The Road Trips of Life

We have been doing a lot of traveling lately. And we are preparing for our BIG summer trip to Utah and Nauvoo to go and see Daniel as a performance missionary. It has been nice to travel and see different scenery, and also visit dear friends and family. I realized just how much I have missed being with people that I love. 

Also, for me, being with people I love is very healing for my heart. I need extra-love-heart-healing right now and so it has been wonderful. The more beauty of the earth and beautiful people I am around, the more the holes in my heart are made whole. 

It is a magical thing to feel like I am becoming myself again. 

It is a journey to continue healing each day... but life is a journey, and I am grateful for the roads I have traveled on, they have taught me valuable lessons, that hopefully I learn from. And I will keep moving forward with faith. 

Here are a bunch of pictures from our excursions and adventures, and also home time. I do love being home! There is no place like home. 

Here we have Daniel drawing a picture of the Nauvoo temple. Art has been his way to unwind after so much singing and dancing. 

He has been enjoying his mission. He said it is interesting to go back a second time, because things are different, but different isn't bad. These kids end up being such good friends. 

Trail of hope. I am so excited for this. And fireflies... oh man... I LOVE fireflies. 

He has been playing the guitar like crazy, he is learning on the job. 

Such a cute boy. Elder van Ormer. 

Look at those massive smiles. The gospel fills their souls with light! :) 

How high can you go! 

We have been going out for drives in our neck of the woods and there are just gorgeous fields of yellow... 

It is so so beautiful. 

I love it! 

God makes beautiful paintings. 

Enjoying the light. I have to take selfies because my boys don't really do pics. 

Just hanging in the backyard. Our own little park. 

A sunset run. I love going running in the late evening. I call it running... but really... it is still turkey trotting. I have a long way to go. And my body is being weird. But, I am getting stronger. 

This big hill is awesome to jog up and down. I jog, stop, breathe... and repeat to the top. One day I will make it without stopping... but I should probably always breathe. ;) 

Oh Deer! 

Peek-a-Boo! 

I see you! I wish I would have had my real camera and not just my phone to get these shots... I need to just bring it with me all the time. 

Will went on Trek. He pulled the handcart most of the time. He had a great time, and it was hard work. He was happy to be home. 

He looked so good when he got home though. There is something great about being outside and being ALIVE and dirty. 

His hair was awesome. 

And he was covered in dirt. 

Swinging! Yay!

I take Henry out to run with me sometimes. He is really growing up! He is 11 now. 

Nature...

Spokane has some really cool and beautiful places. 

I love going through the old avenues. 

These trees are so magical. 

The pond is a favorite place. 

The massive pine trees just add another layer of beauty. 

I mean... these kind of houses... let me in, so I can see what is inside! 

Seriously huge trees! 

More sunset and golden fields

Run, run, run... 

Because ice cream is SO good. And now they have my FAVORITE ice cream ever at the local grocery store! I am in trouble! 

Daniel's hair is turning so blonde in Nauvoo. 

We drove to Boise for a weekend trip... The way home had a beautiful sunset. 

We ended up leaving late from Boise so we drove at night in the dark. 

But sunset and dark were kind of a nice time to be driving... except for the bugs on the windshield. 

The earth is pretty. 

William has been helping with driving. 

Cool stormy skies. 

Heaven's light touching the earth. 

A pit stop on the side of the road to stretch and breathe. 

While in Boise I got to visit with dear friends, like Lyn. 

And the Harlins

They are friends that are family. 

We got to visit the Liberty Ward that I love so much. With people that I love so much! 

Good times. :) 

Me and Rachelle. 

We visited Charles' grave in Idaho City. 

It is so sad to see the "Unknown" graves. But no one is unknown to the Lord. 

Such a rustic beautiful place. 

His headstone looked good. There was moss growing right over the dirt in front of his grave, which is weird. And the trees are starting to grow over his gravesite... it will probably be hidden in many years from now. 

See the moss? Just over his grave dirt? It was a little strange. 

We stopped at a car show on the way to the cemetery. It wasn't planned, but when I saw it, I had to take the boys out to walk around. It was pretty cool. 

So many different kinds of cars. 

Why don't cars look this amazing anymore? 

There were all sorts of interesting vehicles. 

We stayed in a loft in Bown Crossing, in the middle of lots of restaurants and fun places. It was super fun, and had a great view from the balcony. 

We got to see Sammi! Yay! 

I love my Sammi and miss her. 

We went down to the river to skip rocks. 

It was beautiful. 

Nico came for the fun too. He skipped a rock all the way across the river! We were all very impressed. 

Baskin Robbins all around... because family and ice cream belong together. 

I got to sleep in a very nice king size bed at the loft. 

It was such a cool place! 

Such high ceilings! 

Henry graduated from fifth grade. He is going to be in middle school next year... I don't love that. I feel like one more year in elementary would have been good for him. But that's not the plan. So middle school... here we come. 

They made a slideshow of the kids and I was crying... I wasn't expecting to cry. But I was feeling it... being there alone. 

They showed baby pics of the 5th graders... and I just lost it. Especially with another "baby" on my lap. That baby on the screen is Henry. 

Johnathan likes to try and sneak in my bed at night. I used to let him stay... but now I am trying really hard to help him stay in his bed. It is just too much motion with him doing flips all night. 

A school poster by Henry. 

FaceTime with Elder van Ormer 

This is a picture I took of myself, when I found out the divorce was finally FINAL. 

I was in the middle of hanging wallpaper when I found out. Yes, that is a life-size picture of Charles' head. It is a fairly new addition to my room, now that I am single again. His face is just comforting to me. His smile is just like he is saying, "Peace, be still... It will be okay." 

I moved my bedroom downstairs into what was once the playroom. The large room has another smaller room connected to it -- that used to be my office -- where Johnathan now has his own room. It is nice so Henry and William have their own rooms, too. Now my room and office are combined into one, but I kind of like it that way. It is more like a college dorm room, but I am single... so I can enjoy cafe lights in my room. It helps me sleep at night, I can turn them down way low. 

I am a fan of dark and moody spaces. I like light and airy, too... but there is something about the darker paint colors that are becoming more and more popular... and I love it. 

A trip to the temple. I love the temple. That "light" in my eyes is a reflection of the temple. 

We just have a little baby temple here in Spokane, but it is still beautiful. 

Beautiful views from my jogging. 

It feels like Hobbiton. Speaking of... for our next car trip to Utah... we will be listening to The Lord of the Rings on audible. I have never really listened to books while driving before... could be fun though? The landscapes from Spokane to Boise are very dramatic and Middle-Earth like, so it should be good. 

Spokane has such diverse landscapes... I just love it. 

Different view of my room. 

It is a very cozy space for me. AND it stays much cooler downstairs in the summer... so I am loving that! 

But forget my room for awhile... I will be sleeping at my brother's house, hotels and an Airbnb...

Next road trip... is to see this guy... I can't wait!