Father and Son Camping.

I asked Dave to write a blog about his weekend camping trip with Josh last week. This is what he said to me, "Kristine, there are 3 things you do not blog about: Funerals, Sex, and Camping!" So, (because of that very important rule that Dave made up on the spot) we will only share a few pictures, but no stories.

slip and slide!

Tonight, Dave and the kids had a little too much fun in the rain.

Dave especially.....as you will see!!!

Sports!

These pictures were taken a while back when we saw a Jazz verses Pacers game with the whole family. As you can see below, Dave made Utah Jazz shirts for him and Josh. They look pretty professional. (Do you ever wonder how Dave has time to do these projects with everything else going on as a first year resident? I do.)

There was great anticipation before the game. Josh on Dave's shoulders...a monkey hanging on Josh's shoulders.

We were ready to cheer on the Jazz!

The Jazz were up the majority of the game and Josh was loving every second of it. In the last quarter, when the Jazz got down, Josh's spirits suddenly changed. I watched Josh go through a wave of emotions...sad...angry...disappointed...frustrated....and finally the game ended with Josh in tears. I couldn't believe my son was crying over a basketball game. That is something I don't think I have ever done.

Maddie, on the other hand was being a goof ball the whole time and thoroughly enjoyed her chocolate ice cream.

Sometimes I really wonder what is going on inside that head of hers.

So, about sports, I am realizing more and more even after all these years of being married,(almost 11) that sports mean a whole lot more to Dave than I will ever comprehend. The other day I was talking to my brother about Dave and his passion for playing sports and Dan said in all honesty, "Dave has the heart of a champion!" I don't know where his life would be without sports, and I am so grateful for the ways in which sports have shaped him. Anyway, this is just something I have been thinking about lately. As much as I absolutely love being involved in a variety of sports, I think I could be able to function in life without them. Dave could not.

So now I can say that my 6 year old son knows more than me about professional basket ball, baseball, soccer, and football teams. He has passed me up in my knowledge this year when it comes to following players and teams. (It isn't too hard to do. ha,ha!) It is cute to see Dave and Josh bonding when talking basket ball and now.....WORLD CUP!

It is midnight right now. Dave just got home a few minutes ago and he is now watching the U.S. verses England soccer game that he recorded while he was working. He is recording every game and has been as giddy as a school boy. We ordered cable for this month only.

Every 4 years...........good times!

Visitors always welcome!

Our last friends that came to visit were the Kerr's who joined us for an Easter weekend. They have recently moved to Chicago. It was an awesome weekend...just like old times. Dave and I are a little sad we will not be making a trip out to Utah this summer, but that doesn't mean you can't come VISIT US! Visitors always welcome! We love it! Just invite yourself! Dave and Chris were friends for a few years before Anna and I met. I have a feeling that no matter where we both move, we are always going to stay in touch. They just moved to Chicago from Seattle, and now will possibly be moving to Bermuda! Pretty exciting!
We took them over to Holiday park for a little nature walk and play time for the kids.

Dave was trying to be a hard guy in that army shirt and red bandanna.

George and Henry are pretty freakin' cool. Don't mess with the leather jacket and shades.

Enjoying some time at "Brookstone."

And the dinosaur museum.

We hope Chris and Anna don't move too soon because we can't wait to come see them in Chicago in July. So once again, family and friends, we would love you to come check out Indianapolis!

Missionary Work...

Dave has just become the Ward Mission Leader and we were asked to both speak about missionary work last Sunday. I have found that it is very handy to keep these talks on my blog for future reference. It is nice to have so much documentation all in one place that is easy to find. So, you are welcome to read if you would like. We also had a very special birthday this weekend. I will post pictures of our 4 year old princess as soon as I get a chance.

Missionary Work
These are the initial questions I asked myself.
What does missionary work mean to me? How has it affected me? What have I learned by being involved with missionary work?

*As a little girl:
My dad was the ward mission leader for many years when I was young. I thought it was really cool to have the missionaries over for dinner. I don’t think I knew it at the time, but I knew there was an extra special feeling when they were in our home. There was always a good spirit and a feeling of love as we sat around the table and talked. I thought back over the many times that the Elders would come to our home for dinner and one particular time stands out above all the others. I think this is kind of funny, because, as parents, we don’t know the things that are going to stand out in our kids minds the most. Sometimes the things that stand out over the years are the things we really wish didn’t.
One Sunday I remember getting home from church and all of a sudden my father gasped, “Oh no, I forgot the missionaries are coming for dinner.” My parents opened the refrigerator and there was no food. They looked through the empty cupboards and the next thing I knew, my dad was ordering Chinese food on the phone. My little 10 year old head was thinking, we never order take out food on Sundays, especially to feed the missionaries. Then, to make it even more memorable, I remember my parents scooping all the food into different glass containers putting them in the oven and telling us kids to pretend that we made it ourselves. I couldn’t believe it. What were my parents thinking? After about 5 minutes into the meal after a dozen compliments, my dad told the Elders the truth. Now although, my story doesn’t really have a point, I guess the point is that our kids are watching us and are very impressionable during those younger years. And, families are not perfect, but God loves us despite our shortcomings.

The bishop wanted us to talk about missionary work in general and also the missionary work that goes on in our homes. The missionaries are wonderful examples to our children. When they come to our homes, it is an opportunity for us to ask questions, to learn about the work going on around us, and to feel of the Elders love and devotion to the gospel. My husband never lets the missionaries leave without a short lesson. We always try our best to have our children be a part of the lesson and bring it down to their level. When we do this, we are giving the missionaries an opportunity to teach and strengthen us as well as planting beautiful seeds into the hearts of our children at a young age.

The greatest example of missionary work in my life has been the example of my father. That may be hard to believe after the Chinese food story I just shared, but he truly was an exceptional missionary. I could easily spend the rest of my time talking about my dad’s conversion story and the missionary he became, but my goal is to give Dave the larger portion of time for his talk, so I will move ahead.

The next greatest example of missionary work in my personal life was that of my husband. I began dating my husband when I was 17 years old. We wrote each other letters over the two years that he served and were married shortly after he came home. I was blown away by what a different person he was when he returned from his mission. I know he treasures every experience he had while serving for two years. His mission shaped him into the kind of man I feel so grateful to be married to.

Through our first 5 years of marriage while we were living in Salt Lake, I had very little to do with missionary work. Once we moved to Grenada in the Caribbean, we were in a tiny branch, and on the whole island, there was only one set of Elders. Imagine having a whole island just to yourselves. There was no one checking up on them, the work was very hard and very slow, they felt alone, and we saw some Elders that were just not “into” the work. Dave and I sensed this, and it became very frustrating to see them not working hard and losing their desire to teach. That is when Dave and I decided that we were not going to feed the missionaries anymore, UNLESS they brought an investigator with them to teach in our home after the meal. We knew the people on the island would not pass up a free meal, plus, people in the Caribbean do not use the word “I’m busy,” because the truth is that no one is really busy, it is the most laid back lifestyle, so there was no reason why the Elders shouldn’t be able to find a few people to take us up on this offer. Once the Elders started bringing people into our homes to teach, it was like a night and day difference. The spirit was strong, the missionaries started to change their attitudes and they saw that we really cared about seeing progression. That was my first experience really understanding that the missionaries needed our help. They were making very little progress without help from the few members on the island. Those nights teaching the gospel in our apartment are a few very sacred memories that I treasure from Grenada.

President Monson told the newly called mission presidents at the 2008 seminar for new mission presidents: “There is no substitute for a member-oriented proselyting program. Tracting will not substitute for it. Golden questions will not substitute for it. A member-oriented program is the key to success, and it works wherever we try it.”

That is one of the messages I hope to leave with you all today. We are a part of this great work, and we need to do all that we can to help the missionaries in their efforts.

The thing I love the most about being a part of missionary work is watching peoples lives change. It is inspiring and truly amazing to see a life change once that person has been introduced to the gospel.

After we moved from Grenada, we once again became a part of a small branch, this time in Detroit Michigan. My first Sunday there, we sat towards the back of the chapel, and I watched a particular girl about my age with two small boys. This mother, I later found out, named Kenya, had a real sharpness in the way she spoke to her 2 and 4 year old sons. I watched her forcefully grab them again and again as they wouldn’t sit still. I couldn’t help but wonder what Kenya’s story was. Just by looking at her, I could tell she had a very hard life. There was not any sight of joy or happiness in her eyes. She looked angry and mean and her lips looked like it had been a very long time since she had smiled. Even when I tried to make eye contact with her and smile, she looked so hardened and cold. My heart went out to her. There was an older woman sitting on the bench next to Kenya. She looked much warmer and was doing her best trying to keep the boys quiet. She appeared to be the grandma. After seeing so much sadness and anger in Kenya’s eyes, I couldn’t stop thinking about her the whole week. I shortly found out that she was not a member of the church. The older woman sitting next to her was a member, and was also the grandmother to the two boys; however, she was not Kenya’s mother. I discovered that the grandmother had taken Kenya and the two boys into her home when her own son had abandoned them. Kenya had not been married to her son; she had hardly even known his mother. But out of love, this older woman took Kenya into her home and wanted to do all she could to help raise her grandchildren, even with her own son out of the picture. It wasn’t long before we all started to see a light come into Kenya’s eyes. Her countenance changed. She smiled. She began to talk. She made friends. She was baptized. She started to show a new love and warmth to her boys. She gained a testimony and a love for her Savior. Kenya truly seemed to have been transformed in just a few months. Everything about her was different. That, to me, is one powerful example of the way in which a life can change once someone finds Christ. But once again, the missionaries only did a small portion of the work. It was the members who befriended her. We helped care for her boys. We invited her to different activities. We let her feel of our love and that made all the difference.

Moving from Michigan has been a hard move for me. I loved that branch. Dave and I knew each member so closely, I have had a hard time letting go. When I went back to visit our branch in Detroit after being away for 6 months I was doing fine holding myself together until I saw Kenya from across the room. She gave me a big wave and warm smile and I thought back to that first impression I had of her and I couldn’t hold back the tears. It is an amazing, beautiful sight to see the way a persons’ life is transformed after coming into the fold of God.

God has so much love for each of us. In the 15th chapter of Luke it reads: “What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?” It is important for each of us to ponder how it feels to be lost. What does it mean to be that “Spiritual” shepherd? Who will leave the 99 to find the one who is lost? This is what it means to be a member missionary.

From the Doctrine and Covenants we are told: “And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!
And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!”

I have experienced this joy. I hope to experience it again and again for the rest of my life. The gospel of Jesus Christ is where I find my greatest joy, and I do not want to hold that joy back from anyone. I want to share it. We can all share the gospel. We can all pray for the courage to open our mouths.

In the words of Elder Tom Perry, “Our great missionary message to the world is that all mankind is invited to be rescued and to enter the fold of the Good Shepherd, even Jesus Christ. Our missionary message is strengthened by the knowledge of the Restoration. We know that God speaks to His prophets today, just as He did anciently. We also know that His gospel is administered with the power and authority of the restored priesthood. No other message has such great eternal significance to everyone living on the earth today. All of us need to teach this message to others with power and conviction. It is the still, small voice of the Holy Ghost that testifies through us of the miracle of the Restoration, but first we must open our mouths and testify.

Many of you are aware that my husband and I are working to help provide a way for a young man named Michael Bruno from Grenada to come live with us and get a college education this fall. I feel that my faith has been tried and tested over these last few months, but we are trying to stay hopeful despite some recent setbacks. Michael was denied his student visa a week and a half ago. It was a very unkind man who interviewed him and wrongly judged him within just a few seconds. Dave and I have been so discouraged and frustrated, but we feel like we can’t give up.
I want to share Michael’s short and simple testimony that he wrote to us. (not included at this time.)

I also believe in the restoration of the gospel on this earth. I know Joseph Smith to be a true prophet of God. Above all, I know Jesus Christ is my Savoir and Redeemer. He is the way back to the Father. I pray that each day my relationship with my Father in Heaven can be strengthened and that I can put my full trust and faith in Him.
I pray that we can all gain a stronger desire to find the lost sheep that need our help to come into the fold of God. It is my hope that we can all open our mouths and let the spirit guide us as we tell the truths we know. It will bring us great joy to watch this great change take place, just as I saw in Kenya. The gospel provides hope. I know this to be true and it is my desire that we will not be scared to spread this good news to our friends and neighbors.

Gymnastic class!

We just finished Maddie's second session of gymnastics today. She has loved every minute of it. Here we have a little stretching... The bridge...almost.
Getting ready for some front and back somersaults.

All worn out from all the jumping around.

Her teacher is Mrs. Joan.

Will gymnastics be in Maddie's future? Only time will tell.

A day at Eagle Creek Park.

About two months ago, I got an email from some friends that we were going on a "hike" with our kids. (A hike in Indiana means walking on a trail, minus the mountains. I guess I think of it as more of a nature walk in the woods.) Regardless, it was a memorable day and I hope we do it again. The highlight for the kids was splashing in big mud puddles. Below we have Trent, Grant, Ty, and Sydney.

This big reservoir is just a few minutes from our house and it has been my favorite place to do my long runs when I was training.

Ty is good at throwing rocks in the water, although I just don't quite trust him as much as I trusted Josh. Josh and Maddie were such obedient little toddlers.....not Ty. I can't help but love him anyway!

Becca Shelton and Jessica Bischoff are two people who are always looking for action. We sure do look like a bunch of moms on a cold day!

And here is an idea that helped me get through the winter.

I think the only time when Tyler is mellow is when he is in the wagon or stroller. If I let him go on the loose, he takes off with no thought of coming back.

This is Maddie's last week of preschool! Josh is out in two weeks. I can't believe it!

Benefit Concert for Michael Bruno

I was so pleased by all the performers for the evening! It was an amazing program and a good way to raise awareness and get the ball rolling for our efforts with Michael. "The Indy Girls" kicked off the program with their guitars. Below is Joanna, Jessica, Amelia, and I.

Below is the program. (More for my records than anything else.) Thanks to the many, many, people who were involved!!!

Benefit Concert for Michael Bruno
May 8th, 2010

Welcome: Amy Sharp

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
Jessica Bischoff, Amelia Pearce, Joanna Dickson, Kristine Orme

Ombra mai fu
Lascia Ch’io Pianga; Handel
Kristine Orme, Crystal Arbuckle

Five Spanish Dances; Gaspar Sanz
Chris Keith; guitar

Kauanoeanuhea; Keali’I Reichel
Marchelle Mehan

The Way You Love Me
Reign
Sarah Bontrager, Jake Brothers

*Speaker: David Orme

The Prayer
Nicole Kuroiwa, Kristine Orme, Crystal Arbuckle

*Speaker: Anya Turner

Excerpts from Five Bagatelles for clarinet and piano (Prelude, Fughetta); Finzi
The Shepherd on the Rock (Allegretto); Schubert
Bryn Huntington, Crystal Arbuckle, Kristine Orme

How Deep the Father’s Love for Us
Be the Change
Sarah Bontrager, Jake Brothers

Nearer My God to Thee
The Lord Bless You and Keep You
Choir
Featuring: Evelyn Harper, Isabel Bradley, & Emily Mais
Rebecca Shelton & Candace Evans; piano

http://michaeljbruno.blogspot.com

WHY?

For some of you, you may be thinking, "Kristine, enough of your personal thoughts and feelings...we just want pictures." To you I say, "I'm sorry." But I do promise that this will be my last serious post for a while.

Before you even begin to read on, have you taken a moment to check out the blog Dave and I created for Michael Bruno? If not, do so now. Please take just a few minutes out of your hectic day to hear his story. http://michaeljbruno.blogspot.com/

This is a big week for us. I have put countless hours into this benefit concert. Dave on the other hand took Step III this week. (The last of his huge medical exams.) He has once again been pushed to his limit this week with the stress and worrying that comes with a big test.

I feel that there is one big question regarding Michael. I want to try to put into words my thoughts on the matter. That question is"why"? Why are we bringing a kid from Grenada to live with us? Why are we finding a way to pay for his education and support him financially when we are barely scraping by each month? Why is Dave taking on this huge endeavor while already carrying such a heavy load balancing residency and family life? Why am I willing to have another kid to feed, clean up after, and shuttle around on top of my own 3 kids? Why?

That may be a difficult question to answer. I think about it daily. Dave and I can not describe in length why we feel inspired to change the course of Michael's life. However, it is something we know. Dave and I do not talk about the "whys". We do not need to. We both understand. We know. So yes, I can't really answer in full why we are bringing Michael to the U.S. for an education, but I will say this:

Grenada gave me more than I could have imagined. It gave me a new sense of peace. It gave me a stronger bond to my marriage and I discovered the joy of being a mother while living there. Those two years changed me in many ways. Dave and I knew without a doubt that somehow, in some way, we were going to give back to that island we loved. Michael is only the beginning.

I feel that my life is truly rich and abundant with blessings. I grew up with all the things Michael did not. A loving mother and father, a safe neighborhood, a brick house that I never once worried about the roof blowing off, wonderful schools and teachers, a church that brings joy and purpose to my life, clothes, music lessons, sport opportunities, mountains in Utah with the greatest snow on earth for skiing, and I can say that I do not know what it means to go to bed hungry. There is no doubt I took all these things and much more for granted.

I took my education for granted. I feel that in some ways, my bachelor degree and master's degree was handed to me on a silver platter. When my father lost his life to Leukemia my senior year of high school, he left enough money to pay for my higher education, as well as my younger brother and sister's education. I still can not comprehend the benefit this education has in my life. Those 8 years shaped me, molded me, stretched me, and strengthened me. The blessing of my education is one of the many things I can't wait to thank my father for when I see him again.

When we received Michael's transcripts from his years of high school, I was initially let down when I saw his grades. I immediately thought, "Michael, why are you not doing better than this? I don't understand." I called one of my dearest friends Salisha. She is another extremely rare exception of a Grenadian who made it into the U.S. for higher education. I told her I was disappointed in Michael. This was her response:

"Kristine, every morning while living in Grenada when I awoke, my stomach would be aching from hunger pains. I would wake early to walk an hour or more to school because I couldn't afford the bus. No breakfast and often no shoes. Once at school, I knew the teachers did not care about my education. Most of them did not seem qualified to be teaching. They were preoccupied in their own interests with very little teaching or learning in the classroom. It was rare for us to have sufficient books, if any for some classes. All day I would be at school and all day I would be hungry. That was life, not just for me, but for the majority of my classmates. Then came the long walk home in the hot sun. When I reached home I was responsible for taking care of my sister's 4 kids. Young kids crying and running around our little house; also without food. How could I study? Then, at 5:00 p.m. when the sun went down, we did not have the money to light our house. I couldn't study at night in the dark with all of us living in such a tiny house. All the while, day in and day out, my mind was on how to find food and stop my belly from aching. Kristine, don't be hard on Michael. His school had an even worse reputation than mine. In fact, it has the lowest passing rate on the island. And, it is just so difficult to be focused on school when your teachers and parents don't care and your belly is empty."

I was grateful that Salisha showed me the perspective through her eyes. I can't relate in any way, shape or form. So back to my initial question, why are we bringing Michael into our home? The best answer I can give is because we love him and because we feel it is the right thing to do.

We all have the ability to influence and make profound differences in the lives of others. Isn't that what it is all about; reaching outside of ourselves and holding a hand out to those who need it? Michael is only one person; one out of the millions of children in the world who were born into a harsh environment. But, there is no doubt that helping one person has a rippling effect that changes future generations.

Education is the key to success. My husband David made a promise to Michael 3 years ago when he was just 14 years old. That promise was that if Michael graduated from highschool and worked hard, then Dave would find a way for him to come to the U.S. My husband lives by his word. That may be one of his greatest qualities.

This is an exciting process as this new journey begins. Thank you to everyone who feels inspired to donate to Michael Bruno's college education.

God bless you.

Sincerely, Kristine Orme

http://michaeljbruno.blogspot.com

My race!

This weekend I did my half marathon (13.1 miles) in Cincinnati with my good friend Emily Skidmore. It was a great race...rain and all. There was talk about canceling the race because of the heavy rain, lightening, and thunder as we were standing there soaked at the starting line at 6:00 a.m.

The race went on.

I felt like I gave it my all and my finish time was 2 hours and 4 minutes. It is a good feeling of accomplishment to run 13 miles. I love it, although I still can't imagine doing a full marathon. 13 miles is perfect, as soon as you really want to be done, you are!

The moment that stands out the most to me during the race was just as I approached the end of a very long, steady incline. My face was burning, I felt so out of breath, runners were passing me left and right, and all of a sudden I felt that I could not get air into my lungs. The air was so thick because of all the rain and I literally was gasping for breath. I thought about people with asthma, I thought about people who suffocate, I thought about people whose lungs shut down, then I thought about my grandpa Graham and I started to choke up with tears.

My mother-in-law's father has almost lost his battle to cancer, but he keeps fighting to make it one more day. Lloyd was diagnosed in January with 2-4 weeks to live. He held on until his 90th birthday; then he held on longer for his wife's 90th birthday. He continues each day with the will to live another day. I became inspired thinking about the life he has lived. Some people do throw in the towel. Some people do quit on life. They quit on their husbands. They quit on their children. They quit on their health. They quit on friendships or jobs, church callings or God. They quit believing in themselves, and quit believing they have a purpose.

Then, there are people like Lloyd and the countless other examples I have in my life who don't quit. I will follow in the footsteps of my grandpa. He is a man that although I have not had lengthy conversations with throughout the years, his endurance and strength of character will always be a pillar in my life.