Joyeux Anniversaire Ivy-Lilac!!

Happy Birthday Dear Ivy!!!

One of my fondest memories of you, dear Ivy-Lilac, was our first trip to England. Allow me to quote from my journal....take note that I tended to be overly detailed in my youth.

"We boarded the bus at 9:30, taking one seat from the back. Amber sat by the window, I sat next to her and Emily sat across the aisle from me, next to a man from Algeria. And then tension filled the air as a man, Peter, and a young woman, Jamie, came to the back of the bus and sat on opposite sides of the bench. Emily began a discussion with the Algerian, and soon Peter joined in. Emily suggested playing a game of UNO. Just as the game began, a book came flying at Peter's head, along with a stream of explatives. Peter excused himself from the game and got into a heated conversation with the girl....wow the drama that ensued from Peter from Prague! Crazy.  This is why you travel with someone before you marry them......

We arrived at 5:30 am to empty and dark cobblestone streets of London. I almost expected to hear a horse and carriage traversing across the streets as everything looked so misty and old and just how I have always dreamed it to be. We made our way over to Victoria Station and figured out how to buy the tickets to take us to Lingfield. On the way there we all squeezed into the bathroom to change into our dresses that were wrinkled from being stuffed into our backpacks. My boots wouldn't fit into my bag, so I had to wear them with my dress....the horror, is there a way to travel and still feel pretty? I haven't discovered it yet! All the fashion faux pas that accompany me when I travel!!

We went to the temple that morning and were heartily welcomed by a bunch of rosy-colored folk with British accents who kept calling me "love".  It made me want to do more and more Temple work! There we met an 18 year old lad named Lewis Quinn. He just turned in his mission papers and travels five hours every other weekend to do Temple work all day. He does about three sessions and then helps in the baptistry. He gave us quite a ride to the train station (so we wouldn't have to bother the govena' again with a taxi call! I sat in the "driver's" side and about had a heartattack!

Later that day I watched in awe as Emily Jex sat next to a stranger on the bus and spoke to him about religion. She was so graceful and beautiful, her testimony resonating within her and although I wasn't brave enough to speak out, I sat in my chair, watched her and prayed that this stranger she was talking to would be receptive to the spirit she was sharing with him. At the end of their conversation he asked for a Book of Mormon.

Prayer is what we needed too!! After two rides from Lewis, one ride from a stranger, and a prayer, we got to London. Does that need explaining? Ok: Lewis kindly drove us to the train station, but he forgot to give us Emily's money so we were absolutely stuck with NO pounds. We didn't know what to do besides pray. So we did, we all gathered in prayer and within 10 seconds of saying "Amen" a man was giving us money for the phone, in fact, he was calling for us and then a lady offered to drive us to the Temple! We were so grateful we offered her our last pack of cookies. We caught up with Lewis, got the money, and had him drive us back to the train station!"

I know, it's not as interesting as my current journal entries, too pedantic, but still, so fun to relive those moments. The moment I remember most about you Emily Jex, was you trying to wake me up...singing some such ridiculous song that went something like "Way up in the sky, the little birds fly...." I can hear your voice so clearly, and then feel it as you came and sat on me, pulling me up and out of my little cot!

Happy Birthday! I feel so lucky to have shared so many memorable moments with your calming, powerful, lovely, and faithful self!

Grand Canyon 2008

We hiked about 40 miles in 5 days, 20 miles in and out. At the turnaround, Rob and I took the day off while our friends took a side hike. It was awesome. The desert was in full bloom, blue skies above beautiful hues of red. We saw quite a few river folk but, along the trail we were alone. We hiked down Tanner Trail to Tanner Rapids, according to the trailhead all are named after a "morman" miner. Then at the river we hiked along the Beamer trail, named after another miner. He lived along the Little Colorado River. The confluence of the Colorado and Little Colorado was our goal. We were hoping for the crystal clear blue waters of the Little Colorado but, at the time we were there, it was running high and muddy. But, it was still beautiful. We arrived at the confluence late and since the Little was muddy, we wanted to filter the water from the Colorado upstream. This meant crossing the Little in the dark. The men tried for about an hour and decided it wasn't worth risking until morning. We had used a lot of water on that second day and it was the only time where we gathered all of our water together and divided it equally between the 7 of us. It was enough to get us through the night. Hopefully we could cross and filter water in the morning. We decided not to use the water for making dinner but, to just drink it instead and eat some lunch food. Even though it was plenty of water to satisfy my thirst, it did feel different and I found myself nervous about drinking all of it since we didn't have a way to get more, yet. Thankfully in the morning, White Daisy's husband was able to filter some and he shared some at breakfast then, we all went across the Little and filtered a lot. It felt good. The Beamer Trail was very narrow at times and with a heavy pack it had me at a point I have never reached, humming hymns to keep from losing it. I remember staring at the trail thinking about each step, and in my peripheral, I could see movement of all of that lies far below us. Can you guess what I was humming? "How Firm a Foundation"!!!
I beat up my heels, knees and shoulders but, they are recovering and I am relishing in the memories of the desert. I love this place. I came here just before I was expecting Angela and I came again now, full circle. It is a healing place.

The Automobile

I was driving the other day and spotted a minivan much like the Wilson's had in Paris. I had a few memories come to me...driving the Wilson children and tulip to Church out at the conference center, making sure to use the choke button so it didn't die, hitting someone's car in the parking lot there..I think the branch president's car..driving through the narrow streets of Marly Le Roi, driving Abe to the swimming pool to do lessons and having him teach me about the quarters of the moon. P=premier and d=dernier. Cool Abe. It was a happy moment as I rolled down the road in my minivan. xoxo I remember having sweaty knuckles going through L'etoile with Sunflower the first time. Parallel parking her car in Le Vesinet. Roadtripping to Rouen with Jason A. with our box of cereal that I think I gave away to some poor lady on the street...

Judgement and Taking offense, two great evils

You know, whenever I look at the camparison of the single vs married dilema in the church I just can't help but come to the conclusion that Satan plays a big hand there. Why should so much jealousy exist? Why should anyone feel guilty or belittled for doing what the Lord has set out for them to do? I am a believer in teaching the rule and letting the Lord dictate exceptiong-FOR THE MOST PART. BUT! if people insist on being judgemental ON EITHER SIDE it doesn't work very well. There are so many issues like this in the church where there is a doctrine or a "right way" of doing things but yet we as people tend to either get offended or judge others and it brings the need for saying things like "oh but it's ok for this and that and blah blah blah". The whole beauty of personal revelation is that we have it! Wouldn't it be great if we could only use what we see in others to help ourselves, to learn from the good and the bad and not to tear ourselves and others apart?

I love who your are Wysteria in the part of your life that you're in and I know the Lord loves you too. I love the way that you take life by the horns and welcome so much with open arms and I know that's Divine in you. The Lord has blessed you with so much. I see that you have a huge power for good.

Ivy-I love your amazing way of fitting it in and getting it done bag and baggage. Your uncomplaining self inspires me every time I think of you. You see through such Christian eyes and I don't fully understand how to do that yet. WOW!

Sunflower, the Lord can use you every day because you keep your composure under every circumstances. You've come so far since the days we first met you. I feel so much kinship for your earthy peaceful self. I always have since I met you!

I hope I'm not being hypocritical too much because I haven't exactly overcome my "fear of men" or rather fear of their judgement. I just know it's a truth. I know that it's one of the great evil's of the world. MMMm, here's a thought. Are the movers and shakers of the world motivated more often by the good in people or the bad? Comments?

It's been a while

It must be a busy time of year. I know it is for me. Ivy! How was your trip? We want a report.
Matt and I head out for Boston next week. Have any of you been there?
So here's a little thought for you all in your business.

'And what's a life? The flourishing array
Of the proud summer meadow, which today
Wears her green plush, and is tomorrow hay.'

So to me that can be what it is but also, being hay as lowly as it might seem, is living up to the measure of it's creation. So might we.