Counting Our Blessings...

As I sit here at 2 o'clock in the morning contemplating the fact that another year has gone by, I realize that 2010 was a very good year for the Escamilla family!

Last year at tithing settlement our Bishop challenged us to read the Book of Mormon before the April General Conference, and promised us that if we did we would have miracles happen in our family. This year when we met with him again he asked if we had taken his challenge. Eli confessed that while we did begin to read the Book of Mormon as a family, we did not finish it prior to the goal of General Conference. He was then happy to report that although we were not able to complete the challenge, we did have miracles happen in our family.

In April of 2009 we moved dad up to Utah to live at Courtyard at Jamestown, an assisted living facility with an "enhanced care" unit that catered to people with memory loss. The move and transition to Jamestown went really well and dad thrived while he was living there. They had daily activities and went on weekly field-trips, plus the staff there really loved dad! It was the perfect place, except that dad was always lonely...When I would go pick him up in the evenings he would tell me how lonely it is to live alone. I would remind him of all the people he had around him and all the activities he was participating in, but at the end of the day when he would go to his room he would forget all about anything but the fact that there was no one there with him at the end of the day.

In February as we were finishing remodeling what would have been our master bedroom, we realized that it would be a good bedroom for dad. It had it's own bathroom, a walk-in closet, and a TV hook up and room for his recliner. It would be the perfect "guest" room. So, at the end of March, dad moved in with us.

Eli quit teaching at Provo Canyon School, which is a private school for troubled teens with three campuses in Utah County, in order to stay home with dad. This was the perfect plan. I would continue working, since I had better benefits at UVU and Eli would be the one to stay home with dad. This would also give Eli more time to finish up the projects we had around the house. That was the plan...

Plans change though. Tanner was a freshman at Provo High and was having some problems with bullying. Eli had gone to talk to the principal several times, but the issue was never really resolved. It's been so sad to see Tanner loose all interest in going to school and his grades began falling...even in the classes he used to love. We toughed it out with hopes that Tanner would be picked in the lottery at UCAS and would not need to go back to Provo High for 10th grade. But darn it! He wasn't picked until #89 on the waiting list. We really didn't want to send Tanner back to Provo High, so we started looking at other options.

When Tanner didn't get in to UCAS Eli went to meet with the Academic Adviser, that would have been over him, to find out what Tanner needed to be doing in school this year in order to be ready to enter UCAS as a Junior. Although they have a high rate of interest, after the first year at UCAS there are usually several students that opt to return to their neighborhood high school, so if Tanner is ready he may be able to attend UCAS next year. This was good news, but it didn't really help us with what to do for 10th grade.

To start getting up to the level he needed to be at in math, Tanner took an Algebra class at UVU during the summer and did very well...he aced the class! It was good to see him enjoying school again! He was going into the Math Lab at UVU and studying with other students and was able to build some healthy relationships with some of them. It was refreshing to have him in a learning environment where everyone was just there to learn and no one needed to feed their ego by picking on the "little guy." This too was a good opportunity, but it still didn't help with what to do for 10th grade.

During our quest to find the right place for Tanner, Eli remembered a program called eSchool that was used at one of the high schools where he had subbed. It was the high school that is connected to the youth detention center here in Provo, and when Eli checked into it he found out that it is usually used as an option for kids that have been expelled from several traditional high schools. We also found out that in order to participate you have to be referred by your regular high school.

Our plan changed and we decided to transfer Tanner to Independence High, where he would be enrolled in some on campus classes and some eSchool classes, but have him continue with math at UVU through concurrent enrollment. Independence High School is Provo School District’s alternative school for secondary students. Students who attend Independence do so by referral from either middle school or their regular high school, usually because of behavior, attendance or credit issues. Even though most people think the students at Independence are typically the "bad kids" we felt good about sending Tanner there, because the class size is purposely kept low in order to keep up the standard of educational services for struggling students. They also assured us that students that are deemed "unsafe" at their regular high school would also be deemed unsafe at Independence, and bullying was never tolerated. When we discussed this option with Tanner and he was okay with it. At first he really wanted to be able to continue with his Jr ROTC that he was taking at Provo High, but he also liked the idea of taking more classes at UVU.

When Eli went to meet with the principal at Provo High to get the referral, of course he was surprised and wanted to know what they could do chance our minds and keep Tanner there...I'm sure he was truly concerned for Tanner and not considering the tax money he would be losing. Eli reminded him that he had been in to visit with him several times during the year with concerns about Tanner being bullied, so they already knew what could be done. It was just that they hadn't done anything! The principal even invited Tanner's counselor into the meeting, and when Eli mentioned that we also wanted Tanner to take his math classes at UVU she said that Tanner's math score did not support a recommendation for that. It was so nice for Eli to be able to tell her that actually Tanner had already completed an Algebra class there and earned an A!...it is amazing how well a student can do when the teacher they have teaching math actually loves the subject. The principal asked us to give him a week in order to meet with "his team" and come up with a plan.

The plan "the team" came up with was keeping Tanner at Provo High for three electives and Seminary, having him take three eSchool classes, and continuing his math through UVU. Tanner really liked this option, because now he would be able to continue with his Jr ROTC class, so we decide to go with this plan.

It has worked out well, for the most part. Tanner is enjoying Jr ROTC, and was made Flight Commander of his flight. Jr ROTC has been good for him too, he is learning discipline and the added leadership role has helped him learn to deal with other students that may not want to be doing what is on the agenda for the day. The administration at the school are also now very aware of who Tanner is and are regularly checking in with him to make sure he fells safe and is not being bullied.

eSchool however, has not turned out quite like we expected. During the summer they switched the program they use, so this class gets to be the guinea pigs and work out all the kinks. The lessons are very broad-based and poorly written, making it hard to tell what it is they are trying to get across. The tests and quizzes are also poorly written. They also seem designed to "trick" the student. After reading the question instead of giving several good options for answers, they have answers that are almost verbatim from the text, but with one small word change that might go unnoticed. Due to how bad eSchool is put together, Eli has been going through and reading the lessons, then taking the quizzes (and not always getting above a 70, because the questions are SO bad!), and then teaching the lessons to Tanner once he has figured out what the concept is they are trying to teach and figures out the logic of the questions. Then Tanner takes the tests. It's been way more time-consuming then we had anticipated. Needless to say, we probably won't do eSchool again; but through it all, Tanner has been getting much better grades, learning some good study habits, and regaining his self-esteem.

It's funny how now looking back at some of the trials and hardships we have gone through in the past few years, I can see how the things we were going through brought us to this point to be able to help our son. If dad hadn't been so lonely at Jametown and moved in with us, Eli would not have been home during the day and taking classes through eSchool and UVU would not have been viable options. And looking back at the financial struggles we went through when Eli decided to go back to school to become a teacher, I see that in the grander scheme of things those struggles were SO worth it so that Eli had the skills to be able to help Tanner.

So yes, we have had miracles in our life this year!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

2010 has been a very good year at the Escamilla house. We have been truly blessed. It's amazing how you can be going through a trial...or what you think is a trial...only to look back at the end and see all the blessings you have been accumulating!

In March we finished remodeling our master bedroom. We added a bathroom and walk-in closet. Just as we were about done we realized that we could make the room dad's bedroom, so he moved in with us at the end of March. Having him with us has definitely been a change, but it's been a good move for all of us.

Eli resigned from his job teaching to stay home with dad. He is still very busy though...probably busier then when he was working. He is also home-schooling Tanner in three of his classes and of course is always in the middle of "the next phase" of remodeling our house.

Michelle is still working at UVU and loving it. Her job has changed a little and she has been working more with the Dean's office as an assistant to the Associate Dean. She also gets the chance to do a bit of traveling in her position with the Legal Studies Department for training and was just in Indianapolis in October and is now planning a trip to Denver in March.

Connor is continuing to take classes at UVU. He is hoping to be close to finishing his Bachelor's degree before his mission. He will turn 18 in March and the way time has been flying by will be filling out his mission papers before we know it!

Tanner has been very busy with school! He is definitely not your average student. He is taking three classes at Provo High, one of which is Jr. ROTC where is the Flight Commander of his group and loving it. He also has three online classes that Eli is home-schooling him on and is taking an Algebra class at UVU.

As this year comes to an end and we look back at all we have experienced and accomplished we realize how truly blessed we are.

Our wish at this time is that you may be enjoying the spirit of this season and find yourself surrounded by the love of family and friends.

Love,

Eli, Michelle, Connor, Tanner & Scotty

I'm not a pepper any more...

Anyone that knows me well knows that I love my Dr Pepper. I started drinking Dr. Pepper way back in 1979, before it was even popular.

I was working at the distribution center of Marci's, a clothing store for women, in El Cajon, CA. Stopping at 7/11 or Maverick for a fountain drink on the way to work wasn't an option, because they didn't have them. There was an old pop bottle machine that only had three choices, Fresca, Dr Pepper or Coke.


At first I chose not to get drinks at work because I didn't like Fresca, and since I didn't drink caffeinated drinks the other two were not options for me. I'm not exactly sure why, but one day at work I needed a drink. I had tasted Coke before and didn't like it, and I knew I didn't like Fresca...so my only option was Dr Pepper.

I remember that first bottle to this day...believe it or not, I didn't like it. Dr Pepper definitely is an aquired taste. A few days later I wanted a drink again, so I got another Dr Pepper. Soon I was getting one every day. There have even been times in my life where I was waking up in the middle of the night to get a sip of Dr Pepper from a bottle in the fridge...Sad, I know!

Over the years I have tried to quit several times. Twice I even quit for six or seven months. Both times after quitting, I ended up somewhere...a restaurant or hotel...where the only drink I liked on their list of choices was Dr Pepper. Each time I "just had one" then another one a few weeks later, which lead to my daily Dr Pepper.

One of the times I quit was just over a year ago. I had had surgery for a prolapsed bladder and the urologist suggested I quit drinking caffeinated drinks. Now I kick myself for starting up again, because it was very easy to quit that time. No cravings or headaches!

Now that I am almost 50 one of my doctors told me I should have a bone density scan to start monitoring any bone loss. The scan showed that I have Osteopenia. Osteopenia refers to bone mineral density (BMD) that is lower than normal peak BMD but not low enough to be classified as Osteoporosis. My doctor informed me that it is reversible with vitamin D therapy. He also asked if I drank any caffeinated beverages. Then he explained that coffee could help to improve it, but caffeinated sodas would make it worse because of the carbonation, and suggested I quit all carbonated beverages.

So...it's been three days since I've had a Dr Pepper. Keep your fingers crossed that this time it's for good!

I've Got a New Hat

I am a woman of many hats... nurse, taxi driver, head chef, housekeeper, gardener, teacher, confidant, personal shopper, finance manager...the list goes on. I now have another hat to wear...that of student. I have gone back to college to finish my degree. I was SO close when Eli & I got married, that I kick myself for not finishing then.

Dad's One-liners...

Eli took Dad & Tanner to see Avatar at the dollar movies Saturday, but arrived a bit late so the only seats left were in the front row.

After sitting down, Dad turned to Eli & announced, " I wanted to watch the movie, not be in it!"

Don't Forget to Pray...

One of the memories I have from my teens is waking up early to get ready for Seminary and school. In California there is no "release time" to attend Seminary during the school day as an elective...we attended Early Morning Seminary! Depending on the time of year that meant getting up before the sun (and sometime wearing pj's under my coat because it was just too cold to get undressed that early in the morning!)

I can very vividly recall coming out of my bedroom to go to bathroom to shower and primp for the day and being able to hear dad's voice coming from the living room in low whisper. Then tip-toeing quietly to the end of the hall to get a peek at who dad was talking with at that early hour. There was no one else in the room...Dad was on his knees, with his scriptures open on the table in front of him, praying. This was a daily occurrence...unless I was late getting up. In that case he was in his chair already reading his scriptures.

Dad was always a great example at remembering to pray...before every meal, at the end of the day or at the beginning of any trip a family prayer was always said. Now as Dad's memories are fading and he sometimes forgets that we are living in my house and not at a hotel or that Connor is only 17 and not on a mission...he continues to remember to pray. At the dinner table it is not uncommon for him to forget that we just blessed the food and he will pause to say an individual blessing, and in the evening as he is in his room getting ready for bed I can hear him in his room praying before he reads his scriptures.

What a comfort it is as I watch my father's memory deteriorate to know that even though he sometimes forgets that I am his daughter, he is still a great example to me and prayer continues to be important to him.

Where Did February Go!?!

February always seems to disappear for me. I once heard that the older you get the faster time flies & I am beginning to believe it! Normally as one month runs into another it doesn't bother me, but I have a problem when February disappears...Connor's birthday is March 4th! Now, his birthday is only a few days away & I still haven't figured out the perfect birthday present for him! What do you get a 17 year old that doesn't really ask for much? Hmmm, you'd think it would be easy, but the fact that he doesn't really want anything makes it even harder.

Hello 2010!

We welcome 2010 with open arms! 2009 was a tough year, but as we look back we see lots of opportunities for growth as a family.

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Traditions...Old & New

Three of my favorite Christmas traditions began sort of by accident...

Shortly after we were married, Eli’s sister Naomi needed surgery, so her four kids came to stay with us for about five or six weeks during the summer. We were having so much fun with them that I suggested to my sister-in-law Toni that my niece Guinevere (who was 9 at the time) come and spend part of her summer break with us too. Toni thought 5 kids might be too much for a newlywed couple living in a two bedroom condo to handle & suggested maybe Guinevere come visit during her Christmas break…so began the tradition of my "California" nieces & nephews coming up to Utah at Christmastime when they were nine years old. It was tradition that I think we all looked forward to birthdays for, however it ended as soon as there were no more nine year olds.

Guinevere & Mickey at a Escamilla family Christmas party.

Guinevere's mini snowman...there wasn't much snow

As a Christmas present in 1991 my mother gave Eli & I a beautiful glass ornament shaped like a heart. The outer edge of the ornament is framed with poinsettias with two love birds perched at the bottom of the heart and the center has Our First Christmas Together 1991 embossed with gold lettering. The beautifully delicate ornament looked a little out of place on our tree among the brightly painted Santa Clauses, toy soldiers, stars and other little wooden ornaments we had bought to decorate the tree, but we placed it prominently at the front.

Our first Christmas tree...you can't really see the ornament

On Thanksgiving Day 1992, we moved into our first house & the next day promptly began decorating for Christmas. We had so much fun shopping for the perfect tree…looking back at pictures now, it looks more like Charlie Brown’s famous Christmas tree. Shortly after we decorated the tree a Christmas card from my mother arrived. Inside the card was another ornament. This one is also in the shape of a heart, but it is gold & has a house intricately cut out of the center. Around the edges it reads, First Christmas in a New House ~ 1992…so began another new tradition. The next Christmas was Connor’s first one, so we found an ornament of Santa at a baby’s cradle & every year since we find an ornament that represents something that happened with our family during the year. Some of my favorites are Santa riding a whale in his swimsuit from 1999 when we spent Christmas in California, Santa at a desk on the phone with a ton of paperwork from the year we started Print Media Consultants, a fire truck from the year we had a fire in our house & a beautiful bell that looks like a quilt from the year my mother passed away. I like the bell because it reminds me of a saying my mom had embroidered & framed, “Families are like quilts: pieced together and stitched with love.”

Our very own Charlie Brown Christmas tree.

Christmas 1993 was spent in California with my family. We stayed with in Oceanside with Suzy, Brent & the boys and had a very enjoyable stay, but Christmas morning we felt a little bit like we were invading on their Christmas. After that we decided to go to San Diego for Thanksgiving & stay home for Christmas. So the next year, on Christmas Eve as we were wrapping gifts for Connor and putting them under the tree another tradition emerged. One of the gifts was a really cool train/car track set that was called Flip Track. The train tracks were on one side of the track pieces & the road for the cars was on the opposite side. It had these awesome mountains with tunnels that the tracks could go through, along with a filling station, airport & a dock. Not only did it have trains and cars, but there was an airplane and boat also. It was just too much for Eli to resist…instead of wrapping it he ended up setting it up. We decided to leave it set up by tree, so we could see Connors excitement upon seeing it. Every year since then, Santa has always left an unwrapped gift out for each of the boys. It was kind of a nice tradition when they got a little older…they would go out & find the unwrapped gift to play with and let us sleep in a bit.

This year we stumbled across two new traditions… Eli has wanted to deep-fry our turkey for I don’t know how long and even bought the fryer about six years ago, but for one reason or another it hasn’t been used. This year we planned ahead enough to figure out how much oil was needed & purchased it. Christmas morning I was a little nervous as he started setting things up…especially after I saw an Allstate commercial quoting facts about how many homes get burned down each year from people trying to deep-fry their turkeys. OH MY! The turkey was SO good! It was the moistest turkey I have ever had…this is definitely a new tradition!

The second new tradition came about when Connor was visiting his girlfriend Alyssa & they decided to make homemade eggnog. I guess they messed up following the recipe & it didn’t taste so good. Needless to say, when he got home Connor wanted to go buy the ingredients to try again. Now I am not a big fan of eggnog, but he had whipped it so well that it was nice and airy instead of thick & heavy. It turned out REALLY tasty! Another new tradition to look forward to next year!