The Parker Five

(Image courtesy of the Parker family.)

As I writer, I know that the act of writing can provide a therapeutic effect in addition to being an outlet for creativity. In the wake of the Newtown, CT tragedy, the Parker family has created a blog in order to express their love for Emilie, work through the difficult days without her, and to share their story- and Emilie's- with the world.

Needless to say, the posts were amazing to read. I can't even imagine how it would feel to lose a child in a tragedy like this. The Parker family has worked very hard to rebuild their lives and to unify their "family of five." You can read their blog at the following link:

The Parker Five

"Aware" Businesses Help Families of Children with Autism

If you have any kind of experience with children on the autism spectrum, then you know that sometimes the "simple" things in life can become quite the challenge. Enjoying a meal at a restaurant can present its own unique challenges for an individual diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). For example, a bustling restaurant environment can prove to be very overstimulating and bewildering; an individual with an ASD may also require special assistance when ordering their food.

Fortunately, there are some restaurant owners who recognize the difficulties that these individuals face and are willing to go the extra mile to make things a little more comfortable for them.

The article linked above also features a video report.

I think it's great that some people are willing to step up and work a little harder in order to promote an inclusive environment. Kudos! Maybe this will become the start of a new trend in the restaurant industry?

Family Reunion 2012

Recently, my girl and I traveled to Cedar City, UT for the Hatch family reunion. Although I was a little nervous to meet the other side of the family (I'm more acquainted with her mom's side), I was also pretty excited. I had never been to a family reunion before; I had only seen them on television sitcoms, so I really wasn't sure what to expect.

Good times were had by all, though. It was hot as hell, but we enjoyed ourselves nonetheless. I had a lot of fun meeting more of the extended family and they were all really nice and welcoming. We even played games together! In fact, my girl is playing horseshoes in the above picture. I love that I caught her throw in mid-air... the horseshoe is all Matrix-y in this shot.

Since I come from a fairly small family, it's nice that my partner has a much larger family. It's even better that I seem to belong in her family. Honestly, after my last relationship, I wanted my partner to have a good family. It means a lot to me that I'm included in the family activities and gatherings.

Oh, and we even got t-shirts for this reunion. Score!

Crystal Hot Springs: The Next Little Adventure

Later today, my girl and I will be heading to Crystal Hot Springs, where we'll meet up with family and friends for some well-deserved fun. I've never been to Crystal Hot Springs; my girl's family used to go there pretty frequently when she was a child.

Crystal Hot Springs is located in Honeyville, UT. Mmm... honey.

We'll be staying with family in Brigham City for the night and attending a wedding in Roy on Sunday. Looking forward to meeting some new people and relaxing in the hot springs.

Two Lesbians Had a Baby...

This video seems to have gone viral as of late. For a 19-year-old, this young man is incredibly well-spoken. His honest, heartfelt appeal is something that makes me feel proud... and he's not even my son.

Families are beautiful, especially because they are different from one another.

Paintin'...

Well, we're in Ogden tonight. For Father's Day, Anne's dad wanted everyone to help him paint their house. So tonight, we drove up and got everything ready to go; tomorrow morning, we'll all pitch in and get 'er done.

There's a lot on my mind... so much that I want to say, think about, dump here in this blog... soon. First... we paint.