...collectilble moments

A member of our ward taught us a few weeks ago about "collectible moments"--you know, those "moments" when your children look like sleeping angels (and I discovered even 20-year-olds qualify), the sunset is so beautiful it makes you ache, or music that does the same thing, or someone says something that triggers a special memory, or just something that makes you glad to be alive! right now! right here! Well...........I'm trying to cultivate the habit of noticing those "moments". You know! it's easy to miss them! Here are a few I've caught (I didn't take a picture of the 20-year-old):

One of our climbing roses that survived the drastic drop in temperature last Thanksgiving. I wish I had paid better attention to just how drastic is was here............

Look at our sweet peas!!!!! I hope we can have them for at least a couple of weeks. It's getting to be very warm here. But as cool as it's been, maybe we will blow right through the hot stuff quickly enough that they will survive...........I'm not counting on it though............we are thoroughly enjoying them now!

We just found--well, John found it--a hummingbird nest in our lilac bush! It is miraculously small! And how in the world does it stick?!?!??? And what is it made of???? There are two baby birds in it........we could see them breathing--but could not recognize any "bird parts". They look like two very tiny black balls.... (and, of course, I focused on the nest--not the birds! Maybe better next time.)

...filling "the reservoir......

Roger took me to San Diego last week..........seems an age ago now..........The boys were just finishing up the work in Needles and we needed to go to San Diego for a machine being stored in our niece's and nephew's garage........thank you Joseph and Heidi!!! We had a great time......a little rushed.........we talked about going again, but considering how long it's been since the last time we were there, maybe it will be during the millennium! Our first stop was the temple in Redlands.....

And, of course, we stopped at the temple in San Diego..........we had gone there with the children several years ago. This time we took advantage of the "childless" time and attended a session. The spirit was wonderful and we came away with our "reservoirs" replenished. There are times when I would like to just take up permanent residence!

Another "must see/do" was a visit to the aircraft carrier "Midway".  She has seen much action; been "rebuilt" twice; was one of the first (if not the first) modern aircraft carriers; has seen more wars than anyone living; and has an amazing history..........thousands of refugees were airlifted to her when Saigon fell to the North......... She was doomed to be scraped when many of the sailors who served on her banded together and "saved" her. I'm so glad they did........ She is docked in San Diego harbor near "Old Town".........

Roger insisted on this one..........I think it is WAY out of character, but it gave me a greater appreciation for the pilots--and co-pilots. (There was a sign up there that said, "Please do not disturb the co-pilot)........made me laugh! It's really a pretty tight squeeze in there!

The helicopter that picked up five of the Apollo missions!!!! I had to go back in and take another look around inside. Not a whole lot to see, but oh my!! The first flight to the moon! The first to land on the moon! AND!!! the crew of Apollo 13!!!!

 These are the rocks I wanted to bring home from the Torrey Pines beach. Roger insisted I leave them. I brought home only two!!! I loved the colors and the "ribbons" in the sand............

The Mormon Battalion museum in "old town" San Diego..........

The waves at Del Mar...........a lovely beach! And, of course, we had to get our feet wet! We never plan on staying very long, so we roll up our pant legs and then get them wet anyway. Such a fun time..........there is awe that goes with it too..........I'm sure you understand........

We stopped at the Newport Beach temple on the way "home". It was a little out of the way, but I'm oh so glad we made the effort!!!! It is BEAUTIFUL!!!! Even more important than the physical beauty is the oasis of peace these temples create...........the landscaping here is spectacular!!! I wandered around and tried to fill up all the little nooks and crannies of my soul............again, I could have taken up residence. The real world is always startling to me after attending the temple, but at the same time, it makes it more manageable, somehow. I think that's one of the meanings of Isaiah.....that we cannot be made perfect without our ancestors. I'm so thankful they were willing to come to earth at a time they knew the gospel would not be here..........makes it possible for us to attend the temple repeatedly and with a more unselfish purpose..........though I do go for me!

...two rivers

I went "home" again today--just for a few hours. We had to stop and take some pictures of the rivers we encountered............with the snow melting, I'm sure you are aware they are running high and higher. We wished we could have spent more time to sit and listen...............but we had important people to visit with. It was a grand day.............

The first one is the Provo River just above Jordanelle Reservior. So this is actual uncontrolled runoff--I think--with some water from the Weber River thrown in for good measure. The canal through Kamas was full......you gotta love springtime in the Rockies even when it's a late spring!

River #2 is the Sevier River just at the north end of Leamington. This is "controlled" "make room in the reserviors" kind of runoff. It was a couple of feet higher last week. But it's still pretty spread out. I'm not really sure which is the actual river bed. And maybe both are..........this is a rather slow meandering river. You know, the river is twice as long as the actual distance. Someday I would like to take a long, meandering canoe trip............

See all the swallow nests under the side of the bridge? That's a great place for them. Michelle and I were just about carried away by mosquitoes! The swallows better get busy!

...May?..............

It's hard to think what happened to May! It's gone!!!! I had to go back through my pictures to discover what had happened to it. Here's what I found: (sorry the pictures are not better--sometimes this is as good as it gets)

   

 

Our sweet Michelle graduated from Snow College. Actually, this was the last day of April, but it got lost in all the shuffle with all of May.....

And "sweet" Lisa graduated from Utah State!!!! Bachelor of Science in English Lit. She loved it. She did very well............we are so proud of her.

We were blessed to have much of the family in Logan for the celebration. Pay Day for parents and grandparents...........double if you are blessed enough to be both parent and grandparent!!!

State water polo............Thursday night--loss--it was a heart-breaker; home at 11:00, up for school next morning. Saturday morning, 5:00 a.m., leave to get team there on time.........another loss..........The second game on Saturday was early afternoon. We finally won one!!!!! I was so thankful they could end on a win............

Richard picked John up at the airport that morning--Saturday. He was coming home from North Carolina where he had been for a three week selection process to see if he could train for "special forces"..........he passed! I'm thrown into a rather typical "mother's quandary" --glad he accomplished what he wanted to, but apprehensive about what the future might hold for him............

And a quiet little surprise in my garden.............aren't they beautiful???? I absolutely love the doves. They are our pretty much constant companions while we are working in the yard..........