Super Tuesday

Yes We Can Obama Song by Will.I.Am

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Please do not take me posting this on my blog as any indication that I have made up my mind as to who I will be voting for. To be honest, I have done very little research into the presidential elections this year. I just get sick of candidates screaming at each other and trying to tear down each other when what they should be doing is trying to figure out together how to fix things. I think that is why the message of this video touched me so much. I truly believe that if we as a nation come together and believe, have hope, we can change. We can make our nation rise and be the nation that God and the founders of our nation believed we could be. I guess I hope by posting this here, while I may or may not end up supporting Obama, the hope for change that he speaks of might grow a little more in each of us so that together we can do something. WE CAN CHANGE!

A Prophet Called

Today at 11:00 AM President Thomas S. Monson was announced as the new president and prophet for the church. He has asked Henry B. Eyring and Dieter F. Uchdorf to act as his first and second counselors, respectively.

As I have pondered on my life, I can remember President Monson almost continually serving in the First Presidency of the church. For a long time, President Hinckley was the only one I could ever imagine as prophet and president of the church. I must admit I could not ever imagine President Monson in that position. It was not this was with President Hinckley (at least as well as I can remember). Because of this, I was a little concerned when I knew that this calling was immenent.

In preparation for this time, I have found myself asking the Lord frequently for his confirmation that President Monson is indeed his prophet. Today as I watched the press conference on the internet, I found myself on the the verge of tears. I truly felt the confirmation from God that Thomas S. Monson has been called of Him to be the prophet, seer, revelator, and president for the Church today.

A Week of Changes (Life is Fragile)

Wow! I never knew a week of life could bring so many emotions. This week made me run the whole gambit.

On January 25, 2008 at 10:50 PM, my little boy was born. Oscar Willis Head, the name we finally decided on brought with him so many new feelings. Not having been a father to a new born, I was not ready for the sense of constant concern that I have felt this week. Oscar came into this world a little under weight. He was 5lbs 14 oz. While the doctors did not seem to be too concerned, I found myself worrying over every sniffle, squeak and sigh. I think one of the first questions I asked the nurse after he was born was "How do you tell if he is still alive?" I am not sure why it has scared me so much. I think it was just how fragile he seemed and how truly dependant he is on our care.

It did not help my constant concern to have the doctors send us back to the hospital on Tuesday. Oscar had a little bit of jaundice this week. He also was having a hard time keeping his temperature and weight up. So Tuesday found us on the pediatric floor at St. Luke's in Boise with our newborn in an incubator with blue lights all over him. To see our fragile little baby alone in a plastic tube was almost more than we could take. Even as he began to show signs of doing better, my heart still raced with fear.

It has not been until now when we have started to get some indication that he is doing better that I have been able to relax a little bit. I love our all our children so much. I cannot imagine life without any of them.

Another feeling that has come this week has been an unimaginable feeling of love. I have felt so much love as Oscar has lain on my chest sleeping or as I have held him in my arms. I felt so much love for my wife as I saw her go through agony to bring this tiny infant into this world. I felt so much love for Allison and Charlie as I saw them so little this week and when I did they held on to me so tightly. I felt such love as I saw them embrace their new little brother with complete love. I am so blessed to have the family I have.

Another feeling that has overcome me this week was one of gratitude. As we went through the birth and rehospitalization of Oscar, my mother was there 100 percent of the time to provide care for Ali and Charlie and to provide any help we might need. She stayed the night at our house two or three times this week to be their in case Charlie or Ali needed something during the night. Before leaving on Friday, she made multiple meals and left them in our freezer so that we would not have to worry about finding food for the next little bit. It was truly a blessing to not have to worry about anything other than my wife and new little child.

This week also has brought with it some feelings of sadness. Amid the jubilation of bringing Oscar home on Sunday (the first time), we received the news that Gordon B. Hinckley, our beloved prophet, had passed away. President Hinckley, I felt, was my prophet. I was 13 when he was called and I have felt such a bond to him. At times it was almost as if he knew me personally. Today was his funeral. As I watched and heard recounted the many miracles that he has brought to pass during his tenure to move forward the work of the Lord I felt such love for him. I am grateful that I have known his example in my life.

I am beginning to see how life can be normal again. I am grateful for the blessings and trials of this week. I am truly blessed.

Slide Show of Oscar Willis Head