Finally, a new Quint Olympics video!

OK, so it has been a really long time since I have posted a video. I finally found some time a few weeks ago and we started one. It honestly isn't my favorite but it will do for now. I really want to show a few with them running around and stuff because it is pretty funny. I have some time off coming up in a few weeks so I will plan to do another one at that time.

Also, today is the last day for the lower prices on the calendars so don't forget to buy a whole bunch.

New Calendar

I still don't have a new video but I plan to very soon. Right now, we just finished our 2009 calendar. This year, Rachelle actually took and edited most of the pictures herself and they are really pretty impressive. We also reduced the price a lot from last year because we wanted to make it easier for more people to get them. They will be about 12 dollars before December 1 and about 14 dollars after December 1. However, if you get 3 or more, then they are only about 10 dollars. Rachelle will have some pictures of it on her blog I think but I thought I would go ahead and mention it here.

Fireproof Movie

Tonight Rachelle and I had a great opportunity to get a night out (thanks to my mother-in-law and a few friends) so we went to go see a movie called "Fireproof". I really thought it was a great movie with a really good message. It was about a firefighter named Caleb (played by Kirk Cameron) and his wife who have issues in their marriage. Caleb is about to give up when his dad gives him a book called "The Love Dare" and challenges him to follow the instructions in the book every day for 40 days. Anyway, it was a good, clean movie with a good religious message that nearly every married couple could use. It was low budget but when you have a good story, that can usually carry the movie even when the acting isn't perfect.

Anyway, I just thought I would put a plug in for that because we need more movies like that. I have read statistics (can't remember where I read it so I might just be making it up) that claim that couples who have multiples are much more likely to get divorced. I really can't imagine that happening but I know that to avoid that kind of thing I need to work at it. We need the help of God in our marriages and we need to recognize our own weaknesses. Anyway, it was a good movie. Also, if you have seen that movie and liked it, then you might also like a recent book I read called "The Peacegiver" which pretty much has a very similar plot and message at the end. I recommend both of them because I think both have helped me be a better husband and father which would really come in handy right now.

Some things that put our stuff in perspective

As you know, if you are reading this, I haven’t had many posts lately. There has been a lot that has gone on but I haven’t really wanted to write about it. There are so many things that are just crazy lately. The babies are all doing really well and they are growing. They all walk and so I have no excuse for not doing a Quint Olympics walking race with them except that I am tired. I am actually thinking that things are going to get harder in some respects because they are all getting smarter. However, the little things that we have been dealing with are truly minor in comparison with the stuff going on with some others that I know. We found out a few weeks ago that my uncle Kirk has cancer. My uncle Kirk is one of the uncles that I know the best. We all have a lot of hope for him and he is one more person that we are adding in to our prayers. He has always been one that is quick to laugh so I am hoping that he can use that sense of humor to make it through this.

Something that happened a few weeks ago was that I attended a funeral for the baby of one of my coworkers. I have never been to a funeral for a baby before but it was hard. It really made me feel extremely grateful for the health of my own little ones. It was the first time I had ever attended a Catholic funeral as well and I was glad I went. Overall, I felt a spirit of optimism during the funeral. I had a strong feeling the whole time that the parents would get a chance to see their daughter again and that she was not gone but merely waiting for them. This was comforting to me and I really wish I could have transferred my assurance to them as I watched them grieve but I knew I couldn’t. I also think that even knowing that you will see the baby again doesn’t fully relieve the pain and I hear that it is something that never really leaves you. However, it is very comforting to know that there is a God and that in the end, we can put our trust in him and know that things will turn out well.

New Videos - Episode 12 Part 1 and Part 2.

I decided to break this episode into two episodes. We are taking a brief break from the Quint Olympics. This is partly because we haven't had time to make one but it is also partly because we are waiting for them all to walk. The only one that doesn't like to walk yet is Kaydence. As soon as she walks, then we want to have a walking race. The first video is the BYU Football video we made for the contest. Here it is:



The second video is a lot longer and is a basic overview of our family and what things are like on a daily basis here:

Gracie

Today I wanted to take a bit of my blog and talk about something that really affected me over the last few weeks. One of the families in our ward (church congregation) found out a few weeks ago that their nearly three year old daughter has cancer in one of her eyes and is going to need to receive a lot of treatment. Here is a picture of her that I got from their web site at http://welovegracie.blogspot.com/:

When I first heard about this, I was really shaken. I had a strong need to go and hug each of my own children and give thanks that they were all well. I really hate thinking about the suffering of little children. Gracie has a disease called retinoblastoma. You can read more about it on their blog. Today our ward had a special fast for Gracie with prayers that she will be able to overcome this disease. As I was reading their blog, I felt a bit of kinship with her father, James Smith. He commented in his own blog that the purpose he was writing the blog was not as a solicitation of sympathy or money or other things but to share his experiences so that others going through the same situation would feel comfort. I originally started my own blog for the same reasons. I wanted to give hope and comfort for people dealing with situations that seemed way beyond them. My own circumstances have changed since this blogs creation and it has become more of a celebration of what I consider to be one of the greatest miracles to happen in my life. I hope and pray for something similar to eventually happen with the blog about Gracie.

I saw her family in church today. It is so amazing to see the strength and faith of some people who can continue in the middle of such difficulties. I have thought in the past that it would be nice if God just took trials away from us. However, I know he doesn't do that. He just makes us able to bear them. I will contine to pray for Gracie and hope that she and her family receive the same type of miracle that we received.

Quints video on byucougars.com

A few weeks ago, we entered a BYU football video contest. We had to make a video about their theme this year which is "The Quest". We ended up being one of the six winners which means they are going to play the video on the jumbotron at the football game on Saturday. I think that is all we get which is kind of a bummer since we can't actually go to the game. Anyway, here is a link to the site where they are showing the video. The videos are all in the All Access place on the right side. Our video is Fan Commercial Contest Winner #4.

http://www.byucougars.com/

Here is a direct link to the video that will open in Windows Media Player:
Quint Commercial


I will put it on YouTube after the game on Saturday.