Today is my Mom's birthday! We were supposed to be together at Lake Powell. Mom & Dad have their houseboat this week, today is clean up and go home day. Their houseboat is at the Bull Frog end of the lake - the furthest from our home! Pulling a boat it is a 7 hour drive. We were going to go anyway, then B. said he was going to come to be there with us, but he couldn't leave until Thursday. I really didn't want to drive the kids over on Tuesday or Wednesday to have B. drive another vehicle on Thursday. We determined to wait for B, and then pushed to have him cancel everything so we could leave on Wednesday. I didn't know when our joyous Dog hearing was scheduled, but I learned that was what the problem was on Thursday morning. Joy! That hearing has been scheduled for months, and B. tried to bump it, but they wanted to bump it just a week - to next Thursday which is when we want to be in SLC for Ragnar. The following Thursday is girls camp and I will be at Wood Badge. We decided we should just stay this week, and get it done, but then to leave on Thursday afternoon, drive all that day to spend just Friday on the lake and come home Saturday was a long drive! 14 hours in the car, to spend one day on the lake. We sadly determined we should forgo this trip.
Happy Birthday Mom! I love you so much! Thank you for teaching me about my Heavenly Father! Thank you for your example of prayer. I remember as a little girl riding our bikes to the bridge in the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon. I loved to go there, and we went often - almost daily in the summertime! While we played in the river, Mom would sit in the woods, praying to her Father. I remember watching her, thinking of the prophet Joseph. Knowing that it was someplace beautiful that the prophet chose to pray as well. My Mom communed with God. I was sure (and still am) that she was worthy and most likely had seen our Heavenly Father as she prayed there in that most beautiful place! I loved the feeling of peace that we felt as a family there, despite the challenge it was to get there! You see, it was quite a bike ride from my house, and I was the oldest of Mom's seven kids. She always had one on the back of her bike, and then we had one or two that didn't have gears on their bike to make it easier to pedal. I learned early to ride side by side with my siblings, and together we made our own tandem bike - while I pushed them up the hills! One sister cried all the way every time! I always pushed her most of the way! Today she is the most active of the group! She is currently pregnant, but still biking that trail, pulling her little B. in a trailer! Last week I was talking to D. while he waited for M. on the trail, and he started hollering at K! She was flying up the trail he said with B. in tow! What an awesome opportunity to be close!
A few years ago D built M a new house close (in fact right in) the mouth of the canyon, just a block from that beautiful bridge I love! It is truly a castle in heaven! I believe our Heavenly Father has so many gifts to give to us, if we are willing to work with Him! D. built the house mostly with his own hand in God's! Everything they do is with total faith that somehow it will work out, and it does! I am so grateful for their example! I am thankful that we were able to buy the old house in Sandy to have a place there of our own. Right now with seven little ones at home, life is so engaged here in our home town, we struggle to get out of town. However, I believe the day is not far distant that we will not have so much happening right here, and we may find opportunities to be there more. I had impressions recently that my own children might need that place to live the first years of their married lives. What a blessing that beautiful home has been to me (D. build it too!) I am grateful to call it home still!
So today rather than waking up in beautiful Lake Powell with my family all around us, we are here in St. George. Yesterday we did take off, and went to Sand Hollow Reservoir for the day. We had a beautiful day together on the boat (with no mechanical problems thankfully!)! Last night, J and C got brave, and asked if they could take friends and go sleep out on the boat on the lake. This morning is the Utah Summer Games Tri. We are usually not in town for this week, and so have never done this race although it is the same course as the other two we do participate in. While the tri is happening, they close the lake, so if you're on the lake, you get it to yourself - glass all morning! That is the part we love at Lake Powell, and many call Sand Hollow "Mini Lake Powell" because it has the same red rock cliffs sticking out of the water! So the boys took friends last night and the boat all by themselves, and went back to the lake! At about I convinced B. to go out just so they had an adult there with them. I totally trust J. and C. but I also know as a parent, I appreciate having adult supervision around! B. didn't want to go, thinking he needed to show J. he trusted him. However, J called about 9 and asked if B. was coming. I know we are so blessed to have a Dad that cares and watches over us! B. took S. out after dark last night. I kept the girls and J. here to sleep in our own beds. So, right now we hope they are cutting up the glass water at the lake, loving the morning with the lake to themselves!
Happy Birthday Mom! I am sorry we aren't waking up to take you on a Donut run as you have for us so many times! You are always so kind and loving, concerned about others! You are so in tune with the spirit. You are so strong in your testimony of the purpose of this life, and the importance of righteous living! Thank you for standing firm in your example! Thank you for your constant testimony of Heaven! Thank you for being a beautiful example of Motherhood! I love you so much! Thanks for being my Mom! Thanks for being a fun, loving, strong Granny to my little ones! We all wish we were with you! xoxoxoxoxox
Happy Birthday Mom! I love you so much! Thank you for teaching me about my Heavenly Father! Thank you for your example of prayer. I remember as a little girl riding our bikes to the bridge in the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon. I loved to go there, and we went often - almost daily in the summertime! While we played in the river, Mom would sit in the woods, praying to her Father. I remember watching her, thinking of the prophet Joseph. Knowing that it was someplace beautiful that the prophet chose to pray as well. My Mom communed with God. I was sure (and still am) that she was worthy and most likely had seen our Heavenly Father as she prayed there in that most beautiful place! I loved the feeling of peace that we felt as a family there, despite the challenge it was to get there! You see, it was quite a bike ride from my house, and I was the oldest of Mom's seven kids. She always had one on the back of her bike, and then we had one or two that didn't have gears on their bike to make it easier to pedal. I learned early to ride side by side with my siblings, and together we made our own tandem bike - while I pushed them up the hills! One sister cried all the way every time! I always pushed her most of the way! Today she is the most active of the group! She is currently pregnant, but still biking that trail, pulling her little B. in a trailer! Last week I was talking to D. while he waited for M. on the trail, and he started hollering at K! She was flying up the trail he said with B. in tow! What an awesome opportunity to be close!
A few years ago D built M a new house close (in fact right in) the mouth of the canyon, just a block from that beautiful bridge I love! It is truly a castle in heaven! I believe our Heavenly Father has so many gifts to give to us, if we are willing to work with Him! D. built the house mostly with his own hand in God's! Everything they do is with total faith that somehow it will work out, and it does! I am so grateful for their example! I am thankful that we were able to buy the old house in Sandy to have a place there of our own. Right now with seven little ones at home, life is so engaged here in our home town, we struggle to get out of town. However, I believe the day is not far distant that we will not have so much happening right here, and we may find opportunities to be there more. I had impressions recently that my own children might need that place to live the first years of their married lives. What a blessing that beautiful home has been to me (D. build it too!) I am grateful to call it home still!
So today rather than waking up in beautiful Lake Powell with my family all around us, we are here in St. George. Yesterday we did take off, and went to Sand Hollow Reservoir for the day. We had a beautiful day together on the boat (with no mechanical problems thankfully!)! Last night, J and C got brave, and asked if they could take friends and go sleep out on the boat on the lake. This morning is the Utah Summer Games Tri. We are usually not in town for this week, and so have never done this race although it is the same course as the other two we do participate in. While the tri is happening, they close the lake, so if you're on the lake, you get it to yourself - glass all morning! That is the part we love at Lake Powell, and many call Sand Hollow "Mini Lake Powell" because it has the same red rock cliffs sticking out of the water! So the boys took friends last night and the boat all by themselves, and went back to the lake! At about I convinced B. to go out just so they had an adult there with them. I totally trust J. and C. but I also know as a parent, I appreciate having adult supervision around! B. didn't want to go, thinking he needed to show J. he trusted him. However, J called about 9 and asked if B. was coming. I know we are so blessed to have a Dad that cares and watches over us! B. took S. out after dark last night. I kept the girls and J. here to sleep in our own beds. So, right now we hope they are cutting up the glass water at the lake, loving the morning with the lake to themselves!
Happy Birthday Mom! I am sorry we aren't waking up to take you on a Donut run as you have for us so many times! You are always so kind and loving, concerned about others! You are so in tune with the spirit. You are so strong in your testimony of the purpose of this life, and the importance of righteous living! Thank you for standing firm in your example! Thank you for your constant testimony of Heaven! Thank you for being a beautiful example of Motherhood! I love you so much! Thanks for being my Mom! Thanks for being a fun, loving, strong Granny to my little ones! We all wish we were with you! xoxoxoxoxox