Funny but sweetest video of baby Chimp and Momma

This video is so cool to me. First it's funny as heck with the other younger chimp pushing the younger chimp in the water but watch the amazing human-like chimp mother step in and rescue her baby. Amazing!

My Uncle Boy- Thomas Patterson Bellingham

This is my mom with her older brother Thomas Bellingham. They always called him boy since he was named after their father. This past weekend he died leaving a big hole in my mother's heart. My mom has 15 other siblings and they were all raised in Falkirk, Scotland. Some of the 15 siblings had died as infants and she has since lost two other sisters in recent years. I have met my Uncle Boy back in 1993 when I first went to Scotland. He was a very quiet scotsman. He lost his wife in the early 80's to cancer and he has a couple of grown children and grandchildren.

I'm sorry for your loss, Mom, especially when you're so far away and can't be there. Much love to you and the rest of the Bellingham/Campbell family who mourns this loss.

Jacky and Shannon- my new found cousins

Recently on the social network, Facebook, a few of my cousins have recently joined up and we've all been chatting and getting to know each other all over again. Shannon and Jacky, who's mother (Neita) is my dad's sister. Well they lived and grew up in Vernal, UT (about 3 hours away) so we didn't see one another very often and didn't get to know each other as well as our other closer cousins.

So Jacky and I started talking and you will never believe this.
1. She works in Washington D.C. as Senior Intelligence Officer, for the Joint Intelligence Task Force for the Department of Defense, combating terrorism. Wow!
2. She graduated from Harvard University with her masters degree and is by far the smartest person in our whole family.

3. She's "family" in every respect too! :-) Her partner, Glynis, is from Maryland also like my Joni.

4. Jacky and I are Boston Red Sox fans, Glynis and Joni are Baltimore Oriole fans.

This is Shannon. She is 6 or 7 years older than me and she along with Jacky lost a brother, Danny, in the late 70's when he was like 18 to a terrible industrial accident. She is a mother of 3 kids and lives in Western Colorado with her husband, Doug. Jacky and Shannon and I have had some amazing discussions about our family, our lives, and I'm so glad that we have crossed paths again and can get to know each other and our families again better. I have always wanted to know my family better. It's what took me and my sister, Yvonne, to Scotland for the first time so we could meet and get to know our mother's mother, brothers and sisters and cousins too. To this day I am pretty close to most of them and have returned to Scotland two more times to visit again. A few years ago, My Aunt Margaret (mother's sister), during her last visit to America- brought with her my Grandmother's wedding ring that she was given when Grandma passed away and at the end of her trip, she and her two other sisters Elgin and Janet gave me that special gold band and I will treasure it forever.

The Campbell side of our family was pretty much in Utah County, Vernal, and Western Colorado (Grand Junction). I pretty much grew up with most of my cousins in Utah Valley and we all knew each other pretty well even to this day but as far as Jacky/Shannon and their siblings- not as much since there was such a geographic gap and we weren't very good about having regular family reunions (shame on the parents and aunts and uncles). I've always talked about writing a book on families and I even know the name of the book, "Do You Know Your Family?" Not sure it would be a New York Times bestseller but there's so much about my family that I want to know more of. When everyone in our lives comes and goes, the one thing you should be able to count on is family.

So welcome Jacky/ Shannon back to the family, not that you were ever gone but it's so great getting to know you both again and we need to stay in touch always.

Charleston Trip with my Parents

Hi bloggers. We've been gone for a little while due to the fact that my parents, Aaron and Lilias Campbell came into town last Wednesday for a short visit. We took them down to Charleston, SC and to the beach and had a great time. I had not seen my parents for over a year and so I was very excited and glad to see them again and spend some quality time with them showing them the south. Thanks Mom and Dad for your efforts to come out here and see Joni and me and our life here in South Carolina. We had a great time and will never forget your visit and the laughs.

Words of Wisdom/Reunion memory

I heard a great quote yesterday and I loved it so much, I saved it to share here. I was thinking about last summer when I went home to Utah to my 20 year high school reunion and I had an encounter with one of my former teammates and classmates that really bugged me. She is one of the girls sitting in this picture with me. She and I never really got along that well back in the day, no reason really- we just never gelled so anyway, she married another guy from our class and when they got to the school that evening, I had just arrived and was sitting in my parked car watching others walk in. So Kristy (not her real name) and husband come driving in the parking lot in their big ass black suburban and they drive through the whole parking lot and drove right past me just at the time that Kristy saw me and I saw her point at me as if she was saying, "There's Senga." So they park a couple of rows over and they get out of the car and Kristy doesn't even look over or wave or anything. And I was thinking, "Brother! We still haven't grown up in 20 years!" And then once I walked in the door and saw her she raised her eyebrows as if she's so surpised to see me. "What a fake bitch, I thought." But then I saw this quote and realized she never mattered to me so I'm over it now.

"There comes a point in your life when you realize
who matters
who never did
who won't anymore...
and who always will

So, don't worry about people from your past,
there's a reason why they didn't make it to your future.
Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle. Always Smile, It Does The Heart Good!

So be kind and wave to your old classmate, old boyfriend/girlfriend, roommate or whoever even if you didn't really get along all those years ago. If you don't the universe will bite you in the butt down the road. Peace out!

Blogging, Busy, News!

Hi there bloggers. We have really sucked lately when it comes to blogging. Between J and I, we just haven't been able to find the time. J has been traveling lots- last week in Chicago, this week in California so it's been next to impossible for her to blog. I have been working everyday also either at the airport, or spa and during any down time I have had, I have also been painting a room and now starting on a second room. And if any of you out there have painted before, it is no easy task! It takes a lot out of you physically. So since all my jobs are so physical and then with the painting, any other down time has been resting the hands and chillin' on ice. I'm pushing 40 this year too!
I think I'll go back to a desk job next go around. ;-)

So we have some news- Some of you know already but J and I have decided that we want to move back home to Utah. We've been in the south for 3 years now and we've enjoyed it a ton and made great friends here. Four of our friends live on our same street and with us having a pool, we have had lots of parties and get-togethers. But with Joni's traveling that she'll continue to have to do, her job is not tied down to being in any one location, plus when she's gone, I admit it- I'm a big baby and don't like being alone (even though I have 3 cats to talk to, who don't talk back). Usually when J is here, the cats come into the bedroom and sleep and hang out but last week when she was gone, the cats were no where to be found. The third night last week, I yelled at them for abandoning me and not wanting to be with me. That's when you know you've had enough. If we were home in Utah, I could run over to my sisters houses or any of you and come visit, but here- it's just not the same.

So I don't know how soon this will all happen. We have a home to sell and having a pool will entice some while others with families with kids won't like it because there really is no yard for them to play in but we believe we will sell it faster than the norm. The selling time right now is about 4-6 months. So if all of you out there could put out some of that positive energy for us that it will sell quick, we would be very appreciative. It's time to come home to Utah. So with a little luck, hopefully we're back and settled by next summer, at the latest. Much to ya'all (do I sound southern?)