The long road home week 1

 We arrived at Ben's and Courtnie's house on Saturday night. Sunday morning was mother's day and Ben had a wonderful breakfast for me and Courtnie. I felt loved.

At 3pm we zoomed with our stake president and we're officially released and took off our badges. We felt normal. Probably because we were "all in" missionaries before our mission. Lol. So business as usual without the badges.

Ephraim came over that night and helped make a lamb feast for us! Our boys are so nurturing. It was a delight

We really loved spending time with Wells. He's so daring on his bike!!! And he's a little farm boy.

We're currently in Tuba City. The last few days we've been to the Cliff dweller ruins

And the Grand Canyon!! It's astounding. Truly.

It was very satisfying to play my native flute in the beauty of both canyons.

Today we went to church in the Navajo ward. I loved their family history board.

If you want the blessings of family history in your life, let me know. We'll get you on your way.

Love you all. See you here next week.

There and Back again:week 79: Going, going, Gone

 

Wow, it really happened. We finished well and packed well. Our friends came and helped us clean. We drove away Saturday morning. Elder Cullen did not know I was taking this picture of him staring at the jail. Staring and staring....We are going to miss being on a mission.  We wrote this song for our friends.It all seems like a Dream

We had our last dinner with friends, after two weeks of breakfasts, lunches, and dinners with people who wanted one last time together. 

So many cards, small gifts, and expressions of love. We had our surry ride with Sawatskis because they are leaving too. It's so bitter sweet. So fun to go home so sad to leave people you have labored beside

You love the people you serve! We all served each other. 

The song we wrote really said what we felt. This has been a lovely experience.

The NEW temple visitors center will be dedicated June 27 in Nauvoo, we're sorry to miss that and all the fun of Pageant Season. You MUST go visit Nauvoo and Carthage. We highly recommend it.

So we're spending Mother's Day with our sons, Ben (Courtnie) and Ephraim  in Kansas City and will hang out here for a week.

Then two family reunions in Utah and time with Autumn (Aaron) and Spring (Calen). We'll be in California around June 10ish.

On to the next great Adventure!!

There and Back Again: Week 78 Stress Management

 

I have researched and taught stress management for decades. I know I can do hard things. I'm good at planning ahead. I can tell that, notwithstanding my knowledge of stress management, that I am under immense stress. 

Everything that is happening right now scores very high on the stress scale. Did you know  stress is just a response to change?

Any change causes stress. Marriage, Divorce, winning the lottery, going bankrupt, getting a great job, starting school, ending school,  loosing a friend, etc., all cause stress. 

Good stress is called Eustress. Bad stress is called distress.  Their effect on the body is THE SAME, it's our reaction to the stress that makes the difference.

So what is the change in our lives? Hmmmm. Let me mention a few but not all...leaving our mission, starting a new life as truly retired people, moving, packing, deep cleaning, leaving our covenant community friends,

 wondering what if anything has changed with our friends back home, going on another mission ( yes, we want to die in the saddle), renting our house and coming back to it, how will we find it?, should we buy a second home nearer our children? On and on....the thoughts swirl in our heads.

So what do we do to support ourselves in the chaos of change? We hold to the schedules and patterns we can control, Morning prayer and Scripture study, taking naps, evening prayers and Scripture study, listening to or playing great music, 

spending quality time in individual or small groups with our friends to say goodbye, stick to the schedule of providing activities.. like the soap making class I taught this week.

work work work to exercise and keep our blood flowing to sweat out and purge via the liver all of our stress toxins (those are real), eating healthy, working with my housing friends

 taking herbal tea, letting myself cry and cry, because that also releases toxins and feels so good when you are done. Attending the temple is a huge stress relief.

Humor is also a great tool for dealing with stress. For example I may have laughed a bit too loud 

when I was mowing and this webby worm dropped down from a tree and swung in front of my face. LOL the joy of knowing, I will be gone when these guys attack in force! Stay on the sunny side!