Esther Sunday

I shared a brief post of Esther's birthday party Sunday. I thought I would also share a couple of things she did at church the week before. These are IMPORTANT THINGS!

First, during the sacrament, Esther let out a massive, reverberating belch, immediately followed by loud giggling. It was pretty awesome.

Later, she asked me if she could bear her testimony. I don't encourage young children to do that, but don't want to tell them they shouldn't, so I usually just ask if they have an idea of what they want to say -- and if they don't, I encourage them to think about it.

Well, Esther had something very specific in mind: "I want to say that the Easter bunny is real."

Um ...

Feb. 11-17, John 2-4 "Ye Must Be Born Again"

This is the personal and family study for the week. Mom has some assignments for a some of us. Would you please these three chapters this week and share what you learned in our family study on Sunday? This includes those of you older children who may be with us on the Sabbath! Is there a way to include you in the future even when you aren't here?

Here are a few questions we might want to explore:

• John tells of the Savior turning water into wine. When Jesus was in the wilderness, he was tempted to turn stones into bread, but he refused. Later, he multiplies 5 loaves of bread and two fishes to feed a multitude. Why is it appropriate for the savior to miraculously produce or change food sometimes, but not at others, and how are these situations different and how are they the same?
• How is "living water" a good analogy to use for teaching about the Savior and eternal life?
• The Savior uses many simple, everyday things for teaching gospel principles: birth, water, bread, farming, etc. Why?

Food for thought (which is a fine analogy as well) ...

--

David V. Benge

Esther and Oona

We cerebrated Esther's 6th birthday tonight, so Miriam could be with us. Her favorite gift is an ostrich Grandma Mary gave her, which we have dubbed Oona.

Its Like Moving to a New House ... Without the New House

I started Round One with concrete. I lost.

Self-leveling cement should not be more than 2 inches thick, but we have almost four inches to fill at the deepest point. My idea, then, was to put a layer of some kind down that could have self-leveling cement poured over the top. I asked a construction contractor in the ward who contacted a concrete franchise in Ogden and they agreed it would work with the right materials. 

I ordered 6 bags of PatchCrete and went to work on the first layer, and ... I am absolutely awful at concrete work. PatchCrete is weird stuff. A 45 lbs. bag is mixed with a gallon of some kind of glue that looks like milk, and you mix it up fast and then spread the peanutbutter-like stuff. I did a poor job, but it is just added base so I figure it mattereth not.

Carpet Diem II

The wall and the flood behind it is fixed.

Pulled Beef, Fowl Flesh & the Joys of Home Ownership

1. Yesterday, Esther went out on the deck and hurried back in, shivering, and said "I got ..." followed by a pause, and then "goose bumps." And then she started laughing, and exclaimed, "I almost said 'chicken pox!'"

Nice catch!

2. Awhile ago Hannah was talking to Susan and I, and she suddenly stopped and said, "Dad! I have a beef to pull with you!"

That is unintentional genius. Does she have a "bone to pick" or just a "beef" with something? No, she has a "beef to pull". I love it! It was very reminiscent of when Susie told me how people kept interrupting her breakfast so she "couldn't get a bite in edge-word". Neither phrase makes one iota of sense, and yet I understand exactly what is meant. Genius.

3. Update on the homefront (and roof and basement): the leak in the basement has been resolved. Huzzah! I plan to do the cement work a week from Friday. The leaky roof, according to a roofer, needs to be redone and will cost at least $6000: I understand what he was saying and he is probably right, but can't we do something silly that works for a few hundred? Another roofer should be coming today.

Do You Favor Fire or Is Ice Nice?

Just before Christmas, Miriam did some pretty cool make-up on herself and Lucy. I took a few pictures. One of them I took with a clouded sun directly behind them, just for the halibut. And I really like the photo! I think it looks terrific:

A Dog Walks into a Bar ...

... and asks for a job.

"Why don't you try the circus?" The bartender asks?

The dog replies, "Why would the circus need a bartender?"

You're welcome!

I just have a longer bar joke I wanted to share with you.

Bargain Basement, Part II

Before cutting up Lucy and Rachel's wall, I have been making plans to level the basement floor in the downstairs family room. Working with Jeff Stringham, I now have a two part plan to add a layer of cement in the lowest parts (more than an inch or so thick), and then add an inch to an inch and a half of quick-set, self-leveling cement on top of that over the entire south side of the room. The slope has always bugged me: we couldn't use the ping pong table down there, and the table and chairs are always crooked.

At least it doesn't leak in there. (Although we have developed a leak around one of the skylights above it. Another leak to fix!) I know it doesn't leak because we tore out the carpet. Here is what we found:

Bargain Basement Part I

Our carpet is on hold as we having some water still in the corner of the two East basement bedrooms. It ain't much. But, years ago we had a company dig a trench along much of that East wall to collect run-off and then pump the water out, so we aren't sure why we have any water there. They came out yesterday and he asked me to tear out some wall to see what's going on.  

Last night after taking Esther to a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese (a.k.a., Vegas for children) and then picking up Joshua after his basketball practice, I went after the wall in the SE corner.

I think I found the problem. The wood from a 2X4 was drenched, just above where it attached to 2X2 at a "T". They are there for drywall attachment. There was especially a long screw through the 2X4 into the cement, and I think it was a main conduit: the screw hole is right above a cracked knot, and that area was saturated. I think the water then drips down from the wood, which is past the drain edge against the wall, and it then slowing moves to the low point between the rooms.

As you can see, the wood is very rotten, and everything was damp days after our big rain storm.

For BYU Football Fans Only

Mark Twain popularized the phrase "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." I will now use some recent statistics in the AFC and NFC championship games that prove ... nothing about BYU football. But I thought it was cool.

First, Joshua and I have been cheering for the New Orleans Saints a lot this year, mostly because Taysom Hill is a phenomenal do-everything player. He throws. He catches. He runs. He blocks punts. He returns kickoffs. He even pancakes defenders when he plays at the tight-end position and blocks for other running backs, which is impressive to watch. Even though the Saints lost Sunday, Taysom Hill had a two-yard TD reception. Way to go, Taysom!

In the next game featuring the Kansas City Chiefs vs. the New England Patriots, the leading tackler for both teams were former BYU players.

Use the Whole Thing

Hey-ya, keeds!

Check out your 2nd cousin's talent-show performance. He wrote the tune:

https://www.facebook.com/sharlee.bates/videos/1596783690555440/UzpfSTEwMDAwNjcxNDcyODAzNjoyMzcyNTQ4NTQyOTc4OTQ3/

Like our ancestors learned to use every bit of any animal they slaughtered, he has learned how to use the whole thing.

I don't know what the tune is called. Maybe "Whole E. Cow"?

Super Blood Wolf Girl

"Super Blood Wolf Moon". Silly. I can think of lots of names cooler than that. How about "Spider Bark Toot Moon"? "Rabid Dog Spank Moon"? Oh well.

Or, how about a superbabe called Super Blood Wolf Girl! Here she is!

Fwd: Rome Italy Temple (2)

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Isaac Benge
Date: Mon, Jan 14, 2019 at 1:04 PM

Baptistry, Bride Room, Celestial Room, Staircase, Visitor Center

Fwd: Rome Italy Temple (1)

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Isaac Benge 
Date: Mon, Jan 14, 2019 at 1:03 PM

They finally released temple photos: here you go

Carpet Diem and Mandrew

The last few days got really busy as Andy Johnston, bless his enormous and wonderful heart, recently offered to install carpet in our home, using rolls of carpet that apartments no longer want. We have carpet installers at our home right now (Carpet Diem!) putting carpet in the living room and the hallway and three bedrooms upstairs. 

[Note: I wrote this yesterday but didn't have time to send it! The carpet upstairs is in!]

I am excited for the carpet, which we really really really need and appreciate. Prepping is a pain, of course. Its a lot like moving to a new home without going anywhere. 

Check out our Family Room. Cozy!

Fortunately, we aren't doing it all at once. I plan two more visits to get it all done.

Possibly Interesting Stuff You Can Learn on Facebook When Not Preparing for Carpet

Without any missionaries out, I am no longer a consistent emailer. I apologize.

I have a post coming all about prepping for new carpet. It will be very exciting. Ha ha! You just caught me guile! But it will have pictures, when my DropBox finishes updating.

In the meantime, I will share about something I found interesting but probably isn't.

The other day, when I was not prepping for carpet, I was looking for and at some Facebook posts of fellow Taiwan Taichung Mission missionaries. Uninterestingly, I find most FB posts uninteresting. You can learn what someone ate for breakfast. You can learn that someone appreciates their spouse or child or parent on their birthday. You can learn that someone went somewhere besides their backyard. You can learn that someone went in their backyard. 

Christmas Eve Performances

Our Christmas Eve program was fantastic. I enjoyed the music and entertainment, and the testimony meeting was wonderful!

First was "How the Brinch Stole Christmas". Rachel wrote, narrated and tried to direct it:

Newsies But Goodsies

Newsies opened last night, and I took Lucy, Rachel, Joshua, Enoch and Esther to see it, and we all loved it. There are many good things about it, but I thought the choreography was especially outstanding.

One of the parents took some really good photos, and I have been digging through them and I couldn't find a single one of Andrew ... and then I bumped into this low-light shot:

A Small Harp Walks into a Bar ...

... and exclaims "This harp is thirsty!"

The bartender responds, "Aren't you kind of small to be a harp?"

"Are you calling me a lyre?"

Ba da, dum!

It was great seeing y'all around Thanksgiving time! I just needed more time with you.

I am still trying to get some photos on the blog and then I can send you links. For now, I think I will 1) share a truthful photo,  2) tell you too much about first name choices and why that is geeking me out, and 3) attempt to tell a story.