Tough Love

Once upon a fictional modern time a man was given a chance to build an ark. Recently elected as a US congressman, Evan Baxter embarks on a journey that is both incredibly difficult and inspiring. After announcing on a very public broadcast of a congressional meeting that he had been commanded by God to build the ark, his wife packs up the kids and heads back to their home town, leaving Evan in the sprinklers out on the lawn. Remembering having been told that whatever was done was done because the Lord loved him, in his discouragement he cries out "Do me a favor, love me less."

I am having a particularly difficult time this year, both at work and in my personal life, through which I feel I can relate to this statement. Sometimes I wish the learning could take a break, that for a while life could just be easy for a change. I hear of the vacations friends take and the loving relationships they are in and I find myself struggling to sit through anything akin to a romantic comedy. If only life would fit into what I wish it would be for a change, and I wouldn't have to constantly run up against tests, temptations and trials.

Fortunately, though, I know better. I truly know that the Lord loves me, and it is through that love that I have been and will continue to Spirit would teach me. That there are so many lessons to learn in this short time of mortality that cannot be taught without taking the tests, overcoming the temptations and working through the trials. My life is so much more in so many ways that it could have been had I had my girlhood fairy tales come true. So if you see me struggling at times, know this: I know that I am the daughter of a Heavenly Father that loves me enough to guide me through those lessons that will bring me more eternal joy than I could ever possibly imagine.

A Cow-less Christmas

This year, as the first in quite some time that we have had music playing in our store, I have been making an effort to get in some good Christmas music (yes, before Thanksgiving, I know). My first shot of course was to go to the music I have been listening to for years, the music I've grown up with, including Mannheim Steamroller, Elmo and Patsy's Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer, and more. I've tried to make sure that they are both kid-friendly and not staff-inciting (hence no Chipmunks, even I couln't listen to that one more than once or twice a season, let alone once or twice a day).

One cd I thought perfectly fit the bill is one our family has listened to for years: It's a Cow Christmas, featuring such songs as Deck the Stalls, We Three Cows, Angus We Have Heard on High, and God Rest Ye Merry Cattlemen to name a few. One of my favorites is The Twelve Days of Christmas listing gifts such as Five Brass Nose Rings and alfalfa as far as you can see.... So having enjoyed this cd for much of my life, I merrily brought it in.

Much to my dismay, I have replaced the cd at the request of my staff. Sigh. Such an uncultured lot, but what can a gal do. Fortunately for me I have coworkers at the zoo that will now be able to benefit from it :) This year though, alas, I shall have a cow-less, or rather a "less-cow" Christmas.

Christmas Concerts in the Rain

So it has been over 2 months since I last updated my blog. For good reason, I like to think, though a small part of me confesses it's from laziness. I have been working at least 60 hours a week for so long that I get home, spend a bit of time with the family, and get to bed just in time to gear up for the next day.

Finally, though, I have something blog worthy! One of the advantages of working at the Gateway Mall is having advance notice of events. Tonight was the 9th annual Light Up the Night event, where the Christmas Tree is lit and Santa arrives. I have never attended one before now (though this is actually my 3rd year at the mall) and wasn't planning on it this year until I learned that Peter Breinholt would be performing. Yay!

I woke this morning with the beginnings of a migraine and almost didn't make it in, but I geared up, took some meds and got a bottle of coke and headed in to work, and fortunately it cleared off a couple hours later. As I have only had 2 days off in a really really long time I decided I could skip out for a bit, grabbed my sweatshirt (having forgotten my coat at home), and headed outside. Yes, the performance was outdoors, and anyone who has seen anything of the news knows there is a big storm coming in, and we have had mixed rain and snow all evening. Undaunted, I made it through his entire performance, believing it was most definitely worth it. And yes, it was indeed definitely most worth it. He sang one song I hadn't heard before that I intend to find, and one of my favorites, Edwin's Tale. I also loved feeling the music of Jerusalem, his last song. What a powerful performance!

He performed for about 45 minutes, during which time I got soaked through. I made it through--courtesy both his awesome music and the promise to myself of a venti hot chocolate afterwards. I picked up the hot chocolate (with cinnamon dolce, very warming!) on my way back to my office and sit even now right next to a space heater at full blast. Yay again!

Overall, I most definitely enjoyed the event, and am definitely more in the Christmas spirit than I have been in some time :)

A Long Day

As the title of this update should suggest, yesterday was a really, really long day. It started at 3:11 AM, four hours after I had fallen asleep towards the end of a migraine. Sometimes when they end I am really energetic, and while not bouncing off the walls, it did take me another two or so hours to fall back asleep. I got up in time to make it to work at 8:00 for a meeting, followed by another meeting, followed by three hours on a register, which was followed by another about three hour meeting (the last one was rather fun, I'm working with some new peers over at Hogle Zoo). Shortly after my guests left, I made a much needed phone call, had a discussion with our HR manager, and then it was back on the register for about another hour and twenty minutes, give or take. Around five-thirty or so I finally made it out of the museum and over to Dick's Sporting Goods, where I finally, after four years, bought a new pair of shoes. Not just any shoes, either, but good hiking boots. Not that I hike; they are just my favorite kind of work shoes courtesy durability and good ankle support.

By the time I made it back to work I wasn't quite functioning. Unfortunately, in addition to opening I was also closing, which meant sticking around until eight...or should I say nine-thirty. It took over an hour to get everything closed and cleaned up for the day, and then finish preparing an online order to drop off at the post office. I made it home just after ten o'clock.

It didn't stop there, though. Our store is transitioning to another company, meaning that I will be working for a new company to operate it. With this outsourcing has come a rather large number of questions and concerns, leaving me stranded with at least four separate migraines over the last week. Sigh. After an hour or so I had a conversation with my dad that left me just as stressed as I had been all day. Knowing that, despite my lack of sleep and having worked over thirteen hours that day, I would be unable to sleep, I wanted to take a walk. Well, frankly, that's just not something you do at one o'clock in the morning. Not alone, at least. Instead I hoped into my new (to me) '97 Explorer and started driving.

Back when I worked in Real Estate I would occasionally drop flyers off at the properties my agents had listed for sale. They ranged far and wide, both in location and in price. One of my favorite properties was up right across from where the Draper Temple now stands. While I did like the house itself, I confess I mostly liked it for the view of the valley. It is to this neighborhood that I drove, my thoughts sluggishly and maddeningly fighting for my attention. When I finally made it up there, my favorite view had been blocked by a mansion, but I was able to park at the Temple and collect myself. The Spirit calmed my soul, and I eventually got in the car and started the drive home.

Before I got far, though, I was able to stop at what will now be my favorite spot to view the valley, the sight of a sea of lights stretched out unimpeded before me. It was here that I finally fully relaxed, and new that I would indeed be able to sleep when I got home.

It's amazing to me how both loved and yet almost insignificant I felt overlooking that incredible view. I know who I am, and I know that I am a daughter of God. I also know, however, that each light in some way represented one or many others of God's children, each with their own struggles. I hope that they also know that they have a loving Heavenly Father looking over them too.

A Legacy of Hyrum Smith

Today for our Sacrament Meeting we had a couple of guests-two descendents of Hyrum Smith, brother of Joseph Smith, Jr. They gave stirring talks, speaking as though they were Hyrum and Joseph themselves. As descendents, they had also inherited several historical items. As I have taken to carrying a camera with me, I had it on hand to get the following pictures:

This is the first box that the gold plates were kept in after Joseph retreived them from Cumorah. It was amazing to be able to touch the place where the plates once rested.

These are Lucy Mack Smith's footstool and bell

These are Hyrum Smith's sunglasses. Yes, he had sunglasses. Blue ones. Apparently he also had an astigmatism, and so these have a slight prescription in them.

If I recall correctly, these were Hyrum's weapons in the Nauvoo Legion.

These are the clothes that Hyrum was wearing when he was in Carthage with Joseph. These are the clothes he was killed in. If you look closely you can see the bullet holes.

So frequently we remember Joseph's actions in the Restoration. I was glad this time to also remember his family, those who always stood by Joseph, through the very end.

Family Vacation-Day Five

For those of you who are just reading for the first time, scroll on down to read about the previous days and work your way back to this one.

When we arrived at Walmart on Wednesday night, I was very happy to see an Alberston's next door. I was rather sad when ours were all sold out, as they had by far my favorite bakery. I keep hoping to find a decent garlic bread to replace theirs, but have had no real success as of yet. On Thursday morning before we left Rexburg I hurried in and got a couple of loaves, which we quite thoroughly enjoyed on Saturday night :)

As we wended our way through Idaho, we decided we didn't want another mediocre meal. Knowing we'd hit Pocatello around lunch time, we called Chris Wampler, my brother-in-law, for recommendations, as he had grown up in nearby Aberdeen. After picking from his suggestions, and with the aid of the GPS, we made our way to Sizzler, where we enjoyed our meals and I snagged another picture:

A few hours later, we found ourselves at home at last. I snapped one last picture of the bear collection Mom had started back at our first stop and completed at Yellowstone. From left to right, they are Yellowstone, Little America in Wyoming, Wall Drug in South Dakota, Cody, WY, and Mt. Rushmore.

I personally had a reason to get home a bit earlier than the rest (though at that point, like in many a good vacation, we were pretty much ready to be home). My cousin, Cory Stephens, and his wife, Charisse, were in Utah and were blessing their newborn son, Henry John Stephens. I was glad to be home in plenty of time to rest a bit, take a good, long hot shower, and make my way down to Sandy. I was very grateful for the chance to see my cousin and his family.

By the time I got home, my sisters had brought their families over to the house.

I took the opportunity to bring out one of our newest toys at the museum, Rocket Balloons. They've been a big hit there, though they met with mixed reactions in the family crowd. For the most part we all had fun with them, Jane and Michael especially. Dalton, on the other hand, was scared, and consoled only in the safety of his mother's arms. I just wish I had had my camera handy at the time.

Orange has been our family color for a few years now, as it is "bright, cheerful, and a little bit tacky". At one point during our vacation, my sister Laura bought some bright orange bowls for my parents. I don't know what drove me to it, but I took the opportunity to start a new fashion trend:

(Needless to say it wasn't a long-lived trend)

And so ends the last day of our family vacation!

Family Vacation-Day Four

Tuesday night was blessedly free of parking lot cleaners. I think I slept better that night than any other (not including naps, I had a few really good ones on this trip). Tuesday night Mom and I did some token shopping, while Wednesday morning Dad upgraded his Garmin GPS to get one that included such features as speed limits, traffic warnings, and Canadian maps (?).

I took one of my really good naps shortly after we left. It was so good, in fact, that I didn't wake up at all over the twisty, bumpy mountain roads. It wasn't until we stopped at a "Point of Interest" that I woke up at all, much to the surprise of my family, who were sure that there was no way anyone could have slept through such an unstable ride.

I am told that there were many "Points of Interest" along this particular stretch. There was no real rhyme or reason as to why we stopped at this particular one except that a few of us needed to stretch and move around a bit. I did enjoy the scenery at this one, and I'm a little sad to admit that I didn't even bother to read the posted sign apart from the title. Good thing I took a picture (though to be honest I still haven't read it).

(This is one of my favorite pictures of Mom from the whole trip)

We stopped in Cody, WY for lunch at Pizza Hut, where unfortunately they were out of garlic bread. Mom and Dad were, however, pleasantly surprised by the cheese sticks (having had them before, I was also happy with how much better they can be when fresh (yeah, I know, go figure)). We forged ahead towards Yellowstone, and passed the hours in our own fashions. Michael also slept pretty soundly:

After driving a few hours we came upon a line of cars, where a man in a construction vest was walking up and down to let the drivers know that it would be around fifteen or twenty minutes before we were allowed to pass.

Not to miss an opportunity, Michael and I ventured out of the RV. Michael proceeded almost immediately to climb the nearest rise:

We then walked up the line of cars, looking for license plates from states that we hadn't seen yet on our trip. Our family goal was to beat Laura and Chris's mark of having seen 41 of the 50 states on their own vacation. While we were unsuccessful at this particular stop, we were able ultimately to find all of the states but Hawaii. And yes, I still say that I did see New Mexico on our way to Sheridan from Mt Rushmore! :)

Our fellow travelers also found ways to pass the time. Made me almost wish that I had brought a football.

As promised we were on our way in around the projected time. Michael and I retreated into the bedroom and watched Rurouni Kenshin (my favorite anime show), while Dad, Bill and Mom were the first to enjoy the rich, scenic vistas of Yellowstone National Park. Our first stop there was at this little patch of gravel lining Yellowstone Lake:

(This picture is my own personal favorite picture of the entire trip)

We soon made it to Old Faithful, with the aid of the new GPS. One thing I continually found amusing, while also being grateful, was that it was virtually impossible to lose the RV in a parking lot:

While Dad was parking the RV, and after a brief stop near the geyser itself to see when the next projected eruption would be, Mom, Bill, Michael and I made our way over to the "General Store". Like at Mt Rushmore, it really struck me just how much logo merchandise Yellowstone had--our store doesn't feature nearly so much, though I think that will be likely to change in the relatively near future. I did love their selections, with the exception in that they didn't sell any rings at all (I'd been hoping to find one to go on the ring finger of my right hand). I did however see something that I had been considering selling at my store and took the opportunity to ask a cashier about how well they do.

About twenty minutes before the projected eruption, we made our way back to Old Faithful, where we joined Dad. I took a lot of pictures, of which here are some of my favorites:

One of the more humorous parts of our vacation occured here--right before the eruption, the wind changed direction and started blowing right toward us. After totally getting showered by Old Faithful's eruption, we jokingly renamed the geyser "Old Faceful".

Shortly after we left the geyser, Michael and I returned to Rurouni Kenshin. We were surprised at a hurried stop and calls of "Deborah, get your camera!". Mom and I rushed out of the RV so that she could get a picture of her with this bison:

As you technically are not allowed to stop at the side of the road, Mom had to hurry back over. My camera has a bit of a delay, and so I didn't actually get the picture until after she had started checking out traffic to cross back over to our side of the street.

There aren't many Walmarts on the West side of Yellowstone. Our options at that point were to either pay at an RV park, or forge ahead like we had the night before. The closest Walmart on our actual route, according to the GPS, was in Idaho Falls, ID. After a few more Gillette jokes, and a bit more searching on the GPS, we ended up stopping at Rexburg, ID instead. I'm rather glad we did, as we were all rather tired at that point. Twenty minutes extra driving in the morning was far less daunting than twenty minutes more after ten at night.

And thus ended day Four of the Family Vacation.

Family Vacation- Day Three part Two

So now we come to the main attaction--Mount Rushmore! Truth be told this is the only part of the vacation that I actually knew about beforehand, my attention being very much focused on getting things ready at work for my week and a half departure (I scheduled myself a few days of R&R at home to recoup before going back in). Of the five intended stops, I had already been to two of the major ones, being Martin's Cove and Yellowstone. I was quite excited for our first sight of this major national monument. Here is the first picture I was able to take, out the window of the RV as we were in line to get our pass:

Dad got the RV parked and decided to rest a bit, as he had already been there twice and wasn't feeling particularly well that day. Mom, Bill, Michael and I ventured forth into the great unknown....well, to us at least.

I was personally quite impressed at the presentation of the flags of each of the states leading to such a major national icon.

Apparently this goat felt the same, as he was looking back at the flags from the other side of a very short fence as we surprised tourists hurriedly documented him as a unique feature in our experience. I myself was quite happy to locate our own state flag and marker:

I took a lot of pictures of the monument, but I have to admit that this is certainly one of my absolute favorites:

We made our way to a lookout over a huge amphitheater. At the end of the day they do a large presentation about the monument and the presidents featured. I'm sure it is rather impressive, but we had already determined that we wouldn't be sticking around. We did manage to get a couple of great pictures with the monument in the background:

We took the easy route to get closer to the mountainside. A small cave led off the side of the path, through which a portion of the monument could be seen:

At one point while we were at Wall Drug someone accidentally said "booger" instead of "burger", which lead to a brief but rather humerous discussion in which we laughed that we'd soon have the chance to see the Presidents' boogers when we got to Mt. Rushmore. I have to confess I laughed a bit as I took this picture (Thomas Jefferson in particular):

For some reason or another (I think I blame Michael for this, though Mom may have been a co-conspirator), we took the longer, "strenuous" path back. Mom and Michael forged ahead as Bill slowly led me down (I was trying to send a text at the time and was meeting with limited success due to poor reception, go figure). The path (staircase, really) was quite scenic, and very well made, which I appreciate more now in hindsight, as I kept turning around to take more pictures in hopes of catching that perfect shot.

At the bottom of the stairs (about half-way back to the main entry), we took a breather. This is the second of three shots in which I caught just the right angle of Michael looking through his new binoculars. Kind of creepy, but also rather hilarious at the time :)

This is one of those shots that I hadn't actually intended to get, but was very glad that I did. I love the constrast:

After we had hiked up about half of the remaining distance, we took another breather. I personally also took the opportunity to "study tourists in their natural habitat":

The final stop, an absolute must for me, was the Gift Shop. It was huge, and packed to the rafters with both merchandise and shoppers. I admit, I was rather jealous. I have a hard time even imagining what it would be like to run a store like that one. That being said, I do enjoy the fact that I get to sell toys, not just your typical touristy souvenirs.

A short time later we started making our way back through South Dakota and back into Wyoming. With the aid of the GPS we were able to do a search for Walmarts in cities along our route. One of the closest ones was back in Gillette. I personally objected to spending the night there, as we had the night before. Where was the fun in that?

Unfortunately the next one in the route was around a hundred miles after Gillette, in Sheradon, WY. Courtesy the GPS we could project arrival times. We would reach Gillette around the time we had typically stopped the two previous nights, whereas it would take until about ten-thirty to get to Sheradon. Warming up more and more to the idea, I kept promoting the push on to Sheradon. It became a run-on joke, where even long after we passed Gillette and were closer to Sheradon we would say "It's getting late, let's just head back to Gillette", or "This is taking too long, let's just turn around and go to Gillette".

While it was indeed rather late when we got to Sheradon, I think we were ultimately all glad that we had pushed on. The remaining full day of our vacation could be that much more relaxed. We never really did have to rush from place to place, a fact I think we all liked and appreciated. I've never really cared for vacations where every moment is scheduled in advance. While I see that there are benefits, like seeing/doing more in the same amount of time, I've never been one to rush rush rush the entire time. Even with the long day, I have to say that with Mt Rushmore and Wall Drug, along with the fun involved in picking our day's final destination, it was my favorite day of the vacation :)