True Companions

.: (You really should read this first!) :. So I have become very laxed in my writing and keeping everyone up to date. So since I was doing some things out of the ordinary , I thought I would let you all know about it. I just spent the last hour painting almonds. I painted them red with food coloring so that tomorrow I can make them the fingernails to witch finger cookies. Madison is having her birthday party tomorrow night. She decided that she would like to have a Halloween costume birthday party. She is very excited!!! The menu looks like this: Dragon's Blood Punch (apple juice, cranberry juice, and Hawaiian Punch), Witch Finger Cookies (sugar cookies with red almonds at the tip), Pumpkin Patch Cake (pumpkin shaped cupcakes), Mummy Slime (ice cream), Graveyard Mud (chocolate pudding with gummy worms), Eye of Newt Chips (blue tortilla chips), Spider Web Dip (guacamole with sour cream in the shape of a spider web), Deadly Drizzled Popcorn (this is one of Leslie's famil...

.: (You really should read this first!) :. I went with my Father and Brothers to a Diamondbacks baseball game today. It was pretty fun. The people behind us left in the middle of the game and offered us their peanuts. Hey, free can't beat free peanuts! ... Well actually, we did win a free "chalupa" from Taco Bell because they scored more than 8 runs. So instead of waiting in traffic we decided to eat our free chalupa. Wouldn't you know it, the brief pitstop gave us a traffic free ride home.

My wonderful wife and I are coming closer to our 1 yr anniversary. YAY! The labor day weekend was great! We went on a hike up at Oak Flats Campground and the boys managed to find a few micro sized frogs. (the size of a fingertip) We came home and enjoyed a great time with family at my house. I am soo happy that my family enjoys hanging out at my place. We practice singing a song for my sister's wedding. She is still slated to be married this month on the 19th. Yay!

Greg was here for the last week - gosh it was soo nice! He left yesterday. But before he left we took the kids to Wild Rumpus . It is a bookstore in Minneapolis for kids. It is a ton of fun. Not only can the kids run around and play with toys and books - but they have animals running around. They have cats, a chicken, tons of birds, lizards, a rat and a tarantella. (Obviously the last few animals on the list are caged - otherwise we would not have gone there!) This is one of the resident cats, the other is a black and white. I am not sure of his name. This is the resident chicken. His name is Elvis. He was just walking around. The first time he came walking towards Danny, he jumped up on a chair. Then after that Danny walked up to him and petted him. He is VERY soft. Kind of odd to think he is a chicken. Greg even pet the chicken - he must not be allergic to the ones that are still running around! L0L The door to come and go has a kid size cut out. The thought that was so very cool. ...

We had Hunter's birthday party today! It was soo much fun. First we went to see "Miss Nelson is Missing" performed at the Stages Theatre . It was a lot of fun - except the boys didn't like the 'apple part' (where the teacher and the janitor both took a bite of apple at the same time and it looked like they were kissing). Unfortunately Greg missed the end of the play because of a certain unnamed irritant - but what do you do!! After the play we returned to the house for cake and ice cream. I had the cake made at a local grocery story, Cub Foods . They did such a GREAT job!! It was so nice to have Greg's parents join us for the party and a couple of days. The house was full but very cozy! I think his parents had a good time seeing Minnesota. I went walking one day with Barbara - she is amazing!! I thought I was going to die by the time we were done - and it was as if nothing fazed the woman!! It was cold walking in the snow - but not as cold as the next day ...

OK so here is some potential happy craziness……. Brad and I went to mediation yesterday to try and negotiate my move with the boys. We left there two hours later no closer to any negotiations than we had been for the last three months. Then today out of the blue he calls me to ask how long I would be willing to stay in Minnesota if he agreed to negotiate. Greg and I had previously discussed this question and had agreed that even if the boys and I stayed in Minnesota until August that it would be better to have the “bird in the hand” so to speak and a signed agreement. So I told Brad that I would be willing to stay until August 1st. He wanted a few tweaks on my last proposal but seems willing to agree that I take the boys with me to Arizona for the school year and he has them for the summer. Now, I am not holding my breath quite yet as there is no signature on any dotted line…..but we are soo much closer than we were yesterday. Right now I am amazed at what the Lord can do. I hav...

Just thought I would post a note and say thanks to my wonderful wife for always being the gem that I adore so much. You are sneaky... How did you manage to get me to teach your lesson? Next time I'm gonna have to just put tape over my mouth... (I'd probably end up looking as silly as that senior primary boy in sharing time.. LOL ) Sorry again for the frustration at dinner on Saturday night. BUT making up with you is sooooo incredible, who wouldn't want to 'work it out'? :P Well it's back to the telephone routine.. I will call you in the morning. I love you tons and want you to know that I am soooo blessed to you have you in my life... Thanks GOD... ( don't worry we will still be in close communication about the details of the physical arrangement) Thanks! I love you JEN!

Well, I just put him on a plane and he is on his way back to Arizona. This is the worst part of the whole thing. I will feel better when he calls me after he has landed. We had a great time! Even if it was for only two days - that is better than nothing. And I didn't even have to let him out of my sight much at all!! We started the weekend out by attending an endowment session at the Temple. I am amazed every time I go....at everything. At the knowledge, at the feelings, everything. I cannot imagine how a couple who attend the Temple together regularly could not work through ANYTHING! It is wonderful and amazing - and I get this way EVERYTIME I go. I hope that as the years pass, my excitement for going and feeling all of these wonderful feelings never changes. If it does I need someone to pull this out and make me read it....deal? Anyway, My friend Kandi watched the boys for us (Thanks a ton Kandi - you rock!! I love ya!). Because Greg had gotten in late we were running a bit late ...

I thought I would post a quick post. I am very anxious to see Greg tomorrow! He is coming for the weekend and I can bearly contain myself. He gets discount rates now that his mom work for America West and so it makes it very nice and very convenient. I also found this picture and thought it would be very fun to post it on the site. This is the first picture Greg and I ever took together. This is at the Minneapolis airport July 30, 1993 - The first time we ever met. Aren't we cute....and YOUNG!!!! :-)

I have been spending my days thinkings about Arizona. I have been home for four days and yet it seems like a lifetime. Prior to our trip to Mesa, I knew that I would like it there and I knew that was where I would be happy because I was with Greg, but I never realized that I would feel so totally at peace there. Our visit there felt as if we had never lived anywhere else. Now that I am home (and I am using that term loosely these days when referring to Minnesota), it seems that all I do is spend my time thinking about when I can get to Arizona again, and how I can get there permanently. The boys and I had a chance to meet all of Greg's family. The boys got along really well with the girls and with their cousins. They enjoyed being so close to Grandma and Grandpa. I also enjoyed getting to know my new family very much. I was surprised at how easy it was to be around them. It was as if we were always family and good friends. There never seemed to be any of the awkward mome...

My wonderful wife came with her two beautiful boys to visit for the holidays. It was great! The boys got along great with their sisters and did really well with cousins and family friends. With new territory comes new perspective. Jen was driving with me down the road and saw a sign marked " ORGAN STOP PIZZA ". She then gave me a puzzled look as if to say, "Why did they call it that?" Well for those who haven't been initiated, it's a Pizza place that has a huge pipe organ inside and you order a pizza and listen to the organist play whatever you want him to play. (He's quite talented) It's very popular with the snowbirds so it’s usually packed during the winter. After this explanation, Jen understood everything clearly. I asked her why she was so puzzled and she said, "I can't understand why anyone would want to eat pizza that can stop your organs." (It still cracks me up to hear this one!)

Well soon after I was divorced I went to an internet dating site that was kind of the Mormon equivalent of eHarmony it was called LDS promise . They have an extensive online questionnaire that asks you a ton of questions so that they can find your EXACT match. Well it turns out the first person that comes up as my EXACT match is a user called Jenshep. Let me go back so that you can understand a few things. When I was a missionary in Iowa, I wrote to a beautiful girl with whom a former companion hooked me up. Elder Joseph Croft was writing to several girls from back home (MN) and so he got sick of me complaining that I had no one to write so he gave me Jennifer's address. We wrote from that day forward until a few months after my mission. She used to sign all the return address info with JenShep so this "name" was very familiar to me. I was certainly startled by the 'connection'. I was probably more shocked by the idea that I could make contact with an old friend...

I thought I would post a note and give you the history of Greg and I from my perspective. He will probably do the same from his point of view. I am sure that much of it will overlap, but this will give you a good idea of who we are and why we are finally together….. December 11, 1992, Greg decided to send a letter to a stranger. You see, he was the mission companion (for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) of my friend, Joe Croft. I used to write to Joe often and it became a joke to see how many letters I would have to write him before he would write me back. Suddenly one day, I received a letter from his companion, Greg Woolf. Greg and I began writing letters diligently for the remainder of his mission. At the end of his mission, I received a letter with the sweetest, most endearing proposal of marriage. I, of course, said yes. I know the strange part was the fact that I felt truly connected and in love with a man I had never met. But I was. We met for the first time July...

Is it fair to say that I hope that one day everyone will experience the blissful happiness that comes from doing the one thing that you know to be absolutely right - even if you don't have all of the other answers yet. I know that marrying Greg is the one true thing that I was meant to do in this life (heck, I knew that over 12 years ago). I have no idea when the boys and I will get to move to Arizona to be with him, but at least I am finally married to the man of my dreams. I love him with every ounce of my being and have for almost half of my life. Isn't it amazing when your life comes full circle!!!!

Couple at the Fair , originally uploaded by geowulf . We went to the fair and this is one of the self-portraits I took of the two of us

I don't know which end is up.. I just know that I want to do this with HER!

Dear Jennifer, It has been a long time since I have written as may be obvious. Well, finals are this week and I am finding that I have a little more free time on my hands to get things done that I have not been able to do for quite awhile. I was going to send the letter that I write last month but I decided not to because I read it and it is outdated. I can’t believe how long it has been since I have been home from my mission. I ran into an old companion the other day and was surprised to see how much he had changed. I am glad that you called. I find that the hardest thing to do is find things to talk with you about. So many things have changed. For the most part it probably has a lot to do with the letter writing situation. If there was more time for correspondence we would probably have more to write about. My weekends are pretty good. My friends and I try to go out every weekend and climb whether in the indoor climbing gym or on the real rock. About every Friday night we go...

Dear Jennifer, Things here are going okay. School is getting easier but will be difficult until my grades start showing it. I had an opportunity to go to General Conference this weekend and sit in the Tabernacle. The benches are hard and it is difficult to pay attention. We had a good time at Conference but next time I’ll know not to try and get in the Tabernacle. I was in a car accident a few weeks ago but no one was hurt. I did quite a bit of damage to the car I was driving though. My mother commented about you the other day. She said “I think Jennifer has reacted to this situation in a very positive way and I admire that, she should be commended.” I agree! So what made you decide to go to Texas? I am pretty sure your mother being away had quite a bit to do with it. I miss my mother when I am away for too long. Do you know what you plan to do when you get there? Where would you be going to school? I am glad you wrote because it helped me to feel that writing you was more ...

Dear Jennifer, I apologize tremendously for not writing to you sooner. I would call you but I am broke and do not have the money to call. It is really good to be home but the stress of it is quite overwhelming. I barely got into school and am not quite catching everything yet. I haven't been to the temple yet and everything seems to be keeping me from going. All of the personally important things in my life seem to be neglected and this has been a major source of stress to me. It is such a relief to be able to go to church on Sundays and to feel the spirit again. It takes a greater effort to be spiritual when you are not set-apart as a missionary. How are things with you and your family? Have you ran into Joe much? How's the weather? I never realized how much of a burden life puts on us. 09/09/93 This morning I was able to go to the temple and it was tremendously comforting. It does a good job clearing the mind from burdens of the world. It replaces perspective and brings joy t...

Dear Jennifer, How are you? We are not quite under the water but almost. We do not have any water (running water) in our apartment so it has been really stressful because most of the time I am not showered and feeling clean. We have filled a ton of sandbags and built a few walls which was fun but very tiring. I realize it has been a long time since I have written but I have had a lot of different stresses lately that I have had to deal with. Once was my companion and his attitude. I finally had to sit down and talk with him. He is very receptive and took it all in stride. I still think that he is still somewhat jealous that I am “senior” companion. He can have it! The flood came up in the middle of this whole thing and so it has been quite the pain. Most everything is worked out so most of the stress is gone. Our new mission president seems to think that I am the “sale of the earth” and is looking for me to be the example when I am having a tough time trying not to be anxious...