“Azure, I’m going to take a shower…you better have this room cleaned by the time I get out…do you understand?”  Kim

“Yes your majesty.”  Azure

The little boy was walking down a path and he came across a rattlesnake. The rattlesnake was getting old. He asked, “Please little boy, can you take me to the top of the mountain? I hope to see the sunset one last time before I die.” The little boy answered “No Mr. Rattlesnake. If I pick you up, you’ll bite me and I’ll die.” The rattlesnake said, “No, I promise. I won’t bite you. Just please take me up to the mountain.” The little boy thought about it and finally picked up that rattlesnake and took it close to his chest and carried it up to the top of the mountain. They sat there and watched the sunset together. It was so beautiful. Then after sunset the rattlesnake turned to the little boy and asked, “Can I go home now? I am tired, and I am old.” The little boy picked up the rattlesnake and again took it to his chest and held it tightly and safely. He came all the way down the mountain holding the snake carefully and took it to his home to give him some food and a place to sleep. The next day the rattlesnake turned to the boy and asked, “Please little boy, will you take me back to my home now? It is time for me to leave this world, and I would like to be at my home now.” The little boy felt he had been safe all this time and the snake had kept his word, so he would take it home as asked. He carefully picked up the snake, took it close to his chest, and carried him back to the woods, to his home to die. Just before he laid the rattlesnake down, the rattlesnake turned and bit him in the chest. The little boy cried out and threw the snake upon the ground. “Mr. Snake, why did you do that? Now I will surely die!” The rattlesnake looked up at him and grinned, “You knew what I was when you picked me up.”

Kim_Skyla

Originally uploaded by weMASSIVE

Miss your short hair!

“I’m not gunna play with you yet dad….couple more scoobies.”  -Azure while watching scooby doo online.

“Wow Azure you slept in your bed all night…that’s special…you didn’t get scared.” Kim

Yeah, I didn’t…no ghosts in here, no monsters, no bad guys…Skyla protected me all night.” Azure

MPA walked ‘caught’ me in the lab at lunch time…I had just laid down for a nap knowing that I was to go to the barge roof top for the pinning of a master chief.  The lab was locked and lights were off.  I heard MPA coming down the p-way talking to someone saying, “That’s shaft ally we’ll go there later.”  Then he pushed on the lab door as if he was the police.  With nothing to hide and nothing to be ashamed of…feeling justified for skipping the muster…I opened the door.  “What the hell…what’s going on?…were you sleeping Nasfell?”  I replied… “well…”  His buddy piped up, “The lights were off.”  MPA then spoke with authority, “DON’T YOU LIE TO ME NASFELL.”  I said, “I was taking a little rest sir.” 

I went to the pinning begrudgingly after being told to do so.  The main reason for placing sleep as my priority was to walk the very lube oil alignment/system that MPA has been pressing us for.  I was tired from running the PRT this morning.  I was offended that MPA assumed that I was a liar.  Why would I have answered the door if I had something to cover up?  I opened it because I trusted MPA to be the type of leader that says, “Hey what’s going on?  Tell me what’s up.”  He can be a good leader and listener.  This moment was not the case.  There is much more that I can say to justify my position…not that he didn’t have reason to correct me and order me to be where I needed to be…my point is that “THINGS AREN’T ALWAYS WHAT THEY APPEAR.”  Remember this as a leader.  Dictatorship has been very prevalent on my ship lately and I have been burdened by it. 

I prayed for comfort.  Later as I was doing the tag out audit a contractor called me over (for no good reason but to offer advice).  I spoke with him and his buddy for about 30 minutes.  They are both retired from the Navy.  They spit wisdom like crazy!  I just soaked it up…I felt so good afterwards.  They were heaven sent.

17 JULY 2008

Sit ups – 65
Push ups – 55
1.5 mile run – 10:56 (1st place for age group, 9th place overall)

9 Dec 2008

Sit ups – 50
Push ups – 60
1.5 mile run – 9:34 (1st place for age group, 3rd place overall)

5 MAY 2009

Sit ups – 75
Push ups – 63
1.5 mile run – 9:27 (1st place for age group, 3rd place overall _ HAD SINUS INFECTION)

Azure’s was preoccupied with Max.  She was slow to eat her lunch.  Megan approached and took her cookies away.  My lovely daughter jumped off her chair ran up to Meg…her face turned red and at the top of her lungs ROARED, “GIVE ME BACK MY COOKIES RIGHT NOW!” 

Kim was taken by surprise not really catching what was going on and took Azure to the crib.  The whole event was unjust.  I immediately went to the crib pulled Azure out and asked what was going on.  It was a wonderful moment for me to bond with her and also to observe her passionate feelings.  Note: her cookies were given to her by Nana to eat with her meal.

Didgeridoo

Greg,

 

In 1999 Bishop Richard C. Edgley First Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric gave a remarkable talk entitled, “Behold the Man”.  As I reflect upon your visit to our home the essence of this talk best describes my observations of you.

“Adulthood comes to us one way or another if we live long enough. True manhood, however, comes only if and when we earn it…you can describe a man in inches, pounds, complexion, or physique. But you measure a man by character, compassion, integrity, tenderness, and principle.”

I am grateful that you never stopped at ‘adulthood’ but pressed forward to obtain ‘true manhood’.  Thank you for your hard work around the house…I never questioned your know-how…but you FAR EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS!  You are quick to go the extra mile and what a fine example of service that has been for me!  Your work ethic is a direct reflection of your abundant love for your daughter and grandchildren.

 

I close with council from President Young worthy of reflection…

 

“Let the husband make an improvement upon his kitchen and pantry and upon his bedrooms for the benefit of his family, and improve his gardens, walks, etc., beautifying your habitations and their surroundings, making pavements and planting shade trees.

 

I have been into houses which have not had the least convenience for the women, not so much as a bench to set their water pails on, and they have to set them on the floor, and yet their husbands will sit there year after year, and never make so much improvement as a bench to set the pail on.  Yet they have the ability, but they will not exercise it.

 

Beautify your gardens, your houses, your farms; beautify the city.  This will make us happy, and produce plenty.  The earth is a good earth, the elements are good if we will use them for our own benefit, in truth and righteousness.  Then let us be content, and go to with our might to make ourselves healthy, wealthy, and a beautiful, and preserve ourselves in the best possible manner, and live just as long as we can, and do all the good we can.

 

Every improvement that we make not only adds to our comfort but to our wealth.

 

Make good houses; learn how to build; become good mechanics and business men, that you may know how to build a house, a barn, or a storehouse, how to make a farm, and how to raise stock, and take every care of it by providing proper shelter and every suitable convenience for keeping it through the winter; and prove yourselves worthy of the greater riches that will be committed to you than this valley and what it can produce.”

 

Regards,

Corey M. Nasfell