Fully Engaged Oct. 28, 2007

With the days of October waning, Joseph is fully engaged in school, the community and life. His schoolwork is going well (set the curve in his midterm exams). He also has been working with the Utah State Legislative Coalition for People with Disabilities (LCPD), speaking with disability centers, State universities etc to identify needs that could be met with state legislation. The LCPD advocates for public policy affecting all people in the State of Utah who have disabilities. He is enjoying the experience.

Joseph has just put the finishing touches on his effort to display some of his photographs from various places he's traveled in the world. The photos on the walls of his room include:

First, The Campinas Temple and the Christ the Redeemer (statue) in Rio de Janerio;

Second, a triple panel frame with The Pantheon, Rome, The Parthenon in Athens, and Tikal Temple I in Guatemala;

Third, a grouping with his photos from Rome, Pisa & Venice (Italy); Athens (Greece), Madrid (Spain); Tikal, Quirigua, Chichicastenango & Antigua (Guatemala); and Salvador (Brazil). He has some of his photos on Facebook.

Joseph is preparing for his next trip (to China for stem cell treatment) with focus and dedication. He intends to be prepared in every way and is fully engaged in this effort.

Enjoy the Ride -Oct 22 '07

Today we went together as a family to our Stake Conference. It was the 'every two years' broadcast for our region from the Conference Center. Our speakers were President Hinckley and Pres. Packer as well as Elder Niel Anderson and others. President Hinckley repeated a quote he's used before on "Enjoy the ride" We'll include it on the end of this blog. It was a great meeting. With the Autumn leaves and first snow on the ground it was beautiful.

Friday Tim went to NEUROWORX (NWx) and joined Joseph after his physical therapy for a presentation by two Uof U Physical Therapy students who just completed their Master's work with a study about one of Joseph's friends who did the stem cell treatments in China. It was very interesting and informative. Joseph is doing a lot of research and making plans for the same treatment. One of the questions posed by the intensive month of physical therapy combined with the stem-cell treatments along with acupuncture is what treatments bring about which results. Joseph and Neuroworx are proposing that some new masters students use him as the case study and separate out some of the variables.

He is planning on a month of intensive physical therapy during the December break along with pre-and post evaluations and measurements to clearly indicate what gains can occur with just the physical therapy. Then follow up pre and post evaluations after the stem-cell treatments in May/June of 2008 in China. Joseph is committed to being in the best possible condition to ensure as much success as is possible. There will be a lot of interest in the results. Keep checking in on this blog and we'll keep you up to date with the plans. Sometime next Spring we'll need to raise about 40k for the treatment in China.

Enjoy the Ride

"Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he's been robbed.

Most putts don't drop. Most beef is tough. Most children grow up to be just people. Most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration. Most jobs are more often dull than otherwise.

Life is like an old-time rail journey—delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed.

The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride."

-President Gordon B. Hinckley (Quoting Jenkins Lloyd Jones from Deseret News, 12 June 1973. Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1997], p. 254.)

Rejoicing Together 10/14/07

We missed blogging last week in all the joy. We had a wonderful England Bristol Mission Reunion on Friday the 5th. It was great to see so many, and wonderful to share the growing "Mission Grandkids". The first photo is of the Alvin and Eleanor Ferrin with Jared Wichers and his wife. They are living in Rexburg now, the first reunion for many years. The second is of Mike Hammond (Orem) and Ari Svensen (Norway) with Joseph.

General Conference was so great. Dad was there for the Saturday morning session when Elder Henry B. Eyring was called to the First Presidency. If you heard laughter as Pres Hinckley turned to sit down after the sustaining. . . it was President Hinckley with a twinkle in his eye, taking his cane and tapping Pres. Eyring on the head. The first time a counselor has been called, sustained, then knighted. (Note the photo from Deseret News). We were thrilled with Elder Cook called to the Twelve, a Cache Valley native.

Saturday Dad drove up to Driggs & Victor, Idaho to do a fireside for the Single Adults there and to visit with his friend Arlen Mickleson. It was a great experience.

Today Jennifer Segmiller (Joseph's cousin, Gloria's sister's daughter) and her husband Scott blessed their baby. All Gloria's family came to our house for dinner. It was great to gather and rejoice together (a lot of that lately). The photos are of Joseph with his grandparents, Don and Barta Shaffer, and a four generation photo of Elizabeth's baby Gavin.

Lastly. . . This morning Elizabeth was helping Joseph get ready for Church. Upon cleaning his ears: LO AND BEHOLD. . . a grain of black basalt sand from Monterrico Beach in Guatemala-- 22 months after the accident. OH MY HECK (as we say in Utah).