I Left My Heart In San... Diego

Well, today I was supposed to be in California, going to Disneyland and visiting my favorite Burnhams!

Last October I was in California to help my Grandma move back to Illinois.
After everything got finished up, I stayed an extra day and went down to San Diego to see my dear friends,

Elder and Sister Burnham.

Aren't they wonderful??

Oh I love them so so much!


We became friends when we were all working in the Seattle Temple.
It is such a blessing to know them! Since they're from Canada, I probably never would've known them without the Gospel!

Aren't there so many fantastic blessings from the Gospel??

One of my favorite-EVER road trips was with Sister Burnham. We had so much fun singing and talking all the way to and from Vancouver, Canada. Home was by way of closer-to-Vernon than we planned. It was wonderful. We didn't get to sleep until after midnight and had to be up at 4:00 a.m. to get Sister Burnham to the airport! When I knocked on her bedroom door to wake her up, she sat right up and was ready to go in 11 minutes flat! I mean dressed, ready, packed and she even had made my bed. Come on. She is so incredible. More energy and heart than anyone I know.


Now they're serving as missionaries in the San Diego Mission -- at the Mormon Battalion Visitor's Center -- but since the Visitor's Center is closed they are finding lots of other ways to serve.

And they are wonderful!

They get to spend time at the Temple each week - working inside and out.
When people come to the Temple, they ask questions and can learn more about our beliefs by talking to the Burnhams and other missionaries like them.

I love this picture of Sister Burnham teaching. She is an excellent teacher and such a love. Definitely one of the women I admire most in all the world. Y ella esta aprendiendo espanol y lo puede hablar muy bien! And she is learning Spanish and can speak it very well!

I enjoyed taking pictures of the Temple that day and the surrounding grounds.
We saw a HUGE spider climbing down its filament from a tree. It kept climbing up and down and it was yucky! Sister Burnham thought perhaps it had filled the measure of its creation - but I don't think we killed it.
So... Spider alert -- there's a spider at the end of this post. Don't turn the page... Please, Please don't turn the page...

(It's the very very last picture.)

Elder Burnham is an excellent photographer and has taken such fantastic pictures of the Temple and the beauty of San Diego. He is one of my favorite men in the world. I love talking to him about - well everything - and especially the Gospel. He is such a straight arrow and has a deep and firm understanding of the Gospel and a tender heart. I remember neat conversations in the Temple with him -- especially when The Lord of the Rings movies came out because he loves Gospel Parallels just like me!

Did I mention how much I love the Burnhams???

They were involved with helping me finish all the Temple work for Hilda.
I am so glad they were there with me. That was one of the neatest experiences of my entire life.
They really cared about her because they knew I loved her so much.
That made me love them even more!

Doesn't that look like the Tree of Life?

Gorgeous windows of the Temple

I so wish I could've been with them this weekend.
Last time I was with them was right before the vote on Proposition 8.
I was so grateful I got to see them "in action" helping people understand some really important doctrine. They have always been representatives of Jesus Christ, but right now they get to wear a name badge that tells the world so.
I am so grateful to know them and hope someday I can be like them.

My dear sweet friends have for years, made me So Happy!
The spider picture's next! Don't turn that page!

Sneakin' Around With You

A year ago today my friend Colleen made her return appearance in Heaven.

I'm sure that she did not sneak in but that her arrival was
greatly anticipated.
Her FUNeral was like 3 hours long.

These were some of the flowers Maria and I got for the FUNeral.
We knew she'd love flowers coming out of a pumpkin.
Then we found that box that actually SAID Colleen.
It was a sign.
So today I just want to use my Colleen language and record all the fun things we used to do and say. Maria and my mom will probably understand most of it - well some anyway - the rest of you can think about wonderful inside jokes that make you smile when only the two of you understand.


Colleen memories:
Harold andMaude, Arthur Arthur, The Best Little *House in Texas.
"My brother named..."
Phil (actually Rich), Kirk (actually Rick)
Straight Hand Across, Jen
We can be a bus!
The purple afghan.
Our accident on the way to Phyllis's dad's funeral after we had a prayer.
Hot fudge sundaes.
The Turtle.
Cool Pleasures.



(Sorry it's not right way up)
Heart Attack Window Decor.
Katherine Weeks Genes/Jeans. I still have them.
"Pop Up!" (Bonnie Parkin).
Sister Parkin's silver umbrella pin.
Airflow.
Hurricane Ridge.
Our bracelets.
More precious than rubies conference.
Celebrating New Years at Jack in the Box and watching the fireworks from the middle of Hwy 99. I had our celebration paper in my car for years. It may still be in there actually.
The little purple thing. My little purple thing was black.

Valentine's surprise for KW.
The wild thing monkey.
The enormous monkey for KW when she was sick.
KUU (KW) license plates.
The wet wedding dress story.
We don't ask how, we just ask why.
Treasures of Truth book (ok these are a lot of KW memories too but they so go together)
Deleted.
Tar-jet, Tarzhay, Target. Same store, three different locations.
How she'd always brew the coffee in the hotel room.
Matches in her make-up bag.
"Paradise View"
Going to the symphony for Christmas.
Lip plumper.
The secret way to go to the Temple off of 2nd Ave and 99.
The Contra-alto man singing Handel's Messiah. Wow.
Fetus-man.
The money tree.
Putting one rose bud in water in a bowl from the Stake kitchen for the reception.
Women at the Well.
The Seattle Temple at like 4 in the morning.

Sister Lily.
Loving the Seattle Temple all the time.
Just heading right up to the room instead of going to the Chapel. Don't worry - we're on time.
Praying to get to the Temple on time. You pray, I'll drive. We made it.
Salon Excellence.


Krispy Kremes - "That'll be $8.57 for your two donuts and chocolate milk please."
Eating lunch in the triangle.
Sequim.
Carol.
Aletha.
Blu Water and S'mores.
Blu Water with the Croshaws.
Time Outs.
Chinook.
"Day-oh. One day sale one day sale one day sale. Friday only at the Bon Marche." (sung to the tune of Day-o) One day sales- all the time.
When she got stuck right in the path of the naked bike Fremont parade.
"Tendencies."

Clip on the eyebrow.
Life is Real.
The Bug Stik.
Green Cake.
Thai One On.
Moonshadow.
Moon something - in Richmond Beach - so yummy!
ARTERIALS!!!!!!!!

First favorite everything.
First Favorite Fred Meyers.
Buying a table turkey for her brother named John when he was attached to an IV.
I'm not a real person.
Hair colors changing - on all of us.
Going to see Ed and how he'd shrug up his shoulders when he laughed and how much he loved her. And how much they had decorated their apartment on every square inch for whatever holiday it was.
Sneaking Around With You...
Science Project Hair.
Me falling asleep on the couch ... "Sarah Brown is my..."
Ben and Jerry.
Lunches at China First.
Carl and George at Aldercrest.
Bedroom Makeover with Tanni.
Eating at the Space Needle with Mom and Lacey.
Yes - we'll take the bottle of Martinelli's for $15.
Ice chips in the ER for me.
Olpin Enjoyment Weekend.

Zoopas.
Getting invited to dinner and then just going to Zoopas on Sunday.
The Sundance House.
Gregory Ann.
Septmeber Grass.
The Scary Closet.
Kitchen Dick Road.
Dungeness Spit.
Road Trips.
Christmas downtown -- The Figgy Pudding Contest.
Resting at the Bon Marche.
Claustrophobia!
My birthday party on the patio with the turtle tablecloth and the flip flop key chain.
Riding in the back of a police car - no air bags. - no ticket.
Like 45 police behind us on the bridge after the accident.
Documentation!
Non-verbal communication.
Old Navy - those pajama pants. (Hey I'm wearing them right now!)
You Pick- We Pick.
50th Surprise Birthday Party - "Ok everyone come out of the kitchen!"
Tacky Postcards.
El Gaucho - YUM!
Ivan. Marjorie.

Going to Leavenworth to get her the music box to replace the one that she had gotten in Europe and brought home and showed her roommate and the roommate thought she bought it for her so the roommate took it and thanked Colleen for it!
Chocolate Pudding. Or tapioca for KW but you have to eat it our special way.
LuDean.
Dagne.
Jennie Folan and the greeting card placemats.
Let's go to the Outback cuz you always know what you're gonna get.
Dilletante's.
Movies.
Louise.
Marathon Saturdays.
Her first favorite daughter that she never had.


So many more...
And so many more pics too - I'll have to scan them in though because a lot of our documentation happened before digital cameras.

The day Colleen got sick, she was actually moving down to Utah.
I was so excited for her to come and live close to me.
Her heart was the biggest heart I have ever encountered.
At her FUNeral there were so many people to whom Colleen had been their best (and maybe only) friend.
I miss her -- I can't wait to see her again.

Thinking about Colleen and being so grateful for our memories makes me SO Happy.

Love is Like a Butterfly

So I crossed over into Iowa.
I had butterflies in my stomach right away.
There was a lot of unfinished business there that is finished now.
I listened to my Iowa song and tried to just be brave.
Mostly, it worked!

All pics taken out my window while driving!
Not recommended - but the best way when traveling alone!

I pulled into my friend's house about 9:00 p.m. just in time to see all the lightening bugs! I loved it! I also went past John Wayne's birthplace. Who knew he was born in Iowa! (Iowans I guess!)

It was so nice to see my friend Sister Jones and her husband.
They were so great to let me stay at their house for a night.
The missionaries live there too so we shared the bathroom - not while they were in it -
just, you know, the same location.

A little Iowa humor -- who would name a town Grimes?
Just the first of many crazy town names to come.


And check out the happy water tower! Every city has one.
(A water tower, but not necessarily a happy water tower!)
One city has a "Hot" and "Cold" water tower!
This city just had a smiley face tower!
So friendly.

I was planning to stay a little longer in the Des Moines area - but everything seems to have worked out just right. I found out my dad was going to have to leave for California earlier than we thought, so I decided to move everything up and get going. I didn't get to see a couple friends that way - but it was worth it to see my dad for a couple days!! Of course!!!
But that comes later - first, Des Moines.

Sister Jones drove me to downtown Des Moines so I could get on my way.
Those butterflies came back to my stomach as soon as I saw the signs for West Des Moines.
This was the sight of a lot of teenage distress - in fact, I'm not even sure I want to include this on my happy blog. But - it is happy because I'm finally done with all of it - so maybe that's why I should just leave it off. I'll just show the symbols of my healing.
But first Sister Jones and I went to have lunch together and it was FUN!

It was wonderful to see her after so many years. You know those people in your life that are just always important to you even when it's been years and years since you've seen someone?
That's Sister Jones. Really important to me.

After we said goodbye I headed over to the home of someone I used to know.
She's long gone now - literally and figuratively out of my heart -
but I just needed to somehow say goodbye.
So I did.


I know you are thinking,
"Well, that's just a silly little miniature bottle of perfume."
And you're right.
But it is also an offering that symbolizes years and years of pain -
laid right down and let go!
Nothing has ever felt so good.
I mean it.

(Hear the choir sing a lovely chord of "AHHHHHHHHHH".)

Then I headed over to the Stake Center where I had gone as a teenager -- so good to see it.
Lots of memories -- dances, piano playing, Amelia Airhead, Becky Allen, the chocolate chip cookie story, square dancing, Sister Williams, Bryan Arazani... so many more.
And the songs - oh the songs that come right to my mind when I think of that Stake Center!


I was surprised at how little it was.
You knew how you go back to your elementary school and you're surprised at how low the ceilings are?
Like that.

Then I headed to the mall! I thought this mall was absolutely the bomb dot com when I was a teenager.
And you know what?
It's just a regular old mall in the middle of Des Moines! Wow!
The piano player was playing which was nice. That used to be a really big deal.


But it wasn't such a big deal now. I just knew this store would have the nicest bathrooms.
That's why I went there.
And that seemed a little symbolic too. :)

I realized so many things on this day.
Here are some of my lessons learned from this day of my trip.
(And about 18 years of thinking and crying over this.)

#1 - I will not idolize people but I will love them.
#2 - Luxury is not necessarily happiness but accomplishment from hard work is.
You really can't buy happiness.
#3 - All people are just trying to make it through. We will hurt each other along the way but we don't have to stay hurt. They didn't get it either.
#4 - I will not be afraid to love knowing my happiness can come from being the one who loves and that true love comes from God alone.
#5 - I really can have anything I want- so decide what I want! It may not be the same as everyone else, so don't buy their advertising that it is!
#6 - I've been to Paris. Come on, Des Moines. It's just a mall. I don't need your umbrella bag. Thanks.

All that from going to this store. And said 18 years.
I pressed on to Ames, Iowa where I got to have dessert with my good friend Cathy Carlyle.


My first job (besides detasseling (which I may soon speak of)) was babysitting her daughters. They are a wonderful family.
It was so so so good to see her and get caught up.
It was as though no time had passed at all.
Except a lot of time has passed and now one of her girls is in medical school and the other will be soon!
So, yes. As a matter of fact, a lot of time has passed!!!

They mow the ditches in Iowa.

And this is how they spray the fields! (Wish I could remove those power lines...)
(Get ready for lots more corn pics!)

The "theme" of my trip was a daily calendar picture.
The day I left on my trip the calendar was the very picture of a monthly calendar I had on my mission.
I had really been hoping for a transfer in September of 1997.
Really, really, really hoping.
Then I turned the calendar to October and it was this picture.
I knew I wasn't getting transferred.
I wasn't.
And then August 4, 2008.
I tore off the August 3 calendar and found this one!
It was the perfect theme for my trip.
I kept it hanging out of my cd player for the whole trip.
"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes."
I had been all these places before - but I returned with new eyes.
And boy, did I see!

The new vision has made me, So Happy.