Foot Prints

~ Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Others leave foot prints on our hearts and we are never ever the same~

This week has been an emotional roller coaster. As many of you know, i have been working as a Cultural Ambasador for the CSI refugee center. I took on this project as an honors requirement. However, little did i know that it would change my life forever. The first week of september i drove over to Honey Locust apartments to meet my family. All i knew about them was that they were refugees from Burhma there were five of them, and that they didn't know any english. Our first meeting was brief, a tad akward but i left with the promise of coming the next tuesday at 6. After that i only missed 2 tuesdays the whole semester. I went every week, at the same time on the same day. After a while the akwardness wore off, a new comfort zone was created, and we learned from eachother. We played games, went to Winco, toured Twin falls, saw the christmas lights, and taught eachother different words in our own languages.



It wasn't long before i was hooked. I couldn't go a week with out seeing them. and if for some odd reason i did, i knew something was missing from my life. over time their english progressed. we became to know eachother on a very close level. and i fell in love with them. many times Shane came with me, and i know he enjoyed very much also being a part of their life.



as i write this i really don't think there is any way that i can truly express how i feel about them. i think that's one of the most frusterating parts about all this...no one will understand. the Prey Ray family has engraved foot prints on my heart and i will never be the same. i'll never be able to walk into winco with out thinking of them, or pass robins street with out chuckling a little as i think of our amazing memories together.
What started as a simple honors program project turned into one of the most rewarding experiences you could ever gain in college. It became second nature to love them, to laugh with them, and to understand them.
This last tuesday i went over, excited for a new semester of working with them. and already new ideas of what we could do the next few months. however after a few minutes of being there i was bombarded with the news that the family was moving. To colorado. Prey (father) had been there already and was working and saving money to bring his family out with him. well i thought i had a few more months with them, never did i imagine that i was spending my last tuesday in their precious living room. Trying to stay composed i asked for as many details as possible knowing that i couldn't just send them away with out knowing they would be going somewhere safe.

Today at noon i took them to the Grey hound bus station. it took me an hour and half to get them settled, and propperly waiting for the bus. i missed two classes but it was worth it. with hugs and "i love you's", a note with my number, and 20 bucks in Sey's hand i pulled away with tearfilled eyes.

I don't know if i will ever see them again in this life. But i must trust that they are in God's hands now. and they are better hands than mine. and if i don't see them in this life, i know we will be re-united in the life to come. They truley are angels. and i pray for their safe reunion with their daddy.

God Be with you Pray Ray Family. You have left footprints on my heart.

Emily

~22 New Best Friends~

I absolutely love love love my job. Sometimes it's rough yes, some times i just want to scream when the kids are being out of control. However, there are days like yesterday that I am so grateful for the opportunity to work with these special Children of God.

Pal-Step is run from 3:30 to 5:30, after school hours. We cater to at-risk students and families. Providing a safe place for students to go after school instead of going home to an empty house or a non-safe environment. Right now we have 95 kids enrolled just at Lincoln Elementary (which is where i work). From 3:30-4:00 we have a snack and rec time. From 4:00-4:30 we do homework, and then the last hour until 5:30 we do enrichment activities. I work with Alex Sanchez and we do a "snack time" where we make lots of yummy fun treats. Every day different students are rotated through the groups with their appropriate grades.

One of our hardest age groups is the 4th graders. It is our biggest group, and the kids are just down right mean. They are mean to eachother, they are vulgar, and they just don't care. It has been a year long problem to try and solve and every week presents a challenge. Yesterday while coming out of the bathroom to wash their hands i heard the newest joke on one of their fellow 4th graders.

Colby is a little heavier set, wears glasses, and LOVES super heroes. I spend many recesses reading stories with him, and just being his friend. Well the boys coming out of the bathroom were wiping their hands on each other saying "Colby germs, Colby germs...." Being especially fond of Colby but also tired of their constant tormenting on whoever they decide to torment that day i brought them all back into the cafeteria. I sat them down and started talking about the Golden Rule. After about 3 minutes i could tell this wasn't getting anywhere.

After a silent pleading with my Heavenly Father i suddenly was struck with inspiration of how i could implement in my students how to be kinder to eachother, i knew that this could very well be a changing point in each of their lives. I arranged them at the table half on one side, half on the other they sat directly across from another classmate. I then blew a whistle (which meant freeze) i said, "Introduce yourself to the person across from you, This person is your new "best Friend"..." They grumbled and claimed "we already know them!" I replied with, "Pretend you dont!" well after they introduced themselves i said, "This is your new best friend, now look at them really closely and give them a compliment." They hated it! they grumbled and griped but knew we would keep doing it until i was satisfied. About every 20 seconds i blew my whistle and one side, called the "slide side" would rotate, then each would have a new partner. we then repeated the process, each time i would say, "This is your new best friend".

About half way through i noticed a change. they were all the sudden having fun! really looking for ways to compliment their new "best friend". After the last rotation i said, "you now have 22 new best friends. How do best friends act? We aren't mean to them, we don't make fun of them, and we defend them. You should treat each of your class mates as if they are your best friends". After this they were quiet, and pensive. they looked around and were happy. We then made our snack and got out board games, and they all played together. Colby played with kids who before wouldn't have anything to do with him. Orion a little boy who is normally very hard to handle came up and with a HUGE smile said, "Emily i have 22 new friends!...i've never had friends before, and now i have 22!!!!"

It was the best day of work i've ever had. Knowing that those 20 minutes of making " new best friends" very well could have a chanigng impact on their lives forever. by the end of Palstep word had spread of what i had my kids do and the other teachers and my boss were so impressed they want me to do it with every group next week!

I loved seeing those kids being nice to eachother, and being happy. And that is what my job is all about.

Emily

Flash Back of 2009

The year 2009 was really quite eventful. As i tried to compile a blog entry of flashbacks it was hard to decide what were the "most" eventful events that happened.
Of course the first that will always come to mind is my safe return from South America.


Not only do i think of my safe return but also the first 5 months of my year of 2009 were spent exploring the wonderful country of Ecuador. It is still so crazy to me that i actually was there, that i did live there, and that the most incredible year of my life isn't just a dream.

But with my return brought a really really fun summer with lots of GREAT memories!

Our family took a trip to California to see Great Grandma hutchins. It was so fun to be with her and to see her again!

In July natalie and i took a fun trip through Utah and visited all the utah temples. we ended in Vegas with Heidi and Peter! it was a BLAST

In july i finally turned 19 and we went to the new Harry Potter to celebrate! In August grandpa turned 80 and we had a big party for him up in Maple Rise! August also brought the new school year and my move to Twin Falls! I was blessed with amazing room mates and we have so much fun together!

I love college life, my classes this last semester were fun, and i feel like i finished my first semester of college successfully! i love my ward, institute and my job.

I have had the amazing opportunity to work with the Pray Reh family. and i will forever be grateful for the influence they have had on my life!

In october i started dating Shane. It's crazy to think three months have passed
since then. We have a lot of fun together and he makes me so happy. I am grateful for him.
It's rewarding to have a home away from home, and it was fun to have some christmas celebrating with my roomies as well as my family at home. I was sure excited this Christmas season and i am glad i was able to be with my amazing room mates and my wonderful family!


And that's a wrap! Brief but fun to remember all that has happened in 2009!

Emily

Feliz Ano Nuevo!

Can you think of a better way to bring in the new year than Ecuadorian Style??? We had a fantastic new year at my house, celebrating with all different traditions that i learned my year in Ecuador. We had lots of yummy Ecuadorian foods, we burned an Ano Viejo, we even ate 12 grapes at midnight making a wish on each one! It was so much fun! I enjoyed re-living my ecuadorian side and sharing it with family and friends. Here are a few pictures.


Shane and I with our finished Ano Viejo


some of the gang after we burned the ano viejo


and of course we banged pots and pans!

I look forward to the year 2010 and the many adventures it will bring!

Emily

~I wish the Season would last all year round~

(Grandma Lou Lou's Christmas Eve)

The presents are all opened, the tree has been taken down, living rooms no longer are scented with pine, and lights no longer adorn roofs of the neighboring houses. the snow has lost it's shimmer and radios no longer play christmas tunes. it's always slightly depressing to me as the christmas season comes to an end i feel a sense of loneliness as i take the tree down. as the stockings get packed up until next year, as well as the nativity i feel as if the Christmas season came and went once again way too quickly.
i am forced to think of Christmases past and most recently the Christmas of 2009. it was a wonderful season, full of love, and joy. surrounded by all my loved ones and new friends as well i felt like the luckiest girl on the planet. I truly have SO very much to be grateful, and most of that didn't come in a stocking on christmas morning, or a package tightly wrapped up in a pretty bow. No those things, the things that make me SO happy come with no price tag or a return receipt. i didn't shop black friday sales to find them, but some how as seen fit from my loving Father in Heaven i was blessed with friends, family, neighbors, and many wonderful people in my life.
it was wonderful to sit in the big room at Uncle Gordy's and look around me and see the smiling faces of all those who know me so well. those whom i love so much. as gifts were exchanged and memories were discussed i couldn't help but sit back and just smile at the fact that this Christmas i was here! i could see my grandparents, my cousins and my aunts and uncles. and i could feel of their spirit. most special to me however was the presence of my dear sweet Grandma and Grandpa Zilles. They gave me a precious gift a board for my wall with the words engraved "Princess". To always remind me that i am their princess, i always have been and i always will be. Andrew also gave me a gift i will treasure forever, he compiled my entire Ecuador Blog into a book that i can keep forever and generations from now people will still be able to read, and fall in love my Ecuador all over again.

(6 a.m Christmas Morning! Excited Faces)

As is tradition we all slept in my room. slumber party in my room tradition started years ago when the rule was made that we couldn't go out and see our presents from santa until everyone was awake. (it made it much easier to all be sleeping together because we could wake eachother up) well dad set the rule that we couldn't wake up until 6... well i would have gladly slept until then but bud and lou were awake by 5 talking all excitedly etc. well at 6 we finally got to go see our stockings. Santa totally spoiled us this year. i got an MP3 player which i LOVE and a new watch. louie got a pink hair straightener!!! and buddy found carhart overalls. it was wonderful to all be together.

We ate Christmas breakfast together with our good friend jim carter. it's always fun to have him there christmas morning, and wouldn't feel right with out him.

That evening we passed as usual at Grandma and Grandpa Barringers. it was so fun to be with everyone. even uncle val came. and Austin and his fiance Saje. Grandma and grandpa spoiled us as always and i got a wonderful new coat. Dalton who had my name got me some super cute new silverware for my apartment!



I love the Christmas season and the spirit that it brings. it's always sad to see it come to and end. i do "want the season to last all year round" but i know that it can. as we strive to keep Christ in our lives daily we can have Christmas in our hearts all year round.

Feliz Navidad!

Emily

Father Joseph

Hidden away about forty minutes out of Ogden, through the Wasatch Mountains, around many windy and curvy roads, past grand log cabins decorated like gingerbread houses, inside a large iron gate there sits quietly almost forgotten amongst the trees, the Huntsville Monastery.
The monastery has existed since before the Great Depression. In its thriving years the dedicated monks had large fields where they harvested many crops. They had a good sized herd of dairy cattle, and one of their prized possessions was their honey. It was treasured among all their friends, and members of their catholic congregations. It came in all flavors from original to rum, each packaged and boxed with love.
Among the monks there was a Father Joseph. Father Joseph was 30 years old when he joined the service. Originally from Kentucky, he decided to dedicate his life to the Love of God. He was sent to Utah among the first of the monks in Huntsville.
In the community at the Monastery every man played a very important role. Some were bread makers, others were honey harvesters, others manned the telephones, but Father Joseph was in charge of the dairy. Father Joseph was put in charge of starting up the dairy, in the first years there, and then keeping it running, and that´s where he stayed, quietly watching each year come and go.
The decision to become a monk isn´t just a one time thing, it´s a decision to leave all you know and love behind, and to dedicate your whole life to serving God. When father Joseph left Kentucky he rarely saw his family again. The brothers at the monastery became his family and friends.
About forty years after Father Joseph arrived at the monastery he was introduced to a young, outgoing, full of life young man. Ross had just graduated from high school and was out doing his first job, selling products to dairies when he ran across the dairy at the monastery. He was introduced to Father Joseph and they became really great friends.
Ross from that time on went out of his way to make sure to always stop in to see Father Joseph, when he met the love of his life Father Joseph was one of the first to know. And when Ross´s first son was born they named him Quinton Joseph.
As Ross´s family started to grow up, and life started to get a little hectic the visits to the monastery became fewer and far in between, however around Christmas time every year the family would pile into the car, they´d embrace the windy curvy roads, the blizzards, and the slippery trek and they´d drive up to visit their Christmas friend Father Joseph.
It became such a tradition that on the rare occasions that they´d stop in to see him any other time of the year he would think something was desperately wrong. Every year Ross would go in to find him, leaving his family in the car, and every year the family would wait in anticipation. They never called before they went up, they just went up hoping to find him still in good health and cheer. Sometimes they´d wait in the chapel, where the other monks would greet them with the same enthusiasm, usually remembering each of their names, and asking them questions about their lives.
Father Joseph was always found in different places, sometimes in the boiler room staying warm, sometimes in his room taking a nap, sometimes in the cafeteria eating…but he was always found. Ross would walk out with him, and Father Joseph would be all smiles as he´d greet the children, and Lori. He´d always say….” I was just thinking about you guys.” They´d talk for about an hour, catching up on things that were going on each other’s lives, and then the family would leave with promises of next year, and wishes of a very Merry Christmas.
One snowy December night the family set off for their annual trip to Huntsville. Something seemed wrong but they decided they´d go anyway and find out what was up. As they pulled in to the monastery and Ross went in, the family waited and waited and waited, when Ross finally came out they knew something was wrong. He explained that Father Joseph had been moved to a nursing home in Salt Lake about an hour away.
After a family council, they decided that they just couldn´t not go see Father Joseph. So they set off to find the nursing home, not knowing at all where it was only knowing the name. A few hours later, they pulled in to a Catholic Nursing home. They were directed to Father Joseph´s room, and they all walked in creating the best Christmas surprise ever.
Father Joseph looked up, and with tears in his eyes said “I didn´t think you would find me.”
There´s something about the love of a Monk, and the love a dear friend and his family at Christmas. It goes un broken, and it creates a bond, that lasts through the year and into the next Christmas season.
As father Joseph would say, “May God Bless you, and your family at this Christmas season, and i´ll see you next year!” …

............................................................

Once again my family found Father Joseph this Christmas. It was wonderful to see him again and catch up. I missed him last year, and wonderful to carry on our Christmas Traditions!

Emmy

Teach the Children

~Just a little Reminder of what this season is all about~

Merry Christmas!
Feliz Navidad!

Just a week before Christmas this is how it happened. I had just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door of the front room, and to my surprise, Santa Claus himself stepped out from behind the Christmas tree. He placed his fingers over his mouth so I would not cry out.

“what are you doing…” I started to ask, but the words choked up in my throat as I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner was gone—gone was the eager, boisterous soul we all know.

He then answered me with a single statement of “Teach the children.” I was puzzled. What did he mean? He anticipated my question and with one quick movement brought forth a miniature toy bag from behind the tree. As I stood there bewildered, Santa said again, “Teach the Children.” “Teach them the old meaning of Christmas—the meanings that Christmas nowadays have forgotten.”

I started to say “how can i….” when Santa reached into the toy bag and pulled out the brilliant shiny star.

“Teach the children the star was the heavenly sign of the promise long ages ago.” “God promised a savior for the world and the star was a sign of the fulfillment of that promise. The countless shining stars at night—one for each man—now show the burning hope of all mankind.” Santa gently laid the star upon the fireplace mantle and drew forth from the bag a glittering red Christmas tree ornament.

“Teach the children red is the first color of Christmas. It was first used by the faithful people to remind them of the blood which was shed for all the people by the savior. Christ gave his life and shed his blood that every man might have God’s gift of eternal life. Red is deep, intense, vivid—it is the greatest color of all. It was the symbol of the Gift of God.”

“Teach the children” he said as he dislodged a small Christmas tree from the depths of the toy bag. He placed it before the mantle and gently hung the red ornament on it. The deep green of the tree was a perfect background for the ornament on it. Here was the second color of Christmas.

The pure green color of stately fir tree remains green all year round,” he said. “this depicts the everlasting hope of mankind. Green is the youthful, hopeful, abundant color of nature. All the needles point heavenward—symbols of man’s returning thoughts towards heaven. The great green tree has been man’s best friend. It has sheltered him, warmed him, made beauty for him.” Suddenly I heard a soft tinkling sound.

“Teach the children that as the lost sheep by the sound of the bell, it should ring for man to return to the fold—it means guidance and return. It further signifies that all are precious in the eyes of the Lord.” As the soft sound of the bell faded in to the night, Santa drew forth a candle. He placed it on the mantle and the soft glow form it’s tiny flame cast a glow against the darkened room. Odd shapes and shadows slowly danced and weaved upon the walls.

“Teach the children,” whispered Santa. “the candle shows man’s thanks for the star long ago. It’s small light is the mirror of starlight, at first candles were placed on the trees—they were like many glowing stars shingling against the dark green. The colored lights have now taken over in remembrance.

Santa turned the small Christmas tree lights on and picked up a gift from under the tree. He pointed to the large bow and said, “a bow is placed on a present to remind us of the spirit of the brotherhood of man. We should remember that the bow is tied as men should be tied, all of us together, with the bonds of good will towards each other. Good will forever is the message of the bow.”

Santa slung his bag over his shoulder and began to reach for the candy cane placed high on the tree. He unfastened it and reached out toward me with it.

“Teach the children that the candy cane represents the shepherds crook. The crook on the staff helps bring back the strayed sheep to the flock. The candy cane represents the helping hand we should show at Christmas time. The candy cane is the symbol that we are our brother’s keepers.”

As Santa looked about the room a feeling of satisfaction shown in his face. He read wonderment in my eyes, and I am sure he sensed admiration for this night.
He reached into the bag and brought forth a large holly wreath. He placed it on the door and said, “please teach the children the wreath symbolizes the eternal nature of love; it never ceases, stops, or ends. It is one continuous round of affection. The wreath does double duty, it is made of many things and in many colors. It should remind us of all the things of Christmas. Please teach the children.”

And with that Santa was gone. I know I shall always remember and hold dear to my heart the true meaning of the symbols of Christmas.