School Board Resolution on discrimination

After an incident that made National News, the Beaverton School District came out with a resolution to our commitment to providing a safe, positive, caring and productive learning and working environment. We made a resolution as a board and then were each given the chance to make a personal statement. I wanted to share mine,

We are dealing with a complex and emotional topic with moral, political and legal implications. Let me state unequivocally my full support for removing discrimination in all of its ugly forms from our system. Abraham Lincoln declared “those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves”. The security, safety and liberty of our children and teachers should and must be protected. When the line moves beyond protecting from discrimination into actively endorsing and promoting personal opinions and views on religious, political, social or moral standards, I believe this crosses a line of what should be taught in our schools. I will not support changes to the curriculum aimed at such advocacy. I will fully support and embrace changes to ensure safety and equality in our school district.

I would like to encourage the board, administration and community to remembers that it is not any one person’s or group’s personal beliefs that should be controlling this district; that we are here to move the educational success of all our students forward. We have a commitment to making our students feel safe, but this is not our only goal, and we must not let one incident become so all consuming that we lose sight of the other needs and challenges we are facing. I hope we can work with our entire community to strengthen their involvement and help them to not only understand our challenges and the reasons spurring our suggestions for change but provide positive solutions that benefit our system as a whole.

Birthday Bashes

I just wanted to tell everyone thanks for all their kind birthday wishes. I got a new Backpacking Backpack so what ladies are up for a few day overnight? How old do the kids need to be before they can start hiking it with us. My almost 8 yr old couldn't carry the laundry basket up the stairs today so I don't know if he is ready for a pack. I know in my family you hit 8 and you were hiking a mountain.

I have really enjoyed the chance to talk to so many people and the get togethers. Nathan wrote me an awesome poem and we are planning a trip to Italy this summer. we both hit the big 40 this year. Thanks to his Grandparents and Aunts for being willing to help hang with our gang. They are very excited to see the family.

Hope everyone is doing well.

First Dance Performance

Becca performed in her first ballroom dance performance on Saturday night. Two weeks ago I went to "help" finish the costumes and ended up being one of the 2 ladies in charge. I have been working on those skirts with this other lady for a week and it was stressful. There were 10 panels that had to be all individually designed with a fitted waist band for each of the 10 girls. I am still redoing some of them but the performance went off unhitched and every one had a skirt on. I think Becca enjoyed dressing up and doing the hair and makeup as much as she enjoyed the actual dance.

HELP

What kind of looser Jane Austen Fan am I that BBC comes out with a new adaptation of Emma in a 3 part series and I don't know it. The first part was on Sunday evening and this morning at 2am. Almost up at that time with Rachael but not quite. So the next two parts are the following Sunday evenings. I am seeking someone who may have been better informed and recorded the first part and who would be willing to let me come watch it this week????? If not I may have to cave and watch the 2nd and 3rd and then go back and watch the first one when it comes out on DVD. Thanks to anyone who can help!

Home from the funeral

I just want to say a big huge thanks to everyone for helping out me and my family during these last two weeks. I am home from the funeral and ready to start back into regular life again. I think my kids were happier with their friends families than they are here. I my flight left 3 1/2 hours after my moms but I didn't want my brother to have to go twice and thought I could help my mom through the airport so I got to sit in the airport for ever today. Then when I finally got home, I cleaned up the dinner, kitchen and had the boys ready for bed. We were on our last story and Zach announced his tummy hurt so I sent him to the bathroom where he proceeded to throw up all over my rug and floor. Welcome home.

I have to say what amazing friends I have though. You know the old antige "the shirt off your back"? Well I have a friend who did just that. Last Sunday as Brenda was speaking I was thinking how her shirt would be perfect for the viewing the next week so after church when I ran into her I asked if I could borrow it. She literally pulled the shirt off (she had another plan black one under it everyone) and gave it to me, with the necklace as well. She gave me the shirt off her back. Thanks for being so amazing! Bridget- I heard the pie was terrific...the girls all thank you. Eliza said she had way fun at her friends houses. Thanks again.

Cecil Dale Behunin's passing

My father passed away on Friday 8th in the morning. He had slipped into a comatose state Saturday night after battling Parkinson's, dementia, heart issues and other problems for many years. My mother has fought our urgings to put him in a home for the last two years. She has been amazing to be able to care for him in the home and he was blessed to sleep the last of his life away in his own home with family around him. The funeral will be this Wednesday in California and the Burial in Feron Utah on Saturday. Thank you to my many friends for their kind words and support. We will be leaving the kids here. He was a kind and gentle man that everyone trusted and admired. He was in scouting in my mind forever and an avid fisherman. He and my mother served in the temple as well as on a 2/1 mission to Australia for 8 months and then was sent home to have cancer removed before finishing in the Salt Lake City Library mission. We miss you dad!

Old news but It had to be added

Roz and I went on our Mother daughter 12 year old trip end of August. She wanted to center on the Old West Native American time period. We decided to go to Colorado and watched many of the Dr Quin Medicine women show before we went. (not as much the reader as Becca is). We went to North Park and visited a restored old west town. Saw Pikes Peak but didn't climb it. Our favorite part was riding the range on horseback. We went to Arco Mines and looked for gold nuggets-to no avail-but got to climb through some old tunnels and check out some scary mine works. We spent the night at Soda Springs and got to go swimming in the natural hot springs which were a creepy shade of green. We hiked a "short" walk in our sandals in Este's park that turned into a 10 mile hike over boulders and down secluded paths. Still no signs of moose, but lots of chipmunks. We spent the night at my awesome friend Maralee Powell's and then toured the Denver area before heading home. She is an awesome pre-teen and I learned a lot about rocks. Who knew there could be that many rock stores anywhere.