Latest news on the Douglases

So I've been meaning to update you all for a long time but never sat down to do it. I have to admit I've ended up starting our own family blog to record our lives in one place and to refer to friends who want to know what we're up to. (If you happen to have extra time and want to it's at douglasjournal.blogspot.com.) I've been wanting to keep this blog up to date too, so here we go.

Noteable things that have happened since last I posted:

-James has learned to crawl, and stand up on his own, and cruise, and make deep teeth marks in his crib! He started a high-calorie formula this week and seems to like it, so he should be gaining even more weight soon. He LOVES to swing on any swing he can find and dance to any music he hears.

-Bekah has lost another tooth and another one will come out any day. She also had her 6-year-old check-up and was 3'11" and 46 pounds! She goes around telling everyone "I'm 6 now. I'm over the hills!" I know it seems strange but it does seem like in a matter of weeks she's changed from a small kid to a young girl. We inherited some really cute clothes from a family in the ward recently and included was a pair of grown up white sunday shoes that she loves to go around in pretending she's a tap dancer (remind you of anyone :). She is quite the helper too.

-Jason made huge progress in our kitchen this week--we were able to go from plywood countertops to granite tile and it looks great! Jason might start teaching a recently added summer English class at MCC next week, but so far only has one student so we're not sure how that will work out. It's nice to have him home and be able to do family stuff every day.

-In the meantime, if 6 is over the hills, then I'm over the mountain...this was a hard birthday for me, but what can you do? Life only goes forward and I have many blessings. I'm still job hunting. I've applied for about 12 jobs with no luck yet and no temp positions are becoming available. I'm bummed that I may have to start working Sundays just to get a job, but I'll keep trying. I've been able to help in Bekah's class a couple times and joined a weekly walking group and two book clubs in the ward so it's nice to be out doing things.

Kelly and Sarah Kitchen came to visit during Bekah's surprise birthday party, and Doug and Emily are coming in a few weeks so we're all really excited! Seeing family is so much more exciting when you live far away. Life is really good.

It seems like I used to be able to post pictures with a specific paragraph but now it only lets me attach them to the top of the post, so sorry things don't line up. At least I found some pictures...

Love you all!

This is what happens . . .

when stubborn independence meets the parking lot.

Google Wave

Hey Fam,

I suppose this is just a nerdy thing but Google is announcing the end of email! I think it's pretty cool. http://wave.google.com/

Doug

Forefathers

Yes, it was a wonderfully pleasant day as the three of us walked around the gravesite, "away from the things of man". It is very heartwarming that the tape (which ends with the song, "Leader of the Band") is playing just as we arrive at the cemetery.

I added another Dan Fogelberg song ("Forefathers") at the end of the tape, to share at the Ivan & Leone Burnett reunion at Salinas, UT in 2000. So that song plays as we're leaving the cemetery. It's very appropriate for all of us, as we go back "to the things of man", to remember that "we all become forefathers by and by".

(My attempts to attach the mp3 version of the song failed. I'll email it to you.)

It Is Good To Remember

Thank you, Doug, for your thoughtful pictures and music. It was a perfect day at the cemetery today... sunny and warm. Dad, Angie, and I did the traditional clean-up and then walked around the cemetery talking about other people buried there that are connected to Grammy and Grampy. It is good to remember. The best part about this traditional, though, is listening to the cassette tape while driving to the cemetery. I always marvel that the tape ends just as we pull up to the graves. Thank you, Blaine, for putting that together that we may share with you special memories of your parents.

Memorial Day

Hello Fam,

I woke up thinking about our trips to Grammy and Grampy's grave this morning and I thought I would make a simple something to remember it. I just used the pictures from Mom's christmas DropBox so I didn't have any with Nikki in them but hopefully it still brings up wonderful memories for us all. I am so grateful for Grammy and Grampy's living legecy and can't wait to see them someday. I love you all.

http://dougburnett.com/memorial_day

it is 5MB so it will just show a white screen until it is downloaded to your computer.

Doug