The Travel Begins

It seems such a short time ago that we sent our sons on their Church missions. But it wasn't. To prove that point, our grandson, Chase, is preparing to leave on his own mission to Boston. He went to the Temple for the first time this past week. It was quite special as he went during our temple shift on Wednesday. Even more special; I was assigned to work the very session he was in! I took pleasure in watching him during the ceremony and remembering my own thoughts when I entered the temple for the first time. Chase works at not showing his feelings on his face. And he's good at it. I think it is part of his masculine mask. But he is a person with deep and tender feelings. It was a joy to spend that temple time with him. He leaves in August.
Here we are with Chase in front of the Oakland Temple.

Our turn to spend time with Mom in Colorado came up last week. The day after our temple experience we started our travel adventure. We always fly stand-by. It is our only remaining perk from United Air Lines. We started our journey very early in the morning to be available for the most flights. We go first to Denver, then Grand Junction, then drive to Cedaredge. Little towns do not lend themselves to speedy travel. We anticipated that it would take all day to get there since we figured we'd miss several flights. Imagine our delight when we got on the first flight to Denver in spite of an oversold airplane! Then, miracle that it was, we actually made our next flight into Grand Junction on the first try! So we arrived early in the day, a most amazing accomplishment. It was all smooth as can be, except for the stress of not knowing that it would be as smooth as can be.

My sister Maryanne and her hub Bob have been caring for Mom for most of June. They did a great job in spite of Mom getting sick and the three of them getting into a minor car accident. They did have their adventures. Mom looked quite diminished when we arrived. She was thinner, duller and less responsive. But she is on the mend. Still, she is not the girl she was. I see her failing, slowly, but surely. All we can do is care for her and love her. I was so wishing that she would be able to live her life fully until she was called home. But that is not to be. I hope that she will be able to move to the next world gently. That is my great wish for her now.
Here is Layne looking out Mom's kitchen window at a summer thunder storm. I love these storms! Imagine what our California garden would be like if only we could enjoy regular summer storms like this one.

It is July 4th. I love this holiday that celebrates freedom. I feel we are fast losing the freedoms celebrated for so many years. But I still rejoice in what we have left and the blessing of living in America. God has been good to our land and our people. I'm grateful. We celebrated at Church and watched my favorite patriotic movie, 1776. I feel in my heart that God was at the core of the thoughts and dreams that brought about the establishment of our Constitution and the United States of America. In spite of the weaknesses of many in powerful positions over the years, we still have the most amazing country the world has ever known. We must protect and preserve it!