Day 3

It was a beautiful Sunday in Guatemala! We again had a breakfast (feast) at our hotel. Then we loaded the bus and went back to Guatemala City to attend church. We parked by the temple and were led through it to the back where there was a chapel. The people were so friendly and looked very prosperous. It was all done in Spanish, except they asked a sister missionary to give her talk in English for us! Our guide, Carlos and bus driver also attended with us. Carlos said there was a certain something that he felt there. Also, he told us what was said in the talks! After sacrament meeting, we changed and started on our journey to Honduras to Copan. At the border, we had to go through quite the ordeal. They took our passports, then we had to unload the luggage and each carry our own through. After paying some fees, we were allowed to proceed.
We arrived at our Marina Copan Hotel which was like being in Hawaii with the thatched roofs, beautiful gardens, more tropical birds, and warm sunshine. We settled into our room and then ate outdoors under a huge thatched roof. What luxury!

Day 2

Today after a fantastic breakfast at our hotel, we boarded the bus and traveled to the Guatemalan highlands. The road was rough because of construction. We had to wait an hour before we could proceed at one point. It was interesting to watch the Mayans with their enterprises - they were trying to sell food, drinks, and trinkets to those who were stopped. We saw women balancing baskets on their heads. Little children were out selling.
We finally were able to procede to a place where they had a market wet up. People from surrounding villages were selling everything you can think of. We were able to spend an hour exploring and purchasing! Rulon got a drum and a flute and I got a table runner. The women were all dressed in the traditional costumes of their villages. Most men were in jeans and cowboy hats but some were in the traditional costumes.
We then went on to Lake Atitlan which is thought by some to be the site of the Waters of Mormon. It may be the site of the sunken City of Jerusalem. We enjoyed the beautiful gardens and birds on the grounds of Atitlan Hotel where we had lunch. Of course, there was a shop in the hotel where we women spent some time.
Then it was back on the bus to Antigua and our hotel. We wandered around that night enjoying the ruins of this amazing place. One area was set up for a huge church meeting the next day. It was out of doors but covered by a huge tentlike roof. Everything was decorated in purple - banners, tablecloths, etc. Easter and Holy Week are very important here.

Greetings from the Lands of the Book of Mormon

Here we are in the middle of a jungle on our fantastic trip to Guatemala, Honduras, and Belize. We left on March 7, 2008 from Chicago O'Hare Airport at 6:15 a.m. We flew to Miami where we went through customs. Then we were off with our group of 31 people to beautiful Guatemala City. As we flew over the mountainous country over volcanoes, we landed in the heart of a huge modern city. We met our guide, Carlos, and were off to visit the ruins at Kaminal Juyu which is thought to be the site of the City of Nephi. Here we got our first glimpse of what was in store for us. We saw many mounds where buildings had been covered over through the centuries. It is still a sacred place and we were able to witness a female shaman performing a ceremony to honor the dead (we were lucky; this is almost never permitted). We went inside one of the mounds where they were restoring a huge temple with its many steps and tunnels. It was fascinating to see how much they had done and yet how much was still covered.

Then we were off to our hotel in Antigua. The bus was driven by a man who was able to negotiate the narrow streets and get us to as close as he could to where we needed to enter. From the street, it looked like nothing special, but when we entered the Casa Santo Domingo Hotel, we were in a converted monastery. It was like going back in time many hundreds of years. Our room went out onto a private patio. Everywhere we walked there were statues, fountains, birds, beautiful trees, and flowers. They were preparing for Easter and so had displays of sawdust that was dyed and laid into intricate patterns with vegetables all around the edges. Apparently they make miles and miles of these and they walk on them on Good Friday in their processions to depict the Savior carrying the cross. We had a dinner that night with so many courses that I can't even count. It lasted about 3 hours. Serenaders with violins came to sing to us as we waited. Needless to say, we had a very full first day!

Spring Forward!

Spring forward...Fall back....

It's ingrained in our consciousness almost as much as the A-B-Cs or our spelling reminder of "i before e...."

I was thinking today about this event and so looked it up and found lots of interesting facts about Daylight Saving (not Savings) Time. Here are the dates for the next few years so you won't forget!

Begins 2 a.m.(Second Sunday in March)
Ends 2 a.m. (First Sunday in November)
2008 March 9 November 2
2009 March 8 November 1
2010 March 14 November 7

It's kind of like life - we spring ahead and then we fall back. It takes an adjustment each time. We may complain about losing an hour of sleep in the spring and relish the extra hour in the fall, but the energy that is saved is quite substantial. We also may complain when life gets harder and seems longer, but we do adjust and can make great strides with the extra "daylight".

Anyway, hope that you all continue to "spring forward" and enjoy the extra time in the light!

A Rich Life

Last night, I attended Book Club at Judy Peterson's home. We discussed the book, The Four Aggreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. We had an interesting discussion. I would recommend the book -lots of good, practical wisdom. We have all heard it before but this puts it in simple terms and is a good reminder of how to take care of ourselves.
Anyway, Ellen Sorenson was telling a story about how words can be so powerful. She said that a professor who is helping her with her dissertation came to her home for a day to work on changes, etc. You all heard about the shootings at Northern Illinois University. Well, campus was closed and so they met at Ellen's. As they were working, Ellen was interupted by phone calls from her daughter, voice messages, dinner cooking, etc. Ellen said she thought the professor would think that her life was choatic. But as she was leaving, she said, "Ellen, you have a very rich life". This affected her so greatly - just a few words that made such a difference in her thinking.
Now I have been thinking of my rich life. What incredible blessings I have received. Let me "count them one by one ...".
I can only list a few.
1. My family - present, past, future
2. The gospel - all that it means to the world and me
3. Temples - worthy to enter and preform celestial work for others
4. Home - a mansion compared to most people in the world
5. Friends - the people I was with in that intimate little group last night are some of the choicest women who have ever lived and I get to listen to their ideas and associate with them
6. Transportation - I can go anywhere in the world that I want
7. Body - healthy and strong and can hear and see and work
8. Service - able to help others and feel good in the process
9. Music - can hear the world's greatest on my little radio right in my room
10. Communication - can instantly be in touch with those I love
11. Seasons - so glad that we don't have to live in endless summer or winter - change is wonderful
12. Peace - in my heart if not in the world
13. Freedom - choices are mine because of others fighting for this
14. Love - what a wonderful feeling!
Thanks to all of you who enrich my life and make it wonderful! I am richly blessed.

Potty Talk

After talking to Mark last night and reading their letter this morning, I thought I would write a little poem to Karli.

Karli, Karli - almost three,
Time to learn to go pot -ty.
She doesn't want to do it yet,
She makes it known, oh yes, you bet!
She's got a certain stubborn streak,
Like her sisters, she's not meek.
She lets her wishes all be known,
And trys her parents to the bone.
And from afar we laugh and say,
Your daddy was the very same way!
He got trained and so will she -
But for now, we say, "Tee hee!"
It's payback time for us again,
So, just remember, "count to ten".
She'll learn and on that happy golden day,
All of us will shout "Hooray!"
GO, KARLI! (and we do mean go!)

Our Early Morning Kitchen Dance

Each morning, Dad and I do a kind of dance around each other in our kitchen. Because of the island, the area for food preparation is small. Dad likes to fix his own oatmeal (I guess I don't do it quite right) so I am making his lunch at the same time. I usually have all the fixings on the far counter by the stove so he can use the island. But we still both need things from the drawers and cupboards. You should watch how we (I, mostly) dip and turn to avoid knocking into each other. It actually is a beautiful ballet. We have lived and worked together for so many years that it all comes very naturally. It is cooperation to the hilt. He is getting nourished so he can go off into the world and slay the dragon for me. I am packing his noon meal so he can get through the day and return home with the paycheck! Our lives are so intertwined that we are able to predict and just know what the other one needs. Isn't this what marriage is supposed to be - a becoming "one"?
I am so thankful that we have our routines and that life is predictable for the most part. Of course, we surprise each other and get into each other's territory at times (like stepping on toes while dancing) but usually our choreography is beautiful.
We end our "morning dance" with a hugging prayer together. What a wonderful way to start each day! Thanks, Sweetheart!