Frustrations and Second Guessing.

As you all know, I unfortunately had to make the decision to not go to Nauvoo or Indiana this summer, due to various financial issues it simply wasn't reasonable.

I had requested vacation, but cancelled the request as I wasn't going to take two weeks off to sit at home and do nothing.

Friday morning I get a call from my wife at work, Her mom decided last minute to offer to pay for her to go out for the week for the family reunion. I of course approved this, as I feel it is important for my kids to get to spend some time with their cousins.

Unfortunately I could not with no notice take the time off of work. So, here I am alone. My entire family, wife and kids are probably in MO at this point, and I am here.

I'm terribly frustrated with this situation. I will make my peace, but just had to write my thoughts.

100 Not So Random Things About Me and My Progeny

Well guys, you did it, this time I am the follower.

1. What BJ didn't tell you is that just after our Patriarchial blessings we both stayed at the Patriarch's house for a stake conference.
2. I don't ever let BJ forget that I baptized him, as he may be my only ticket to the Celestial Kingdom.
3. I hate the college classroom and because about 90% of college students care more about the next weekend's parties then the next semester.
4. I always wanted a saltwater fishtank, but settled on a freshwater setup.
5. I'm also waiting for the fish to die.
6. My wife doesn't eat enough, so I eat for her.
7. I need to loose 50lbs.
8. I just hurt my back.
9. I am getting a bike this week, hope my back feels better.
10. My superhero persona was "CHIP" a cyborg guy.
11. The personas were actually drawn up by Elder Stone, a missionary who helped teach me the discussions.
12. I didn't choose my persona, but it fits.
13. I married my best friend.
14. She is one of three girls that I ever knew that fit my qualifications for marriage. (I'll bet ya'll wondering what/who they are...)
15. I'm not going to share.
16. I love living in the desert.
17. I love warm winters.
18. I dislike hot summers, but that's what AC is for.
19. I miss my friends, BJ, Cali, Corey, Shiloh, Will. (Note I put this in alphabetical order as not to offend anyone)
20. I'm looking forward to our summer reunion.
21. I've had wild ideas about us all moving back to Brazil, IN to restart the now defunct Brazil Branch.
22. Yes, I know that's silly.
23. Nauvoo will be a blast.
24. I love my kids.
25. I think the world of them.
26. Rose and Sarah will both make the kind of wifes' that would have made my list up above, still working on Hannah, Margaret and Abbey. Their husbands will be lucky men.
27. I've been called "bold" recently by a good friend, had no idea I had that trait.
28. I think perhaps I was more "bold" when this particular friend was around, this individual is good for my self confidence.
29. I still love DnD.
30. I don't play DnD any more.
31. No close social group to play with, too many kids, too little time.
32. Ammon is our super boy, does everything he is told with exactness.
33. Malachi has an awesome imagination.
34. Gabriel is very loving, forgiving and affectionate.
35. My wife loves me.
36. Oh yeah..... I love my wife. (She is reading this over my shoulders right now, just bit me.)
37. She has been a real trooper in the last 11 years.
38. We've moved 13 times. (Insanity)
39. The moves and job changes almost match up with each kid.
40. I have managed to break that habit.
41. I like bike riding. Haven't had a bike for a number of years. Will be fixed, see number 9.
42. I like hiking with my wife and all the kids, and yes we get the looks also...
43. I am learning that living in the "bubble" has unique challenges.
44. Instead of "Baptist Mormons" we have "Gap Mormons"
45. We shop at Walmart and Target and are proud of it.
46. We drive appropriate vehicles for their tasks.
47. I have a small commuter car, good gas milage lots of airbags.
48. My wife has a big Ford van, not so great gas milage, but hey with 8 kids, what else can you ask for...
49. I don't like when people drive Surburbans and Escalades for their 1 child. It's wasteful.
50. I want a jeep when I grow up to...
51. I really don't like when people commute to work in gas guzzling trucks for no reason.
52. My night vision stinks, ask will he's had to guide me out of a few hairy situations.
53. I don't ever need to wear sunglasses.
54. I love swimming.
55. I miss having a pool.
56. We have a neighborhood pool, but I feel guilty about going without my kids.
57. I think I need to worry more about my own health.
58. I'm worried about getting to 100 without boring you to tears.
59. I like to take pictures.
60. I'm a closet photographer.
61. I'm growing tired of computers.
62. I can't believe I am 30.
63. I can't believe I could be a grandparent at 40ish.
64. I'm hoping to retire at 50.
65. That's not terribly likely.
66. More like 60.
67. I'm the only Priesthood holder in my family. (Leschorn Family)
68. I am the oldest Priesthood holder in my immediate extended family, (In-Laws)
69. I've recently taken and interest in working on my family history.
70. I'm Irish/Italian/Scottish/German/French (German and French are debatable, I am from a region that was disputed for centuries by Germany and France, yep, just learned that.)
71. I feared going to my last youth conference.
72. I knew that I would meet and marry a girl at the conference.
73. Rodney convinced me to go.
74. Look what happened.... :)
75. The Cunningham girls never let me lead in dances.
76. It all changed that conference.
77. Cali should have never let me lead, it gave me to much confidence...
78. I ended up meeting and dating my lovely wife.
79. My wife still doesn't let me lead in dances, (Perhaps she is more wise for that.)
80. I don't have any non-wrinkled clothes for work tomorrow.
81. My wife is pondering teaching my 9 year olds to iron. (Scary)
82. I wish Romney stayed in the race, and Huckabee never existed.
83. I wasn't going to vote for Romney b/c he was a Mormon.
84. I was going to vote for Romney b/c he was a temple worthy Mormon.
85. My wife doesn't like 84.
86. My Dad was also pro-Romney, voted for Clinton twice.
87. I can't stand when people polarize issues in politics.
88. Right and wrong are simple, moving the population to the correct mind frame is not.
89. My wife really doesn't like 88.
90. I'm a Reagan Republican.
91. I don't watch TV with my wife.... ever.
92. We have started "blogging" together.
93. We don't have cable.
94. I want the Gov't out of my life and my paycheck.
95. I dislike liberals.
96. I was an Elder when BJ was ordained.
97. Who's first for HP? (Will, BJ or John)
98. I share my Priesthood Lineage with Will.
99. Will Baptized me. (Like you all didn't know that.)
100. I belive in Christ.

A (not so) brief history of me, John Leschorn... (Part 2)

I read my history, and I thought that this wouldn't pass as a biographical history, as I am only really writing about choices that have affected my life. But then again, what else matters. I mean I could write about all of my jobs heck even the video games that I played at each step of the game. But to me I believe we will all be judged by our choices for good or evil. I also think that satisfaction in life is very much dependent on the relationships we have and keep with our "soul mates", perhaps I am using the word incorrectly, but I think of a soul mate as a person who I will be friends with now 10 years from now, 50 years from now and into the eternities. In writing this blog I have mostly been journaling, didn't expect to have an audience, besides a few family members. But what I have found out is that my good old friends still want to know what is going on in my life, you know who you are, my soul mates.... I love you all.

So without further delay, here is a continued history...

The time between my fall and my Baptism was a whirlwind. I continued in Seminary, also took part in Clay Community Theatre (I have the pics, hope to scan and post soon...), continued in school. I started a business, internet service for Rockville, IN, played DnD with my buddies, and dated dated Cali and Shiloh in rotation (something about not dating the same young man twice in a row...)

So for the time of my baptism...

Well as I have previously written I investigated the Church for two years before I was was able to get baptized, my dad was not the issue, he really didn't seem to have an opinion on the matter. (Something about the fact that he saw aliens in Vietnam, really, and that if that is the case he isn't so sure about God...) My mom blocked it each time I asked, and did I ask and push and pry and ask and push and pry... We had several false starts and it just didn't happen. Finally in October of 1996 my Mom prayed about it, (FINALLY), low and behold she had her answer and let me get baptized. So things were put in motion and a few weeks later I was baptized, the whole Brazil Branch was present, my parents and my friends. It was very exciting, as I think about that day, I remember the feelings of love and the testimony of the Holy Ghost and of all of those who played a role. I remember when Daryl Cunningham conferred the Holy Ghost on me and the feelings I had at that time. My life was changed.

Wow, feels like an eternity ago, but at the same time, it could have been yesterday!

I think I will pause at that note, good night, more will come later...

January Updates (Due to popular demand.)

Actually I wrote a nice detailed update a week ago, but when I attempted to publish it the system lost it. So here is another attempt.

Let's start with Abigail, she is growing, those cute little pitiful pre-mee cries she had are now much louder and less cute. She is over 6 lbs, and judging by how fast her eyes are getting lighter she may have very light eyes like her big brother Gabriel.

Maggie, 1, is a sweetheart. She just turned 1 and thinks she is one of the big kids. She loves Abbie, she shows it by whacking her on the face if we leave her on the floor. (Seriously we think she is just excited to have her here...) She also gives her kisses.

Hannah, 2, is my princess, while mom was in the hospital we spent a good month together and let me tell you, she really has a lot of personality. And for some bizarre reason she talks with a "Bostonian" accent. She is very clever, probably not as cute as I think, but I'm her daddy and she's pretty much got me wrapped around her finger.

Gabriel, 4, is a super boy! He really aims to please both Erica and I. He has a magnetic personality and his eyes are beautiful. My biggest concerns for him are how much trouble he may get into when he notices girls... or they notice him...

Malachi, 5, is a ham. He loves to pretend to be a super hero, sometimes the run of the mill ones, other times he makes up a new one. We are working intensively with him now to teach him how to read. He is really interested in history and science, and wants to become a scientist, I told him that the first step in that is to learn to read. I also got him a Marvel superheros poster that I promised him I would frame and put in his bedroom when he has learned how to read. He is great.

Ammon is 7 and getting baptized this year, in September (If anyone has a free weekend we would love to have you, I think it will be on the 20th.) I am really pleased that we are hitting this milestone. He is my first son born in the covenant and first to eventually get the Priesthood from his father. This is a big deal to me. We have found that he seems to have a knack for painting and art work. As you might be able to see in the picture he is missing several teeth, luckily it seems that all of his adult teeth are coming in to replace them.

Sarah, 9, is a beautiful girl. She loves to be pretty and dress up. We are working with her in all of the subjects, she is so loving and so affectionate, I can't believe she is 1/2 way to adulthood. It looks like I may be a grandpa at 40 (Shiloh you're about in the same boat...). I am excited for both of my girls, the next several years can be wonderful for them, I hope they are!

Rose, 9, is our responsible girl, beautiful and smart. Very typical first born personality traits. She will make her way in the world and will do very well. She is very practical and does things to please mom and dad. She has a wonderful singing voice, I look forward to hearing her develop it over the next few years.

Erica and I are also doing well, I need to loose some weight (Yea, perhaps now that we are done reproducing I can take a little time to care for myself). We are very happy overall, we purchased an '07 Ford E350 12 passenger van about a month ago. I am pleased with that, as our old van was short 2 seats and didn't have AC, that was horrible in the 100+ degree days in AZ. Our Ward is great, we are the largest family in the unit, (When did that happen???) Erica was just called as the Magazine Rep, I think they are afraid to call me to anything due to my large family, (I'm working in setting them straight.)

My job is good, working for a small IT firm, itSynergy, the owner is the most ethical person I have ever worked for and is really a good man. I am thrilled to be part of a growing organization that is really dynamic and honest.

I have heard whispers of the desire to attempt a "Brazil Branch Youth" reunion again this summer. I know a few of you have just moved, so money might be tight (TRUST ME. I UNDERSTAND.) Email me if you have some feedback on that, my best month is July, as I will be headed east for my wife's family reunion, we can do our reunion before or after. Email me if you want to discuss, if their is any real interest I will setup a private blog as a message board for us to share our ideas. My email: john dot leschorn at gmail dot com (It's spelled out to minimize spam.)

From a selfish standpoint I would LOVE to see all of you again. Looking back I really miss my friends from long ago, I owe all of you gratitude and thanks for loving me and showing me the Gospel, and especially for not judging me (too harshly) when I have screwed up (over and over again...). And I would love for our kids to meet eachother and get to know eachother better. We could even have the reunion in the TH area if that is easier for everyone. (I know Cunninghams and Shields have family out there as do I.)