had said or done with their son Robert.

The Fifth Annual Aaron Whitley Fishout

Last weekend Michael took his girls to celebrate and remember his brother Aaron, The Master Fisherman. I plan on spending his birthday in the Dallas Temple. But on Saturday morning August 21, I plan on spending an hour or two at his favorite fishing hole. Not sure if anyone else can come and enjoy but I want to keep this tradition alive. I know that I won't be able to catch all the fish that he would have caught. I love you Aaron. I know the fish still remember you and I'll try to keep them thinking that you're still here. So fish beware I am coming to take the toll.

For the last 15 weeks I have been taking the Citizen's Police Academy and on May 25, 2010, I graduated with a certificate and a handshake from the city's new police chief. I have learn about gangs, guns, tactical equipment and the operations of the Swat team. The class met every Thursday from 7pm until 10pm.
Now that I have graduated, I can take 4 other classes and then I would be allowed to ride patrol within the city.