Better Get to Livin'

After my close call with certain death from the tornado that I barely scraped by...I continued my journey across Nebraska.
It was long.

I finally made it to Iowa!
But not before stopping at Winter Quarters.
This is a wonderful memorial to the Saints that lived and died in this area.
They built a city here, after slogging through the Iowa mud, and so many, many died here.
In just one winter (1846-7) more than 600 people were buried in the cemetery at Winter Quarters.

The Temple here is absolutely gorgeous.





There is nary a Visitors Center where I don't see someone I know!
The tradition was not broken during this visit! I walked in and said, "Well, Marian Osborne! What are you doing here?" And there she was! She lives right here in SLC in my same condo complex and is in my ward! She was so happy to see me because she is the birthday-card-giver-extraordinaire and she was worried she would miss my birthday because she hadn't sent my card off before she left with her sisters for their trip to Nauvoo!
So -- she walked out to the car and got my card!

After they left, I started talking with the missionary who was going to take me on the tour of the center and I showed her the card Sister Osborne gave me. When she saw my last name was Springer she said, "Do you know Seth?" and of course I do! It turned out she was his good friend! (So, don't tell, but I called him real quick and they got to talk for a minute!)

It was a wonderful visit to Winter Quarters! I really didn't understand what an important place this is in Church History. The Temple there is absolutely beautiful and the pioneer cemetery - breathtaking. (Remember that Seinfeld? I always think of that when someone says breathtaking.
You know you did too Maria. You.)

(Mormon Cemetery... 1846-7, 1863... It is estimated that 600 immigrants were buried here)

On the ground in front of this statue it reads,
"Gird up your loins, Fresh courage take,
Our God will never us forsake."

This little grave stone says Amy P. Poor little Amy!
I wish I knew your story!

I love that the cemetery is right there next to the Temple.
A perfect, beautiful, peaceful message.

There's my wagon I drove across the plains. The statue in the background is headed west. Recognizing the great sacrifice of the pioneers was overwhelming.
During the tour of the visitors center, Sister Henson told our little group that there was a tradition among the pioneers.
Whenever one person started singing "Come, Come Ye Saints" all the other pioneers would join them. She said there was hardly a time they weren't singing.
Then she started singing and we joined her.
Well - I tried to through my tears.

Feeling the spirit of this great place made me, So Happy.

Light of a Clear Blue Morning

I can see the Light of a clear blue morning.

I can see the Light of a brand new day.


I can see the Light of a clear blue morning.


Everything's gonna be alright, it's gonna be ok.


Cuz I am strong and I can prove it.

And I've got my dreams to see me through.

It's just a mountain, I can move it.

And with Faith and Love there's nothin' I can't do.

Cuz I can see the Light of a clear blue morning.


I can see the Light of a brand new day.

I can see the Light of a clear blue morning.

Everything's gonna be alright, it's gonna be ok.

These pictures were all taken on my trip (except the first one from Maria's reception in Seattle).
I know some of them are blurry - and from the evening - but I like the Light in all of them.

I like the Light that shines in a new day and those Dolly lyrics.
And I love all of you.
Thank you for all the support and virtual hugs.
It's a New Day and I'm So Happy.

It's All Wrong, But It's Alright

Every once in a while is it ok to not be so happy? Mom - if this will make you sad please don't read on. Really. That goes for Stacey too...

Today I saw someone who looked just like my sister, Catheryn. I mean - just like her. JUST like her. For a second I really thought it was her. She moved like her, her hair was like her, everything. But fake Ryn was too tall. I was standing at the hospital entrance where I had taken a client for a blood test. We were waiting for the valet guy. So I just started crying. Just right there. I watched her walk away for a long time until I couldn't see her anymore. Fake Ryn - not the valet guy.

(Somewhere in Nebraska)

I really miss her. Catheryn - not the imposter.

It wasn't bothering me so much but then tonight I was watching Everybody loves Raymond and Debra was sad because her parents were getting divorced. So she snuggled up to Ray and just kept saying, "tighter" and he would squeeze her closer. And some days I just wish I could say "tighter" to someone. Well - I guess I could just say it to someone. That would be a little weird though - they'd be like, "Um, tighter what?" But you know what I mean. A real someone. My someone.

So -- all of you with two extra arms in your house - (hahaha - my friend Heather has a little Barbie arm that she carries with her all the time and it freaks me out!) - but you know - two other human arms that aren't yours - go get tighter. It'll make you so happy.

(The Winter Quarters Temple)

Thanks for "listening". And I will be So Happy tomorrow. Promise. (And isn't it cool that all my August titles are Dolly songs? My mom totally figured it out! That actually does make me so happy - but not capitalized tonight. Just, so happy.)

The Grass is Blue

There were so many
GOR. GEOUS. SITES.
seen on my roadtrip home.

One of the most spectacular things I saw was on
my first night of driving.
Traveling to Nebraska I came upon a huge storm!
I thought I was driving into a tornado because the sky was so green and the clouds were so enormous! These were all taken out my window (or windshield)!
There was hail, torrential rain, wind -- I was scared!
But the beautiful scenery certainly helped.

Just thinking about some clouds...


The Storm in the distance...

The Storm coming closer...

Hello Little Gray Storm Clouds... Where is your friend Winnie?


This one is seriously straight out of the Creation.
It doesn't even look real! But it was SCARY!


Notice the massive traffic. I was a little worried that no one was coming out of the storm and no one else was going in! Like Willie Wonka's chocolate factory. So I called my friend Annie to get a check of tornadoes but there was just a severe thunder storm warning. I was a little worried I was going to be spending the night in a ditch hoping it would pass. But I made it to Ogallala and had a lovely evening at either Super 8 or Motel 6. I think Super 8 because there wasn't a light on for me.
Whatever happened to Tom Bodette anyway?

Amazing.


Annie assured me I was soon coming upon a town -- Chapel, Nebraska -- where I could potentially stay in order to avoid more storm. I pulled off there and saw the sign --
"Chapel, Population 979."
Awesome.
Although there was a symbol denoting available lodging on the exit sign to Chapel on the freeway, I was unwilling to stay at the Empire Motel.
I should've felt welcome there -- there was a large group of people (large for a city of 979) sitting outside the motel smoking and chatting it up.
But there were no lights.
And I was pretty sure that everyone in town probably had keys to every room in that motel.
No amount of my shoving a chair under the door handle was going to protect me in that town.
So on to Ogallala I went and I made it!

(Clouds and a little sunset from earlier in the day shot out my window behind me!)
(PS - don't try driving and taking pictures at home. Or when you're not at home but you're in your car and want to remember everything you're seeing. Danger Will Rogers.)

Traveling across country (storms and all) - I mean who doesn't love some weather- and being 9 hours closer to home, seriously made me
So Happy!!!

Here {I} Come Again!

Wow. I have been so bloggy neglectful.

But have no fear.
My lack of posts does not reflect any sort of lack of happiness.
In fact, there has been so much happiness that I hardly know where to begin!
Except of course I know where to begin because --
Remember how I went to see Dolly????
(If you don't, you soon will!!!)

So - I won't start blogging, yet, exactly
(except to put up a little pic of Dolly just for a taste of what's to come).

Suffice it to say this last month has been one of the very best of my life and there is so much happiness headed to this page -
- well, it's just bursting out of me.
I've crossed off two items from my "list of things to do before I die" in just the last three weeks.

Amazing.
And I've been grounded and centered and I remember what's really, really important again.
And I LOVE our country.
And I LOVE my family.
And I LOVE the Midwest.
And I LOVE Dolly.

So I had to download 8 gigabytes of pictures and look through 816 posts from other blogs that I like to look at.
I didn't.
Well - I did download - but I quickly skimmed other's blogs (except those of you that I love!) and I am sure I missed hundreds of recipes, cute things kids did, book reviews, latest cutest helpful products, great camera angles and more.
Oh well.
Like I said - I'm starting to remember what's really important again - and maybe there really is something to simple living.
I've purged years of "stuff" and gotten all filled up again with what's real and good.

So - get ready all.
And thanks to all those who asked me to please get blogging again!
I'm so excited to share this last month with all of you,
and, as always, I am,
So Happy!!!