quick trip

Mom called on Tuesday.  They are looking for a place they can spend part time where the elevation is lower to help with her oxygen levels.  They have made friends everywhere they look and are having fun but unsure how and if they should move forward.  So Mom called and asked me to come give my opinion.  I was able to fly down on Wednesday barely making my standby flight and had a great time with my parents going out to lunch, looking at places and just visiting.  I even got to pick some grapefruit fresh off the tree.

Aren't my parents so cute!

We also visited 2 temples.  The Mesa Temple is old.  I didn't realize that it was built in the 1920s.  It was fun to be in an old temple.  The old ones seem to have stories to tell.  This one had stories written right on the walls "The Glory of the Lord is Intelligence" and several others. Wandering the grounds at the Gilbert temple there was a beautiful aroma coming from lots of these bushes.  What are they?  It was so yummy and quite foreign to me.  I live in the Rocky Mountains. I don't get these kinds of temperatures or these beautiful smells.  I came home to cold, rain and snow.

Sweet Elise and her family took great care of my children while I was gone. I am so grateful to have her close by and sure appreciate the trading of babysitting we get to do.  I came home after only one night away to a happy family watching Once I was a Beehive.  Great show and it is on Netflix:)

On the way home I gave in to social insociability.  It is so interesting to be packed into a small space, practically touching people on both sides, conversations easily overheard and feeling like you can't talk to anyone.  It is crazy how with our cell phone age we have forgotten how to be friendly.  I fell right in with the rest of them. I sit down, glance around and pull out my phone so I don't have to look at anyone or talk to anyone.  It really is sad.  Being a standby single on a full flight I got the middle seat both ways.  On the way home it was between two men.  On talking about Portuguese and Spanish, time in Afghanistan and the Emirates and then watched videos of deep sea fishing or something. Ear plugs in the whole time wearing jeans and flip flops.  On the other side was the dandy in a suit with soft hands that ordered tea and read the whole Delta Sky magazine.  I don't think anyone has every given it so much attention.  He was headed to Amsterdam (He kept checking his boarding pass and I peeked).  I did make a casual comment to him like "would you like my pretzels?"  He said no.  No one ever initiated any conversation.  It is the most interesting thing to be so close to people and so able to ignore and pretend you are all alone.  I would love to figure out the art of conversation.  It is a real gift and talent that is lost to so many of us.

So for Mom and Dad, I don't know what they will decide.  I am glad they are taking their time and weighing the options.  Generally there is no quick fix to any of our challenges but they are willing to make sacrifices and need time to figure things out. They also need to be trusted and supported in whatever they decide.  As a family, we owe them so much.  They have given us life, home, happiness. They have worked themselves ill in hopes of providing opportunities and support.  They have been a great example of love and enduring and giving.  I have learned so much from them. They have raised a successful beautiful family of 7 children.  We are all now raising our own families and the more I seek to be a good parent, the more I appreciate and am in awe of the many sacrifices made on our behalf.  The Lord's plan of happiness includes family and for that I am truly grateful.

Easter

Easter was wonderful. With snow still melting we got a taste of Spring weather and some good fun. Holidays often mean food. Ok, they always mean food.  Food is what makes it a feast, a special occasion, an event worth celebrating.  Feasting isn't always gorging but more creating a special time, something or someone to be honored.  I am so grateful for Easter.  I complained and complained about the fact that our stake does fast Sunday this weekend.  I would like to make women's session of conference even more special by including a celebratory treat. I would like Easter morning to have a special breakfast. There are so many cute ideas with food.

So we fasted.  We waited for our food celebration until later in the day but we did still feast.  We feasted on extra time with scripture study, finding inspiring videos to share, testimony meeting at church, thoughtful lessons in class and then coming home and sharing a nice dinner with family.  It was still a feast day - a Holy Day because we were celebrating and honoring our Savior Jesus Christ.  He suffered and died for us. He experienced all our pains, all our emotions, all of everything so that He could truly succor us, strengthen us and help us complete our turn here on earth and then he provided the way for us to return to live with Him one day.

 Easter eggs colored with cool whip.

 Sunrise Easter devotional at Pioneer park with the temple as a backdrop was wonderful  We did it as families this year and my family all willing got up before the sun to share this time together. Lynn Bishop shared a very tender accounting of Christ's last week and once again I learned some new things. Did you know that when the soldier pierced Jesus' side to make sure he was dead that blood and water came out of him? Brother Bishop suggested that this showed that Jesus' heart had ruptured. He had actually died of a broken heart.

We also got baby chicks right before Easter because we needed more layers and they have been so fun. There is really only a short time that they are cute and then they get awkward and stinky. We also have been reviewing the Living Christ and enjoy these reminders on our Easter tree.

The big boys hid the eggs and the littles got to go hunt them down.  This year the eggs had some candy but also money, balloons, bubbles, and trail mix.  It was fun to not have so much candy

And of course we had to get out the bunny to play with.

This year's Easter menu included ham, yummy potatoes, asparagus, 2 salads, Rachel's rolls, and strawberry shortcake.