Car pool shenanigans

There must have been something in the water in Draper 13+ years ago because all the kids in my neighborhood around Emily's age are boys.  Soon after we moved in and Emily discovered the lack of girls she would pray each time a house went up for sale that a girl would move in her age.  Each time that happened a girl Jane's age would move in or another boy.  She's since stopped praying for that.

The neighborhood organized car pool of kids attending Indian Hills Middle School consists of 11 boys and Emily.   I'm charged with taking 4 boys and Emily home after school on Mondays and Tuesdays.  This group is hilarious.   We've got Jameson who I sure is going places in this world.  He's out before anyone else and gives everyone else a hard time for not hurrying.  There's Blake who has to sit by the window so he can roll it down and call out to all of his many friends who are walking by.  I hope he realizes his social potential and runs for student body officer one day.   Lucas is a sweet awkward kid who likes to sit in the front and then there's Isaac who moseys out last usually with a girl Paisley which sets himself up for endless teasing by the others but is always in denial that Paisley is his girlfriend.    They love to tease Spencer about his curly hair, who being the youngest loves the attention.   I've heard conversations about what's happening in football, scouts as well as who is who's Valentine and ideas for gifts for those Valentines.

Close to my house is a Flower Shop.    On their marquee outside the shop there is a name that changes  every few days or so and says to come in for a free flower.   Every time we drive past and especially on the bus ride home from school my kids are hopeful that it will be their name.  For six and a half years they have waited without success.    One day on our way home from carpool we noticed Emily's name so I pulled in for Emily to run in for her flower.    One of the boys dared another boy to go in and say his name was Emily and soon the group effect of daringness took over and they all piled out of my car not listening to my protests.  Soon they all piled back in with a flower.   Boys I tell you are funny creatures!

Ironically just a week or so later Jane's named appeared.  What's the likeliness of that.   She lucked out with the prettiest pink rose in full bloom.  Perfect for Jane.

Cousins Retreat

When Allyson mentioned having a cousins retreat I thought I'm in but will the others come.   I guess it's the realist in me but I was way wrong.  As soon as the message got out everyone was game and only a few couldn't make it happen.  

 I grew up in a girls world.   On my mom's side my grandma had 14 granddaughters and 3 grandsons.  Although only the Robinson's lived close by we regularly had summer reunions, Christmas parties, Easter picnics at Capital Reef and Thanksgiving at my grandma's brothers bowling alley.     

But people get older and families expand and move away and it's been years since I've seen seen most of these ladies and even then it was at my Grandma's funeral which was an emotional and formal day.  

We met up in Palm Springs and split between two big houses and had the best time.    I haven't laughed so hard in such a long time.  I seriously have the funnest people in my family.  Even from the get go and we all messaged back and forth my cousin Sammy sent this post.  

Immediately in Grandma Morrell style we took a picture a big family picture. 

We all went out to eat at a local diner that my Uncle Jimmy (who works in Joshua tree for the season) recommended and then hit the open air "Villagefest" market on main street in Palm Springs.  The next morning we treated ourselves to pedicures.  

Then we hit the amazing outlet malls for a shop till you drop day of shopping.   We most of the time divided up into our immediate families but somehow we all made it to this store "Daisy Shoppe" and had the best time trying on clothes for each other.   Jumpers are the rage right now and we had fun  trying on all sorts of interesting styles.   I think we all gained our love of shopping from my Grandma Morrell who always looked sharp.  Throughout the weekend we would talk about some of her sayings.   I remember her saying "It's better to be overdressed than underdressed".    It didn't matter if she was home cleaning bathrooms or headed to church she always wore nice freshly ironed clothes, makeup and had her hair done.    Living our in the country before internet you didn't shop very often but when you did it was like a marathon.   I have lots of memories of my Grandma Morrell coming along with us as kids to Provo or Salt Lake and going and going until all the stores were closed.   I'm sure my Grandma would have loved to be shopping with all of us.  

We made plans to meet up at Tommy Bahamas restaurant.  It was amazing and I would highly recommend the coconut shrimp.  Yummy!

We enjoyed hanging out in the hot tub and going to bed way to late.  The next morning a few of us who couldn't sleep in headed out on a hike up to a waterfall just outside of Palm Springs.  

The rest of the day was spent lounging around by the pool chatting away without the distractions of kids or life.   

 Towards evening we worked our way back to downtown Palm Springs were we had fun exploring the local shops and ate Italian food.  

The highlights were reminiscing in  fun candy shop who sold old fashion treats we all grew up in and discovering a trendy clothing shop where everything was $17.  I bought me a sun hat!  

Later that night we met back at one of the houses and had a favorite things gift exchange party.  Hair care seemed to be a common gift.   My Aunt Janie took it to another level when she opened  her box and styled her hair just so. 

I loved the conversations I had with my cousins.   When you are young a few years difference is huge but it was fun to get to know some of my younger cousins I didn't know as well as adult women.  My cousin Sammy shared more about her experience getting a bone infection in her hip after giving birth which led to a hip replacement and some of the miracles and spiritual experiences that happened along the way to gain her health back.     We left saying this should be a yearly occurrence.    I hope it is!!

Eternal Friends

When I got set apart as a missionary I was told that I would meet friends that would continue into Eternity.    Looking back now I see how true it is.  I have a little bit of contact with some of the people I taught or worked with in the church but most have moved away from Indiana but I love them just as much as 20 years ago.  Although I know I won't see them until the next life  I'm sure the reunion will be sweet and full of love. 

John on the other hand has kept in close touch with  his "eternal friends" from his mission.  It's incredible.   As I met some of the choice people it was apparent how much they met to John and Pauline and how much John and Pauline met to them.   

 Tina was the first one we met up with in Rome.   She doesn't speak much English but readily communicated such warmth and class.  John met Tina when she was just a little girl.  Tina was the daughter of a single mom who owned an apartment building.  John and his companion was tasked with finding a proper place for them to live and rented from this lady.  According to John she adored the missionaries and did so much for them and probably would have joined the church if it wasn't for her live in boyfriend.   Around 50 years later those feelings were exemplified through her daughter Tina who gladly gave up an afternoon to spend with us.  

On our first trip to the temple John met up with other Italian Friends.  

Sergio and Ginsy Griffa

Brother and Sister Caruso

After our brief time on the temple grounds we darted back in a taxi to the center of Rome where we met up with the Tonon family from Torino Italy who came down for the  temple dedication.  John was in his happy place with these people and mentioned his favorite part of the trip was having dinner with them.  Emmanuel his wife Sarah and their two kids arrived at the restaurant first.  The communication was choppy as Sarah didn't know any English and Emmanuel knew just a little.  They were friendly nonetheless and as we were parting Sarah somehow communicating to me that she felt bad she couldn't talk to me because her English is poor and I felt the same way but she felt like a kindred spirit that in another time and place we would have been friends.   Emmanuel's sister Sarah joined us soon after and easily took the place as the family interpreter. Sarah is an amazing disciple of Christ.  She even followed the prophet by telling the waiter who questioned why none of us wanted wine or coffee that "We are Mormons, I mean members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints so we don't drink coffee or wine."   Pauline shared an article that was written about her in some online church article.  It told the story about how Sarah lost her husband less than a year ago from being shot point blank.  Sarah related that the night after the shooting she couldn't sleep and poured her heart out to Heavenly Father and he gave her great comfort to the point that she has felt no despair about losing her husband to the point of feeling almost guilty.   She said she still worries about her 3 small boys being raised without a father but has faith that at some time she will know the reason for losing her husband.    Sarah got her phone out and face timed with her mom as well as her brother Evans who lived for a brief time with John and Pauline.   They both seemed so happy to see John and Pauline.  I could feel such mutual adoration between all.  During the time I spent with the Tonon's I could feel the love this family had for each other.   Just amazing people who make me want to be a better person.

Being able to attend one of the dedicatory sessions of the Rome temple was an amazing experience.  It was exhilarating to see on facebook this picture of the twelve at the temple and to know I was in Italy during the same time they were all at the Rome temple.  

The grounds were all a buzz and some of the twelve were mingling with the people on the grounds.    As I was trying to get a better glance of this magnificent stain glass, I noticed an interview being held and what caught my attention was the man being interviewed has a deliberating stutter.   So I stood in the background and listened to the interview and realized they were interviewing a husband and wife team who had created this artwork.  The man painfully stammered out that because he has such a hard time communicating he creates these pictures to show his love for the Savior.  It was touching to hear this and be reminding that oftentimes we are given trials to redirect us to our true mission in this life.    He said all of the models of the people in the picture are members of the Christ I think living in Italy.  As he said this I caught a glimpse of this lady on the right walking around the visitor center

  

I love that everything in the LDS church comes back to ordinances performed in the temple     It makes life so much more meaningful to know the relationships we have with family and friends we meet along the way as we are serving our Heavenly Father will continue beyond this life.


Thank you John and Pauline for accepting our self invite to Italy!  It was a once in a lifetime trip for us and we will always cherish the memories.

Rome- March 12

Gate one tours should adopt the slogan "Early birds avoids the crowds."  Once again they had us up out of the hotel early for a walking tour to the Roman Colosseum and forums.  Pauline wasn't feeling great and passed on the tour and I don't blame her a bit by this point on our vacation I could have used some time to rest as well.


Over 26 million visits tour Rome each year.  Bart calculated that is about 72,000 people a day.  The Colosseum is the 3rd or 4th most visited place in the world.  These statistics made me grateful the tour got us up early and although Rome was chillier than I would have liked I don't think I want to come to Europe mid summer.

A little bit about what I learned from the Colosseum tour.  It was built in like 7 years which is incredible considering its size.  I guess that's the advantage of owning a ton of slaves.  In it's prime it is calculated that is held about 55,000 people but the tour guide mentioned it's suspected they could have squeezed in closer to 80,000.  The bottom section was for dignitaries such a Senators and of course the King.  The walls inside the Colosseum were lined in marble and over time has been recycled into places such as the Vatican.  "Box seats" for the rich were on the same level as the arena so a "guard" was placed right under the seat and if an animal like a tiger or bull jumped over the barricade the servant would tackle it before it malled the person.  There were bathrooms on the main floor for the dignitaries.  They would have their servants go ahead and warm up the seat and they would often discuss "deals" on the pot with other dignitaries.  The upper levels did not have toilets.  According to the tour guide they just used gravity.  Yuck!   Women were allowed in the Colosseum.  If you were married you sat next to your husband but if you were not married you were in the nose bleed section along with the other servants.

As we ascended upwards on a stair case 

The Roman Forum was fascinating.  To think all of this has been excavating as civilizations simply built on top of their cities.   Years ago someone decided to expand the metro system to make it more accessible to the Vatican but they keep running into more Roman ruins so progress is "piano, piano" meaning very slow in Italian.

  

After our tour was over we made our way back to the motel and stopped by this Chapel to see the famous "Moses" sculpture.  Bart learned that the reason why this Moses has horns is strictly a lost in translation error.  When the bible was translated from Hebrew to some other language and then into Italian the Hebrew meaning of rays of light around him translated into Horns. 

We went back to the Hotel and made our way down the street to this eclectic restaurant with a ton of stuff hanging on the walls and ceilings.  Bart noticed this picture of  John Belushi who is shown here eating at this joint.

After a nice restful nap we all got in our Sunday best and headed to the Rome Temple Dedication.


The next morning before daylight we were on our way to the airport for a long journey home.  Here's our last shot of Rome.