We have added another member to our family!!!

This weekend another living being was added to our family. Yes, we got a dog. He is two years old and is a pure blood Beagle. Ashley, Nathan, Maggey, Abbey and I picked him up on Saturday. We found him on KSL.com classifieds. The family we got him from is moving to Mississippi at the end of this week.
Jen had very little warning that a dog was coming to the family. She has told me that if we cleaned our the dog pen and had so the gate locked that we could get one. We met both of those requirements. Before she left for California last week I told her that I was going to one of those things where it was easier to ask for repentance than for permission. I told her that I was going to get a dog this weekend. So, she did have some forewarning.
Saturday night and part of Sunday we debated how we we ought to spring this new addition on Lindsey. We really wanted it to be good.
Nathan had come up with the basic plan to come up behind her when she got to the front door with her luggage.
Here's what happened. Jen and I picked up Linds from the high school. As we pulled out of the parking lot I called home and asked the kids to unlock the front door, and we were on our way home. This was the sign to get coats on and Buxton (the dog) down the street. The other clue we had is that I would turn on the blinker in my truck in front of Pineda's house.
Lindsey was pretty quick to get to the house so I told her to come and help me get her suitcase out of the truck.
I've got to go I'll finish this story later.
By the time Lindsey got to the door the rest of the crew came up behind her. Ashley said, "Hi, Lindsey." Nathan was behind her with the dog on the leash. Lindsey sat down on the porch and let Buxton lick her face. She told us yesterday that she had a hard time focusing in class. She could take notes, but wanted to be home with her dog.
During dinner we debated about changing Buxton's name. With parental influence the name voted on was Henry. Then Jen suggested Henry Jones. Today I said it could be Sir Henry Jones. Nathan and Lindsey aren't all that hip about Henry, so I guess we have a hung jury. I think a name will come out in next few days.
FYI, Buxton was the name that the breeder gave him.
Now, Jen had told me that she wasn't coming home until Monday night. Sunday morning I got a text saying that she was on your way home. That was a big wrench in our plan. I really thought I had another day to figure out how to tell her.
Fortunately or unfortunately she was home an hour before Lindsey got home. We were going to try and do the same for her, but Ashley didn't get the message to do the same thing as with Lindsey.
I will admit that Jen took it a bit better than expected, but she knew something was up. When I called to see where she was Ashley started singing, "Who let the Dogs out?" and Jen heard it.
That's all for now. We will add pictures on the family blog.

OLD Man

An Observation of this OLD Man

I wish that I had gotten to this topic before now. There were some thoughts I had regarding the band competitions that I attended last weekend. Now that I have sat down to write about it I can't remember. Maybe if I start they will come back to me.
I do remember feeling somewhat relieved that marching band was over. Obviously it has been a very emotional season. BOA (Bands of America) dedicated Saturday night's finals to Heather. Boy let the tears start rolling. The kids did really well. The kids did themselves proud. We were a little nervous that they might be out done by some of the other bands that were attending the competition. They were able to finish the season on a high note (how do you like that pun?).
I am amazed at the response that the band has received because of this season and its events. The amount of love that has been expressed has been incomprehensible. This brought to mind a thought that I once read. I hope that I can express this thought in a manner that is appropriate. The thought goes something like this: Before we came to this earth some of us chose to return home (die) early in our lives because our work would be more effective if done from the other side of the veil.
Realize these are the thoughts that I had Saturday night.
Lindsey was called to a leadership meeting Monday morning. She didn't have a clue for the meeting. Well, she called after the meeting and told us the band was going to try and go to Grand Nationals this year. This was Monday morning...Grand Nationals is on Friday. They had to raise over $250,000 by Tuesday noon to go. Not only did they earn it, they surpassed all expectations. Anyway, the band leaves tomorrow morning. When I heard all of this on Monday morning I was worn out and wanted to go back to bed.
This has been a season of miracles.
District policy states that we need to have a parent meeting to vote yes or no for any over night trip. Monday night during the parent meeting one parent said, "Let's get these kids to Grand Nationals and if they win we're a movie." Season of Miracles could be the name of the movie. (Mr. Miller said that Tom Cruise has to play his part). I will say that the kids are not going to Grand Nationals to win. The students feel this is a way for them to say "thank you" to all of the bands/people that have expressed all that has been expressed to them over the last 4 weeks.
If you taken the time to read this, thank you so much for listening to the ramblings of an OLD Man. It means a great deal.

OLD Man

Bats

I am not a bat liking kind of guy. They kind of creep me out. Batman movies would be the exception. However, on Saturday night I was fascinated to watch them eat. Let me explain. We were in St. George for marching band competitions. Moths and flying things are attracted to lights and the stadium lights attracted a lot of them. When the bats came out to eat I sat and watched them in between shows. It was fun to watch the bats dive to get a moth or whatever was flying. Sometimes the bats would miss their prey. Other bats would sweep in and steal the dinner from another bat. Some bats would just drop out of the sky to catch their dinner and then soar up to look for more.
It was interesting to watch and at times entertaining.

OLD Man

Just One Thought

There is nothing better than driving 4 hours, arriving at ALee's house and having fresh cinnamon rolls and cold milk waiting!!!! NUF SAID