cc: file, Tony Hafen, Pauline Nelson via mail., Sara and Des Penny, Claude and Katherine Warner, Lloyd and Luana Warner, Diane Cluff, Maxine Shirts via mail.
"Ethan Evans Nelson! First Grandchild! My father's, grandfather's, great-grandfather's, and great-great-grandfather's last name continues for another generation! So Ben and Sara called Wednesday evening, just as I was walking out the door to teach a lesson to my Venturing Scouts, with the news they had been to the Doctor and opened their July 24th present early. Sarah sent me three photos from the sonogram on Thursday, and they are sufficiently non-interperpretable, which is a strong statment by a seismic interpreter, I will not bother to attach them to this e-mail. The photos are in a new photos subdirectory: http://www.walden3d.com/photos/Family/02_BenSarah/01_EthanEvans/.
Judging by the number of photos taken of Roice, vs. everyone else, I predict this first Grandson's photo directory to become humongous over the next couple of decades. Specifically until he reaches the age Ben is now. It is an interesting thought exercise to think about Grandpa Roice Bengt Nelson's first Grandson, Darrel Krueger, and to cite your mind forward through the years to where Darrel is now the President of a University and a Stake President. So what does the future hold for Ethan Evans Nelson? What is the value of any baby?
For many who meet Ethan for the first time, and who have studied U.S. history, their first thought will go to Ethan Allen, the `orotund leader of Vermont's Green Mountain Boys.' They will recall how Ethan Allen, along with the other prmina donna of the moment, Benedict Arnold, jointly pounced on the British at the Ticonderoga garrison, gaining needed artillery, which was subsequently hauled on rivers and over mountains to aid in liberating Boston. My history book reports that the aroused British officer asked by what authority Allen demanded surrender, and he responded with majestic grandiloquence: "In the name of the Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress!" Ethan Allen was described as a hotheaded Vermont farmer, and was responsible for the the colonies' first victory against the British. However, even during the Revolutionary War, Ethan Allen and his brother Ira attempted to negotiate a treaty with Britain which would have made Vermont a province of Canada. Their real objective appears to have been to force the Congress to side with the Green Mountain Boys against New York, which also claimed the territory we now know as Vermont. And what is the future of Ethan Evans Nelson?
So I asked Ben where the name Ethan came from and he said, `It's just a name we liked.' Evans, on the other hand, is the middle name of several of the men in Sarah's family. So I got thinking, Evans was probably decided on first, because of family tradition, then Ben got looking for another `E' name so his son's initials would be EEN, like his initials are BBN (Benjamin Bengt Nelson). And going back to the time of the Revolutionary War, when Benjamin Franklin was in his glory, it makes sense to pick the name Ethan Evans Nelson. Recognizing ego is a powerful driver in my life, it is easy to assume it is in other people's lives also. Of course, there is the very real probability Ben and Sarah just liked the name Ethan, which is what Ben told me in the first place, and that my speculations are simply unnecessary speculations. However, for what it is worth I don't think it is ever a bad thing to exercise brain cells, because you never know what will come out of `unnecessary speculation.'
And to think, this news about Ethan Evans Nelson comes as the direct response to a marriage proposal (0010.html). Sarah sent me the following comments about Ben's marriage proposal:"
And this week I received a note from another of my favorite Sara's:
And this week I received a note from my favorite Bridget:
And this week I received a couple of notes from my favorite Melaine:
And in response to:
I received this:
I included the above correspondence to enable more communication about all that is happening the next few weeks, to show that these Thoughlets can be more dynamic than a weekly lecture, and to tell my impending Grandson, Ethan Evans Nelson, who is still slipping back and forth between his pre-existence and mortality, what a wonderful family he is coming to join. I'm very proud, in a majestic manner, of each of you and how you are each doing. There is always room for improvement.
Nate, it would be nice to get your comments about Heather's description of your marriage proposal, so what I put in the ELectronic DOcument known as Thoughtlets reflects both yours and her view of reality. Paul and Kate, as well as Melane and Jared, please take a few minutes to write out how your marriage proposals happened. I am excited about this ELDO I'm creating each week providing a vialble mechanism for intergenerational communication to Ethan Evans Nelson and his cousins.
As far as how my week went, I doubt if it will ever be of much interest to Ethan Evans Nelson. Monday I had a wonderful lunch at the China Plaza with Lyle Rowbury (../9950.html and 0005.html). We talked about what he is going to do now he has actually retired. I'm trying to get him involved in Vpatch. Monday KISD was out, and Matt, Rachel, (Rob had to do homework and couldn't go with us), Andrea, and I went to see the movie `My Dog Skip' for Family Home Evening. Ethan will like this movie, and all of you should go see it. Absolutely wonderful. If only there were more movies like this! Tuesday morning I went to the GSH Technical Breakfast at Texaco Research where Mike Zeitlin (../9840.html and ../9938.html) has set up his version of Continuum Resources, named `Magic Earth' (0006.html). They have some really nice software, and I seem to be a lightning rod for comments around Mike. Lots of e-mail and several projects took up the day at work. I made it to Beck Junior High School just in time to hear Matt play his trumpet. Andrea took him to a practice baseball game at the Pony League Fields Rob played at, while I stayed and worked on Ken Turner's web pages.
Wednesday morning Jack Land and Dick Coons visited with a nice exploration and data opportunity in South Texas. In the afternoon we had a Continuum financial strategy meeting from 1:00 until 4:30 PM. I got home about 5:30 and was running around getting all of my materials together to head up a discussion about Building a House for the Venturing Crew when Ben and Sarah called with the news about Ethan Evans Nelson. I was excited, as you can tell from this Thoughtlet, and yet I was distracted because of previous commitments. The evening went well. Following the lesson I met with Bishop Camp to renew my Temple Recommend. Thursday morning started with a good Sales Forecast Meeting. I went to the GSH Board Meeting at 10:30. I called Richard Barren and arranged to take him out to lunch as a follow-up on our previous lunches (0007.html and 0009.html). When I got there, Mike Dunn was just going in and he went out with us. The meetings in New York went well, and this looks like it might lead to a solution to some of Continuum's challenges. After work Thursday evening I met Roger Anderson, Steve Joseph, and Albert Boulanger for dinner at Guadalajara's. We got a report on Vpatch, and it turned into a neat discussion about the network of minds. I can imagine what the Network of Minds will turn into by the time Ethan Evans Nelson is old enough to participate. Thursday we had a power hit, and since the power backup for the Sun stopped working several weeks ago, and I had taken it out of the power loop, one of the disk drives was ruined. It means I can't update the pictures on the chess games with Ben and Paul until it is fixed. I thought Paul's last move should be repeated for all of you:
My response was equally full of testostrone:
Friday was very busy and yet I can't remember what all was going on. Mike Yates used the Erdas topographic modeling software for a demo for CoReExchange. I hurried home to get Matt, and we went to a campout for Boy Scout Junior Leader Training. As one of the Priests said to me today, this is one of the most unique characteristics of the church, namely that young men have the opportunity to do things with and be trained by some of the leaders of our community, for instance, Mike Pickerd, one of the top bankers in Houston. I ended up helping Mary Lunt make copies of materials for our new scoutmaster, Floyd Lunt, and so I was late getting to Bear Creek Park. I got there in time for a dinner of chili dogs, which we cooked like marshmellos on a stick. Since I realize Matt is going to be out of scouts in just 6 more years, I am already looking forward to going camping with my Grandson Ethan Evans Nelson.
There was a line of thundershowers which went through between 10:00 and midnight. When I got up yesterday morning, two of the tents were wrapped around a tree, and five of the kids were asleep on tables under the shelter. Reminded me of our camping experience on Lake Powell with Uncle Lloyd and Aunt Luana back in about 1990. For those who were not with us, Uncle Lloyd took us back to see Rainbow Natural Bridge, we stoped at Hole-in-the-Rock and a couple of us climbed to the top of it, and then we camped on a sand bar. During the night there was a big storm that came up, blew down our tent, and we all hid in a small cavity at the base of a cliff. Paul was busy building walls at the front of the cavity to protect us. This was the same campout Melanie almost drowned, and Uncle Lloyd jumped in, saved her, and lost his new glasses in the process. Althought I don't like to see any of you in any kind of danger, it is a good thing to participate in this type of activity, specifically an activity where we are graphically reminded our lives are ultimately in God's hands. This is one of the hard lessons each of us, even Ethan Evans Nelson, need to learn.
Yesterday morning I took Matt out to the Pony Leage Fields for his baseball pictures, hot chocolate and sunflower seeds, and a game. Matt, you fielded real good, and I'm sorry you got out both times you were up to bat. At least you went down swinging. I spent the rest of the day working on Heritage Gallery Online, except for an hour break to go over to the Williams for the reception for the marriage of Ryan Cahoon and Wanawan Lakthong. Watching them start to meld the two almost opposite cultures of their Grandparents, I was impressed by her eldest cousin's comment, `Ryan has a good heart.' Isn't this what we all need? And as we develop love in our own lives it will surely be picked up by those who we are close to and who are loaned to us for us to mentor and help, those like Ethan Evans Nelson and any cousins who later join our family."