Happy Thanksgiving

I am sorry that I been hiding... I have been busily making Christmas presents, helping the kids make theirs, and getting ready for the big day tomorrow! I just wanted to wish you all a

Very Important...

In Mourning...

... at this time we as a family are mourning the loss of beloved memories. Down in Southern Ca. (Santa Barbara), there have been a number of fire start up recently. One in particular had us worried, the Tea Fire. My aunt has lived on a mountain for the past 60 years or so, and so many memories and love have been lost. We were very thankful that she was able to make it off the mountain just in the nick of time. Her friends had called, asked if she needed to evacuate off the mountain, she did, so they went and got her. Not even 15 minutes of her beloved friends coming to her rescue, they closed the roads to get to her place. I just got off the phone with my mom, who just informed me that, my aunt's place, as well as all her neighbors' homes have been destroyed. We ask that you all keep my aunt and our family in your prayers at this time. We are very grateful that her life was spared from this tragedy, but sad to see all of the memories, heirlooms and treasures were lost.

Tribute to all...

... who love Star Wars (especially my kids). I found this video here. (Remember to mute my music... down on right).

For Laughs...

These are from a book called Disorder in the American courts, and arethings people actually said in court, word for word, taken down and nowpublished by court reporters who had the torment of staying calm while theseexchanges were actually taking place.

ATTORNEY: Are you sexually active? WITNESS: No, I just lie there. ATTORNEY: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact? WITNESS: Gucci sweats and Reeboks. ATTORNEY: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all? WITNESS: Yes. ATTORNEY: And in what ways does it affect your memory? WITNESS: I forget. ATTORNEY: You forget? Can you give us an example of something youforgot? ATTORNEY: What was the first thing your husband said to you thatmorning? WITNESS: He said, 'Where am I, Cathy?' ATTORNEY: And why did that upset you? WITNESS: My name is Susan! ATTORNEY: Do you know if your daughter has ever been involved invoodoo? WITNESS: We both do. ATTORNEY: Voodoo? WITNESS: We do. ATTORNEY: You do? WITNESS: Yes, voodoo. ATTORNEY: Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in hissleep, he doesn't know about it until the next morning? WITNESS: Did you actually pass the bar exam? ATTORNEY: The youngest son, the twenty-year- old, how old is he? WITNESS: Uh, he's twenty. ATTORNEY: Were you present when your picture was taken? WITNESS: Are you (kidding) me? *(Had to edit this one)* ATTORNEY: She had three children, right?WITNESS: Yes. ATTORNEY: How many were boys? WITNESS: None. ATTORNEY: Were there any girls? WITNESS: Are you for real? Your Honor, I think I need a differentattorney. Can I get a new attorney? ATTORNEY: How was your first marriage terminated? WITNESS: By death. ATTORNEY: And by whose death was it terminated? WITNESS: Now whose death do you suppose terminated it? ATTORNEY: Can you describe the individual? WITNESS: He was about medium height and had a beard. ATTORNEY: Was this a male or a female? WITNESS: Guess. ATTORNEY: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to adeposition notice which I sent to your attorney? WITNESS: No, this is how I dress when I go to work. ATTORNEY: Doctor, how many of your autopsies have you performed ondead people?WITNESS: All my autopsies are performed on dead people. Would you liketo rephrase that? ATTORNEY: ALL your responses MUST be oral, OK? What school did you goto? WITNESS: Oral. ATTORNEY: Do you recall the time that you examined the body? WITNESS: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m. ATTORNEY: And Mr. Denton was dead at the time? WITNESS: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing anautopsy on him! ATTORNEY: Are you qualified to give a urine sample? WITNESS: Huh....are you qualified to ask that question?

And the best for last:

ATTORNEY: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check fora pulse? WITNESS: No. ATTORNEY: Did you check for blood pressure? WITNESS: No. ATTORNEY: Did you check for breathing? WITNESS: No. ATTORNEY: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when youbegan the autopsy?WITNESS: No. ATTORNEY: How can you be so sure, Doctor? WITNESS: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar. ATTORNEY: I see, but could the patient have still been alive,nevertheless? WITNESS: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive andpracticing law.Just had to pass this on. I got a good laugh out of it.

Enough of Polotics, onto the Holidays...

(well, yesterday)

Did you?

Wow, this is such a NEW begining for America isn't it? We have elected our 1st African American president, stood up for what is Morally Right, and just having a FRESH start... (well, with politics, do you really get a fresh start?). I am very greatful that I live in this country, that I have a right to make my voice heard (when its hidden in the BIGGER crowd), to help make the choices for our country.

Now, I can get focused on Christmas Presents... Yes, I did say CHRISTMAS... have you started yet... There are only 49 DAYS until Christmas.

I have 7 presents done, #8 is almost finished, then, I get to knit SOME MORE... I have a total of 12-15 more gifts to make... Time is a wastin'... Please keep your eyes posted for the lovely presents that I (I mean, my family & I) have been making (knitting & crocheting) for our loved ones.

Elder Bednar's Discussion on Prop 8

Propostion 8: A unique perspetive, worth reading

I got this email from a group that I belong too. I hope that everyone will take this to heart. Yesterday, while at my parents house, Prop 8 came up, and there was some arguments about the issue. The family is divided 3 to 1 in favor of Prop 8. This is just Food for Thought. Dear Friends, I received this recent addition to the conversation on Proposition 8 today. It is an autobiographical letter from an LDS woman who has lived on both sides of this issue. She has a rare perspective which illustrates the reality of gay or lesbian life in our country. At the same time, she sees the threat that exists to religious freedom, and has taken a stance. Lengthy as it is, I find it to be worth considering. Please at least skim through it, and share with others if you feel inclined. Hearing the issue from her rare viewpoint is worth the time. It is steeped in LDS doctrine, so if that bothers you, then it may be tough to finish. However, the way she allows you to see into her heart and experiences, and the empathy with which she discusses it is something you won't find elsewhere in this debate. All the best!Rebecca Smith PROPOSITION 8: A CLEAR MESSAGE FROM SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN THERE I am going to attempt the impossible: I want to try to discuss Proposition 8 in an honest, equitable manner. To demonstrate the divisiveness of the issue, let me first point out that I could only call it "Proposition 8." If I'd called it by its original name, "Proposition 8: California Marriage Protection Act," you would think that I want you to vote "Yes on 8." After all, who wouldn't want to protect marriage? If I'd called it by its new name, as determined by California's attorney general and legislative analyst in July, "Proposition 8: Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry," you would think that I want you to vote "No on 8." After all, who would want to eliminate someone's rights? And, to demonstrate how far-reaching its effects, I didn't even need to call it "California' s Proposition 8." No matter where this email goes, to any of the 50 states that may have propositions up for vote, I'm confident people will know which state's "Proposition 8" I'm talking about.Laurie Goodstein of the New York Times describes the Proposition with poetic imagery: "it is raging like a wind-whipped wildfire in California." More poetic still...from an article in Monday's San Francisco Chronicle: "Michelle Sundstrom and her husband gave $30,000 to the Yes on 8 campaign and put a sign on their home. But in response, two women parked an SUV in front of their home, with the words 'Bigots live here' painted on the windshield. Sundstrom believes such responses must come from deep places of pain-and that gays and lesbians are entitled to the same rights as heterosexuals, just not the word marriage. Any animosity toward gays or lesbians is wrong, she said. "There must be such deep, deep, deep hurt; otherwise there couldn't be so much opposition," she said. "They've lived with this. I guess we're getting a taste of where they live." Wow. Perhaps all this craziness and hate-slinging is actually getting us somewhere. A heterosexual Mormon couple has a "Bigots live here" sign parked in front of their house, and what's their response? "They've lived with this. I guess we're getting a taste of where they live." And she didn't just say "deep hurt." She said "deep, deep, deep hurt." I know the depth of that pain. I grew up Mormon and gay back in the 19That was when we were shunned, ridiculed, bruised, battered, and discriminated against by nearly everyone, religious or otherwise. We hid in the closets because it hurt too much to come out. People who did come out were called perverts, child molesters, predators, queer, sick, you name it. For those of us who were Mormon, it was even worse. We were attracted to the same sex, yet Mormon doctrine stated we were supposed to get married only to a member of the opposite sex. It is a direct conflict between the two strongest, most significant desires in life. When I was in college, I met a woman with whom I thought I'd spend the rest of my life. But after a couple of years, we broke up. That was when I had this feeling, an impression, to talk to my bishop. I had no idea who he was because I hadn't gone to church in years. That bishop used the power of the priesthood in my behalf, just as the divine plan had been laid out. He met with me for almost three years as I struggled and faltered. Suicide was a very real threat. I feel blessed, or lucky, or both, not to be among the many who have already pulled the trigger. I wasn't suicidal because of the Church's unwavering stance on marriage. I hadn't been forced to believe, or guilted into it. I had not been brainwashed. My testimony came from the heart. In time, my spiritual identity began to gain strength over my sexual identity. I was finally able to choose the right. But it was a troubling choice. I had no desire, whatsoever, to spend a lifetime with a man - much less an eternity. So that left me with celibacy. To this day, sacrificing same-sex relationships is the greatest sacrifice I have made. Years ago a friend said: "The sacrifice of a loved one for an attempt to live righteously cannot go unnoticed. The loss is real, the sadness is real, in a world where so few things are real." Now, the sacrifice is being publicly recognized by Church leaders. In a fireside for Latter-day Saints in California, Elder Quentin L. Cook said, "There are faithful temple-worthy members of the Church who struggle with this great challenge, often in silence, fear, and great pain." Back when I was battling same-sex attractions, I couldn't find any LDS resources dealing with the issue. I'd insist, "The Church doesn't understand. They don't even care enough to help." Finally I realized that the Church I was criticizing was not just "they". It was also "I", and perhaps "I" should quit complaining and start writing. So I did. The title of the book sums it up: Born That Way? A True Story of Overcoming Same-Sex Attraction. Few people were offering hope back then for those who wanted to overcome same-sex attraction. I felt compelled by the spirit to try and provide hope for others with struggles similar to mine. The secular resources did more harm than good. Back then, the only claims you heard from the "experts" were: "Sexual attractions are a permanent part of who you are. They're indelible, unchangeable, and unavoidable. " Fortunately, the "experts" are now realizing that, just like other aspects of who we are, sexual attractions are influenced by genetics, environment, upbringing, experiences - all of it. Nature and nurture are no longer pitted against each other. For almost 20 years, I've had the unique opportunity to witness the journey of many people who face this trial. I started in 1990, when Evergreen asked me to help as a volunteer phone counselor. Evergreen is an organization established to help Mormons struggling with same-sex attractions. Over the span of nearly two decades, I've seen some of those Latter-day Saints get married in the temple. I've seen others work to remain celibate - either because they have not found a spouse or because they have not developed attractions toward the opposite sex. I have also seen those who once had very strong testimonies, who tried desperately to bring their lives into accordance with gospel principles, but finally gave up. At least for now. THIS IS SO IMPORTANT: Some people, no matter what they do or how hard they try, will never find themselves attracted to the opposite sex, in this life. They deserve our utmost respect. So do those who identify as gay or straight or bisexual or none of the above. They all deserve our respect. No doubt because I have lived both sides of this issue, I am not surprised that the wildfires are raging in California. Also, it's not difficult for me to understand how the body of the Church has become divided. I've felt divided, too. Our family lived in California in 2000, when the Defense of Marriage Act came up for vote the first time. My husband and I had been sealed together for time and all eternity, and our children had been born under the new and everlasting covenant. We, as an eternal family, were and are the direct beneficiaries of the Church's unwavering stance on marriage.What once created angst so severe I considered suicide led me to a life I never thought possible. One in which I have been happily married - to a man - for 15 years. However, I know all too well what it's like to be discriminated against. And the thought of "eliminating" someone else's rights seems wrong. Up until this week, it seemed to go against my sense of fairness, democracy and justice as a citizen of the United States. It also seemed to run contrary to the core of my faith - the second greatest commandment - to love one another. Despite my apprehensions in 2000, my husband and I acted in faith and supported Proposition 22 because the prophet asked us to. I hate to admit this, but it wasn't until this week that I was able to reconcile the opposing viewpoints I have continued to debate in my own head. I now understand why the leaders of the Mormon Church have been taking such an active role in all of this. It happened while I was reading a National Public Radio report entitled "When Gay Rights and Religious Liberties Clash". It says, "In recent years, some states have passed laws giving residents the right to same-sex unions in various forms. Gay couples may marry in Massachusetts and California. There are civil unions and domestic partnerships in Vermont, New Jersey, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Oregon." I was astonished when I read: "So far, the religious groups are losing." They listed examples such as Catholic Charities in Massachusetts who had to pull out of the adoption business because they refused to adopt to same-sex couples. Individual rights are being revoked, too. A woman declined to photograph a same-sex couple's commitment ceremony, saying her Christian beliefs prevented her from sanctioning same-sex unions. She was found guilty of discrimination. When I read that article, it was like a light bulb went on over my head. More importantly, I felt a spiritual confirmation in my heart that the prophet truly is prophetic. And that was when this impression came to me: It's not that the Mormon Church is trying to get into politics. It's that politics is trying to get into the Church. And not just our church. Any church or congregation or individual who believes that only a marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God. I'm sorry I couldn't see what the prophet could see. I'm sorry I'm not sending this letter until now. I'm sorry for my apathy, for being"lukewarm". (I thought it was only a matter of time before same-sex marriages became legal everywhere.) Yes, we're behind in the polls. Yes, it's the Friday before Election Day. So PLEASE, email this letter to anyone and everyone you think could benefit from it - as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, someone has to lose with Proposition 8. Somebody's right to something will be limited after the polls close on Tuesday. I, for one, do not want it to be my right to worship as I please. Sincerely, Erin Eldridge P.S. For those who would like to respond to this letter - whether in anger or frustration or support - I will do my best to respond to every email I receive. But please, be patient. All our kids are still at home and I work part time. Email riverwalk8@gmail. com.

Prop 8... Who Stole my Sign?

Someone STOLE our Prop 8 Sign! Yes, we did report it to the Police. Our name & address is on the inside, so if the thief is caught with our sign, they WILL be arrested! Especially since they took away our FREEDOM of SPEECH. But, we will put up another sign. Mabye we should do this.

You know, I have seen people out on street corners who are voting No on Prop 8 with signs that say, "Teach Love Not HATE, Vote NO on Prop 8". I am not teaching my kids to hate, I am teaching them what is MORALLY right. My freedom of speech was taken from me when someone decided to steal my sign, so who is really teaching hate here? Did you know that over 200 thousand Yes on Prop 8 signs have been stolen throughout the state of California? I have friends who are homosexual, I still care for and love them. I would never hold their personal choices against them as a person. I don't have to agree with their lifestyle, just the same way that they don't have to agree with mine. My children need to know that in order to follow Heavenly Father, we have to follow his commandments, which means, that only marriage between a man and a woman is acceptable. If Prop 8 fails, are those who oppose it going to want to re-write the bible? How far is this actually going to go? I know that everyone has their own free agency, but why try and take mine away? I DO have the right to live my life the way that I want to, that is my choice! I know that some of those who read my blog have a different view on this whole matter, and that is fine. Lets AGREE to DISAGREE. To read more on why Vote Yes on Prop 8 please go here and here.

Happy Halloween

I know, I know, I'm a day late in posting this, but I tired last night. The kids had fun trick or treating with some of our friends from church. Charlie ended up not feeling well, so he and I stopped early and went back to our friends house. The candy that we left on the porch was completely gone when we got home at 8 pm. I was bummed, I wanted some of the candy that I had bought, but then again, I DO have my kids candy that I can eat in a day or two (after they PIG out for a little while.)

We FINALLY got some RAIN! It started raining on Thursday evening, continued through to the afternoon of Friday. It stopped just in time for all to go out on All Hallows Eve and BEG for candy in some cute, not so cute, and just plain WEIRD costumes! It sprinkled just a tiny bit through out the evening. Then, it started back up sometime during the night and hasn't really stopped since. We are expecting a good 1 1/2 inches for this storm.

OH - - A reminder for everyone... DAYLIGHT SAVINGS... CHANGE your clocks TONIGHT before going to bed! Back on hour.