A Trip of Trials

 Each year, Ken goes on a biking trip with a group of fellow bikers.  This year they wanted to do a bike and boat trip down the Danube River in Europe.  It would go through six countries. They chose to go over the fourth of July, which is the time of our family reunion.  Family is our priority.  So he couldn't go with them.  But he really wanted to go, so he talked me into going on the same trip with him on a later excursion in August.

Several weeks before our scheduled July 29 departure, I had a very dark feeling about the trip.  I talked to Ken.  I think he thought it was just my normal trip anxiety.  I even mentioned it a lot in our prayers, asking Heavenly Father to protect us on the trip.  I really did not feel good about it.

Let me tell you some of the trials faced on this ill-fated trip:

Changed flight:  A few weeks before the trip, we were informed that our flight out on Wednesday, July 29th was cancelled.  We would have to leave on Monday, July 27th.  We had to find substitutes for our Tuesday night temple shift and change our plans.

Low water levels in the Danube:  A few days before we left we were informed that the water levels in the Danube were low.  We were supposed to go down through six countries: Germany to Romania, and then back up to Germany.   We now would not be able to go through the lower Danube countries.  The water levels were just too low. The cruise would still be two weeks, but we could only go as far as Bratislava and then turn around.  They said we could cancel, but if we chose to still go, we would get a 10% discount and get free drinks throughout the cruise. We, along with others from other countries, chose to go as we had paid for expensive, non-refundable flights.  Most Europeans who had not paid for flights, canceled.  

Watch:  If you know me, you know I love my smart watch and am obsessed with the step counter.  The first day of the trip my watch died and I have been unable to fix it, though I have spent much time troubleshooting.  I am still watchless, but I just ordered a new one.

Ken very ill:  The day after we arrived in Munich, Ken became very ill with an attack of diverticulitis.  He was hospitalized for a week in a hospital in Friesing, Germany.  

I fell:  While Ken was in the hospital, I fell in the hotel room and injured my leg/hip.  I am still trying to heal.

NO biking:  When Ken was released, he was told that he should not bike for at least a month.  There goes the biking part of the cruise.

Flight to Vienna:  When Ken was finally released from the hospital, we had a decision to make.  The doctors advised not to fly back home yet.  The air pressure change could cause the bowel to perforate and there would be no help available for many hours. We could just stay in Germany and heal or we could join the cruise. We decided to fly to Vienna to catch up with the cruise there.  The airport experience was incredibly painful for me.  Let's just say it wasn't America.

Ken came down with a cold:  When we finally got on the cruise, Ken started to come down with a cold.  But, thankfully, it turned out to be very mild.  I think we prayed it away.

Incredible Neck pain:  The day after we finally got on the cruise, I experienced extreme neck pain in my right back neck.  I changed some medication after that, and was able to control it.

Rash:  I also experienced a very itchy rash on my arms, neck, and back.  Maybe because of the change in medications?  

Bus and train trip back to Munich:  When the cruise completed we had to get from Pasau, Germany back to Munich.  That involved a bus ride with a four-minute transfer to a train.  Could I do it?  We asked our family to pray. We were blessed and did it with not much trouble.  I really shouldn't list this as prayers made this doable.

Missed flight:  We got to our gate in Munich airport to board our flight to Denver, CO, then home. Our plane arrived, but was unable to park at the gate as there was thunder and lightning, so no ground crew were allowed on the tarmac.  That delayed our flight so that we didn't make it to Denver in time to make our connection to home.  We had to spend the night in Denver and come home the next morning.

Garage won't open:  Ken's brother Mark picked us up at the airport on Tuesday morning and took us home.  I punched in the code, but our garage wouldn't open. Luckily, Ken found our hidden key to give us entry into our hot house.

Broken picture:  When we left that evening to go to the temple to serve our shift, we discovered that a picture of all of Ken's family taken years ago at a family reunion that hangs on the garage wall had fallen, shattering glass all over.  Luckily, the picture itself was not damaged.

Computer:  Something went wrong with my computer while we were gone.  I have not been able to download pictures on blogger since.  I have spent a lot of time troubleshooting and have figured out a way around the problem, but it is difficult.  I think I will have to buy a new computer.

Jet Lag:  I have had an extreme case of jet lag since this trip, waking at 1 or 2 or 3 am.  I am finally starting to feel human again.

Power outage:  Not related to the trip, but to the extreme heat.  There was a massive power outage in our county.  The power was out for about 5 hours.  It almost was that proverbial straw!

Okay, enough of the negative.  It really has been one thing after the other.  But there have also been some good times and some very sweet miracles along the way.  If I can get the pictures to load 🤞, I will post about our trip and tell the positive things too over the next little while. (Trips always take me a long time to blog.)  So stay tuned- if you dare!

Sweet Gifts from Gabe

Just before our big trip that I will be telling you more about, Ken took a quick trip to Logan for Blake to do some oral surgery.  Sweet Gabe had a gift all wrapped up for Grandma for Ken to bring home to me.

It was a sweet little manger with Jesus and licorice flavored taffy What a sweet little boy.  It melted my heart.

 

He Knows the Silent Pleadings

 

My Name is Lucy Barton (#1)

 

My Name Is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Modern Fiction Audiobook
I may have found another favorite author. I loved this story and her writing. It is a lot like Ann Tyler’s. This was a simple story. It was told subtly; yet so profoundly. Even someone from a completely dysfunctional family. Maybe ESPECIALLY someone from a dysfunctional family, longs for the love and acceptance of her mother.
This was beautifully read in the audio version.
I will be looking for more Strout books. I understand that this book is the first of a series. I did not know that when I read it. I usually am not a fan of series (they are so confining,) but I will probably make an exception in this case. 5 stars.


View all my reviews

The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season

 

The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season by Molly Fader
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Modern Fiction Physical Book
I loved this novel. It is a story of family, regrets, forgiveness, trauma, and love. Aunty Peggy takes in her obviously abused niece and her daughter as they flee escape from an abusive man. They all work hard to harvest the cherry crop while little by little the nature of their past relationship unfolds. You don’t really understand it all until the traumatic and very exciting conclusion. It is well-written and intriguing. I miss the characters and would love her to write a happy, joyful sequel: The Joy of Apple Season.


View all my reviews

The Bodyguard

 

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Romance Physical book
I like Katherine Center books. This was a clean, light, and entertaining story. Predictable? Yes, but that didn’t make it any less fun. It made a great vacation read.


View all my reviews

49 Years!

 Ken and I recently celebrated our 49th wedding anniversary.  Next year it's the big 50!

I am so grateful for my wonderful husband and for the life and family we have built together. 

What Alice Forgot

 

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Modern Fiction Physical Book
This is my third Moriarty book. I really like these all about women novels set in Australia. This story was especially intriguing as it makes me wonder if my younger self would like what I have become. It kept me turning pages to its satisfying ending.


View all my reviews

Give Me This Mountain

Joshua 14:12

From a talk by President Spencer W. Kimball when he was first sustained as a prophet:

 "Caleb concluded his moving declaration with a request and a challenge with which my heart finds full sympathy. The Anakims, the giants, were still inhabiting the promised land, and they had to be overcome. Said Caleb, now at 85 years, “Give me this mountain” (Josh. 14:12).

"This is my feeling for the work at this moment. There are great challenges ahead of us, giant opportunities to be met. I welcome that exciting prospect and feel to say to the Lord, humbly, “Give me this mountain,” give me these challenges.

Humbly, I give this pledge to the Lord and to you, my beloved brothers and sisters, fellow workers in this sacred cause of Christ: I will go forward, with faith in the God of Israel, knowing that he will guide and direct us, and lead us, finally, to the accomplishment of his purposes and to our promised land and our promised blessings."

I have to admit that this is not really my mantra.  I want to avoid challenges and hardships.  But I love the attitude of Caleb and President Kimball.  If they can do it at their age, I also need to say, "Give me this mountain!"

Nighttime Reading

 

Seven Questions to Ask Kids This Week (One a night)

 Here are seven questions to ask your children as you tuck them in bed at night.  For the next week, ask one question each night.

1. What made you happy today?  

     This builds the habit of finding joy in small moments.

2. If you were a hero in a fairytale, who would you be and why?

     This activates the imagination.

3. What did you learn today that you didn't know before?

     This helps children see learning not only at school, but in everyday life.

4. How would you help a friend if they were upset?

     This is how empathy and emotional intelligence begin to form.

5.  If you had a superpower, what would it be?

 6. What could you do tomorrow to make the world around you a little better?

     This nurtures responsibility and care for others.

7. What is the most important thing you realized over the last seven days?

     Helps see personal growth.

Anxiety

 

Dating

 

And Here We Have Idaho- at Temple??

One evening when serving in the sealing waiting room at the temple , I had some downtime.  It was slow that day.  One of the sealers had performed a wedding and had a couple of hours until his proxy shift started.  He and I were visiting.  He has been the president of the San Diego temple and he and his wife served as mission presidents.  He mentioned he was from Idaho and I said I was too!  I told him that the other sister working that night was also from Idaho.  We went into the office and talked about Idaho- the identifying license plates, the agriculture, the beauties.  He then asked, "Do you know the state song?"  Sister Lemmon and I immediately started singing, "And here we have Idaho . . .' with quiet gusto.  We and he knew every word.  He said when he was mission president and was interviewing an elder and  found out he was from Idaho, he would ask them ,"Do you know the state song?" and EVERY time they would start singing it.  He said they also have the tradition in their family that whenever they cross the Idaho state line they sing the song.  I told them I taught it to my family at the reunion and challenged them to sing it when they crossed the state line.  

He then said, "Sing the Utah state song."  Nobody knew it.  I really think the Idaho song is the best and it is instilled in our hearts in fourth grade. When Idahoans sing that song, they get a sweet, nostalgic look on their faces.  As the song states, "Singing, singing of you. All proudly too.  All our lives through."

That was such a sweet experience in the temple.

That night, when saying my prayers, I said, "I'm sorry I sang the Idaho state song in the temple.  Then I said, "No, I'm not.  It was a sweet, happy experience.  In my mind, I could see a smile on my Heavenly Father's face.  He was okay with it.

 

If Only

 

Follower of Christ?

 

Madrigals

 

Madrigals

I loved to sing.  It was my “thing” in high school.  I looked forward to being in the elite choir, Madrigals.  You could try out at the end of your sophomore year to be part of the group in your junior year, but most people didn’t get in until their senior year.  I had tried out for all-state choir in my sophomore year and was so happy when I got in.  It gave me courage and hope to try out for Madrigals.  I auditioned in front of the teacher and the madrigal officers.  I did really well.  I knew I had done really well.

A few days later, Mrs. Schmidt called me into the Madrigal room.  She told me I was very qualified to be in the group, but that there wasn’t room for another alto in the group, so I wouldn’t be in.  I was devastated.  Right there, in front of her, I burst into tears.  I was so sad.  She felt horrible.  She said I was qualified and that she would talk to the rest of the committee and let me in.  I wasn’t trying to manipulate her.  I honestly was just sad and so cried. I was so happy.  But then, the next day she called me in again.  She handed me a tissue and said she had talked to the others and they said no.  I didn’t cry that time.  I just told her thank you for trying and left with a heavy heart. 

It was a long year to wait until I could try out again at the end of my junior year.  This time I made it.  Being in Madrigals was such a joy in my life and worth the wait.  I made many friends and really loved singing with the group.  It was during that senior year in Madrigals that I discovered that I was really a soprano.  My teacher listened to me sing.  He then gave me a soprano solo in a Carpenters song, “Crescent Noon. “The words I sang: “Green September burned to October brown.  Bare November led to December’s frozen ground. “I remember while I was singing it at rehearsal one day, he said, “Just listen to those high tones.” (It was written in a higher key in our SATB arrangement.)  I have never forgotten the joy of him saying those words.  They built my confidence so much.  Our words are powerful and can make a big difference in someone’s life. 

We performed often in Madrigals.  People would hire us to sing at their private parties, so we went in homes and halls and restaurants.  It was such a fun year.  I loved every minute of it.  It gave me a love for what I do now with the Keynotes.   Being in Madrigals was truly one of the joys of my life.

My sister, Patty, is a mover and shaker.  In 1997, she organized a Madrigal reunion.  We all gathered and practiced songs for a couple of days, directed by our directors through the years.  It was so fun to be together and to, again, join our voices in song.  It was so fun to see old friends and sing with them again.  I am so grateful for the experience of being in Caldwell High School Madrigals.

The program from the Madrigal reunion

 

 

 

 

 

Move!

 

Seeking Persephone

 

Seeking Persephone by Sarah M. Eden
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Christian Romance Audiobook
This is a very popular story right now as a movie was recently released. It was a sweet, clean story of two people falling in love AFTER they were married. I enjoyed it.


View all my reviews

Temple Worship Brings Miracles