whatever

Una & Me

Just a little blah lately, well a lot. Megan left on her mission. My friend Una had to move back to Taiwan. BYU got pulverized against Florida St. My car was harassed again.

On the flip side:

• Megan will be a great missionary... she is a strong young woman who is a survivor and loves people, makes friends easily and is joyful. And I write her a note every morning and send it off, so I'm getting my letter writing groove back.
  
• Una brought me a thousand little gifts from "her country." Whistles, jewelry, soap, calligraphy, wallets, cell phone covers, coin clutches -- and much more. We had a good visit on our way to the airport and I have an open invitation to visit her in Taipei.
• My good friend is the "coaches wife" and we were able to talk during the game. Plus, we took my father-in-law and were in the crazy student section and stood practically the whole game with 70,000 other fans.
• People have volatile reactions to my car.... (I refuse to believe it is about me) the bright red attracts attention and the Obama sticker provokes temper tantrums. I was called all kinds of names at the dealership when I went to get the oil changed. Seriously, isn't "pinko commie" a bit redundant? Gives me a chance to not take it personally and practice my "dust off your shoulder."
  

alive @ dead horse point

the lookout

in their own world

Darren + river = Darren

land - a double entendre

walking

cliffs

tree on the edge

sunset - the sunrise was even more spectacular

impressive pink, camping, mountain-biking ensemble

June in August

brothers

they're hard to get, but finally a pic of Chase

engaged

great-grandsons and a new stash of art paper - don't ya just love that koolaid mustache face

[returned] missionary Matthew

Utah is amazing. You could be at sup-alpine altitudes frolicking amongst the aspens in the morning and then within hours be breathing the dry desert air while taking in the red-rock sunset. In August we took part in an OO - Owesome Olsen adventure [inside family joke] at Dead Horse Point. Barren and beautiful. The boys camped out under the vast sky of stars; after witnessing a scorpion scamper past the campfire I was safely zipped in my tent. We mountain biked the new Intrepid bike trail, my brother-in-law was key in getting the trail complete and participated in the inaugural run with the now Ambassador to China former governor, Jon Huntsman, Jr. It was a new experience for me... pedaling on the slickrock and then through the sand. You really had to concentrate. We ate good food, told funny jokes, played wicked competitive games -- Olsen style -- and loved being together. Oh, are you kidding, there was no time for knitting.

I'm Being Followed by a Moonshadow

So my birthday adventures continued into the late evening. An excerpt from Chip Ward's Hopes Horizon ignited a desire to keep track of the phases of the moon... a sort of rhythm to mark time, the tide, moods. I had noticed that September 4th was a full moon and requested a family moonlit hike to the Wind Caves. It was incredibly bright, no need to use the flashlights, dark defined shadows mimicked our steps along the mountainside. The canyon was full of last weekend of summer adventurers. The caves included flight shows from the bats. The boys enjoyed themselves. We heard Land singing as he hiked, Chase kept us from straying from the trail.

Saturday night we had our friends Steven and Doris (our first neighbors in Montana) over. Doris is big into soccer and we could get the Brazil vs. Argentina world cup qualifier so over they came. A few of Darren's soccer players came as well. I kept going from tv to tv to check the status of my alma mater BYU and Oklahoma. Oh Yeah! The Cougars won.

Monday was our traditional Labor Day gathering. We bbq'd loads of hamburgers to feed the loads of family that joined us. Darren set up the scuba gear so whomever chose to try it could. And guess what? My DAD DID IT. And liked it. Just think how he would feel under the sea with the colored little fishies and coral.

Good Times!

climb the wall

It's my birthday today. And I tried something that really really scared me. My friend Scott took me rock climbing. With the illnesses and accidents that have surrounded me lately, I have gradually lost trust in this amazing gift of a physical body. Once my mind and spirit started healing I began to try and heal this tired bod of mine. I've pushed myself past the self-consciousness of body-image and have tried many a new thing.... surfing, running long distances, mountain biking on slickrock etc.

Back to the rock climbing. My legs would SHAKE uncontrollably and my heart beat hard the whole way up. I kept begging to come down and Scott kept saying, you can't come down until you get to the top. I was incredibly fatigued. My forearms were cramped. But, whoa, it felt good to go. all. the. way.

The boys and I are leaving right now for another birthday adventure at my request. I'll tell you about it tomorrow.

blessed

It was Megan's BIRTHDAY. She leaves in two weeks for 18 months to do missionary work in Arkansas. I took inspiration from Amanda Soule's Handmade Home and created a miniature banner. I also made a little bag to store it in. Maybe she can tuck it in her suitcase and pin it up for special moments or for a dash of color to brighten up tough days.