Beck and Aim, Bronco and Paint it Black...

Cousins. In the end, they truly become your best friends in the world. A few weeks ago I was able to host Tom Arnold (A second cousin) at my house and he went on and on about how much he loved his cousins, the Poyfairs. Throughout the years, Mom (Penny) and he have maintained a close relationship and still get excited to visit and spend time together.

It's a phenomenon I'm witnessing with my kids as they make those lifelong, even eternal relationships with their cousins on both the Orton and Craner/Poyfair/Smith side.

When I was my kids age, the cousins I spent the most time with was easily Becky and Amy Poyfair. We spent a lot of time together mostly because I lived with them and Uncle Ed and Aunt Sharon for several weeks while my mom was sick with cancer. It was in their house that Ken Smith walked into the door and told me and my brother Bucky that our Mother had died.

Of course, I returned to live with them, and the rest of the Poyfair family for that matter, during my senior year of high school when circumstances forced Uncle Ed and Aunt Sharon to take me in a second time.

Becky and Amy were my best buddies, and the memories of fun times at parks and birthday parties and important talks and playing were numerous.

Last Wednesday, I was able to meet up with them and their children, the first time I've been able to do so in several years. We let all of our kids get acquainted, then got caught up. As the below pictures show, we had a great time...


A dose of the fun. Here we have Tatum, Dallin, Becky, Hannah, Krissy, Katelyn, Karli and Mariana. What was funny was that our kids instantly took to Becky and Amy's kids like they always were friends.


The thirty-something cousins. Karli, me, Amy and Becky.


After a fun evening of pizza and water sliding and water fights, it was time to go. We all thought we should probably record the event with a photo, just for fun.

After Dallin gave an impromptu concert with his guitar, he sat down with Tanner before we left and gave him a talk about why it was important for Tanner to learn how to play a guitar. "It's the best way to get the babes, Tanner. Trust me." (He really told Tanner to take piano and get good at it.)

As the night wound down I was genuinely sad that the visit was so brief. My kids had a blast and asked when we'd be able to hang out with the Karchners and Fogles again. I also realized how much I missed Becky's dry wit, humor and use of colorful metaphors and Amy's emotion and overall coolness.

Beck, Amy.... we need to do this again soon... Okay?





On Friday night I drove our deacons and teachers to the American Fork Tabernacle to listen to a BYU fireside hosted by Bronco Mendenhall and members of the BYU football team. It's a tradition of the team to host the fireside the night before the game. I've heard of these firesides and was genuinely excited to see what would come to pass during the hour we spent listening to them.

I expected an spiritually uplifting experience that spoke only sparingly about football-related issues. To my overwhelming approval, I was only half right.

Anyone who lives in Utah knows that the BYU football team was assailed after last season's win over Utah because BYU wide receiver Austin Collie said the following in the locker room after the game....

"When you're doing what's right, on and off the field, the Lord steps in and plays a part."

Well, as could be expected, the local media went crazy with this quote, ripping into Collie and Bronco Mendenhall for insinuating that God would actually care about a football game. When you add to this that the slogan for this year's football season is 'Quest for Perfection', then you have media types, radio hosts and journalists jumping all over the BYU football team for their arrogancy of suggesting that God is on their side, and that they are trying to be perfect.

So, when I went to this fireside, I was hoping to hear a response to this but not expecting it. Well, the team hit the controversy head on. Brock Richardson started off by talking about using the scriptures for inspiration to achieve higher goals during his individual workouts. He also stressed that doing everything you can to get closer to God is the natural thing to do, not some type of plot to assume an edge over another opponent.

Later in the evening, Bronco got up and talked about how he had done four interviews with big-time publications (ESPN, SI, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times) about the team's 'Quest for Perfections.' He said they all invariably asked the same question -- "where does this Quest for Perfection come from?" He then politely responds 'From our Savior."

He then adds that the interview gets real quiet at that point.

So, a natural corollary of seeking perfection is to do everything with confidence, with no fear.

"We must play with courage," he said. "This is life. We play with courage, or people don't care"

He then quoted his favorite scripture in 2nd Timothy - For God hath not given us the spirit of ^afear; but of ^bpower, and of ^clove, and of a sound mind.

8 Be not thou therefore ^aashamed of the ^btestimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

He then wrapped up by stating that the reason why he has chosen to tie the BYU football slogan and mission closely to the spirit is because 'everything we do should be connected to the spirit.'

He's exactly right -- our lives, our marriages, our jobs and our daily activities should always be connected to the light and spirit of God. Why shouldn't the BYU football team strive to do the same? His explanation made perfect sense to me and I loved that he tackled the controversy head on. That team is on spiritual journey every bit as much as they're on a journey to go to the BCS. The world doesn't quite add that portion to the context of their arguments.

Anyway, it was a great fireside... I loved it.


Dallin's first Rock Concert...

In the end, he wasn't overly impressed with the lead and rhythm guitarists. He said he was placed in this band because he has only been in the Music School for 4 months. It seems as though the other guys have only been playing music for four months -- Dallin's been at it for slightly longer than that. Anyway, I think he had a great time - even if his expression didn't show it. We'll try and get him to smile a little more next performance.

Matt and Catherine -- Gustav looks like it's passed very close to you. Are you alright? Check in please....

That's it for the week. Go Cougars -- need to beat UW to stay perfect -- kind of.