Almost Heaven, Almost West Virginia

And here is Kai, after having spent a month on the Appalachian trail, he's almost out of Tennessee and into Virginia.  Unfortunately, the trail just goes past West Virginia, but almost.

Here's Dad's April Fools contribution.

I worked Monday, and Dad got the lawn mowed for the first time this year.  Since we have had someone fertilize it this spring, it was no easy task, and that doesn't even include the winterfall of sticks from our junk trees.  Way to go Dad.  

I thought I'd share this pre-Beatles photo as my contribution for the week. How cool is that?

On Tuesday morning, as Dad and I were finishing up our individual scripture study, he asked me if I'd heard any more about how Julie was doing.  I told him I'd checked out Scott's facebook posts the day before, but things seemed to be the same. 

About a half an hour later I got a text from Scott saying his mom, Julie had passed away within the hour.  It made me wonder if she had come by, and that's what had made Dad think of her.  He's much more sensitive to such things than I am.  

Well, I do know that Julie found her final 27 years on a beautiful stream in the mountains of West Virginia to be as close to Heaven as she could get.  Now she's in the real Heaven, and I hope she is at peace. Now it is left for her son Scott to enjoy the fruits of his labors and remembering his time there with his sweet mother. 

I posted online for my siblings who read Face Book, there's a Norma and Rudy page in case you all have missed that.  Then I called those who are not online much. 

I think we all agree that this was a good thing for her.  She had a great life with so many adventures.  I know for the most part she was happy. Now she is with Mom and Dad, and that's a good thing too.

Ross and Julie were on their way to St. George and stopped by to drop off some cash to help with Julie's cremation.  All of my siblings chipped in and we, as a group, were actually able to come up with the entire 2700 that was needed.  Thank you all for your generosity.  

It was fun to have a quick visit with them, and I got to show them where I put the Murphy bed, they gifted us, as I have been working hard on my craft room, which is where it is.  

We later got these before (bottom) and after pictures of their home in St. George as they zero scaped. What fast workers they are.

As they headed south, we headed north to meet up with some Finnish Mission friends.

The Kervinens, who were the last Mission Leaders we worked with in Finland, are in town, and wanted to meet up with senior missionary friends.  We served as their secretaries for the first 7 months of their term.

Sister Bridge, who with her husband, both returned missionaries from Finland, returned to serve just before we did for our second mission.  All 3 senior couples coming at that time, were denied visas.  One couple went to the temple in South Korea, one couple included a Finnish born wife, so they just came anyway and worked on his visa, and the Bridges were sent to Poland, where they served as office couple and loved it.  They were in touch with us on and off trying to figure out if they could replace us when we finished.  However, a missionary couple needs to spend 6 months in the USA before going on another mission. So, they went home, and the couple that replaced us served just a year, and the Bridges went to replace them.  Anyway, all so fun.  But this picture is for Eva, because Sister Bridge's name is Eva Jean, just like our Eva Jean.  In her whole life she's not met another.  She loved the picture I showed her of Eva, who is always so fun and lovely, just like this Eva Jean. (Who coincidentally raised her family in Pleasant Grove, and they now live in Bountiful, across from Viewmont High, my alma matter.) 

I was off to work on Wednesday, again, and Dad opened up his own "Pandora's Box".

This is what it looked like, complete with a box of rocks. 

Then he ran to Orem to work on Ashley's bathroom some more.

and even got a picture with Zach!

I worked again on Thursday, buying this green set of shelves with a picket fence look for my garden booth from another dealer, as well as the Garden Party box in the upper right-hand corner.

 At home Dad was busy putting the Sauna together!

As soon as I got home, he wanted his picture taken inside.  Ah the dreams of 'Almost Heaven' in the sauna.  Happy, Happy man.

Meanwhile the Summers 

and the Davin Perkins were getting closer and closer to meeting up in Texas. 

While Penny and her Dad took a hike up to some local falls.

How cute are they?

I spent the day making riisi piirakkas on Friday. (The rice pies that Brady shocked me with for Christmas after our first mission, if you all recall.  What a rock star!!)  I intended it as a test run, as I have never made them before, for the 100 I need for next week for the Kervinen's young missionary reunion.  We had the general Finnish mission reunion that night and I thought I'd take my trial pies.  Nope, it took me 6 hours to make 50 of them.  I told Dad there was no way I was taking them to the general reunion, instead I froze them for next week, and we bought some cookies for the reunion that night. 

Dad sang in the choir, singing Come thou Font of Every Blessing in Finnish.  It was just a lovely mix of missionaries young and old. 

We got to meet the Kervinen's daughter who lives in Germany and was visiting for Conference as well. 

Of course, we also met with a few of our young missionaries. Palmer Hatch and Gavin Grooms.

And Mica Duggar from our first mission. 

These are the Wade era missionaries, plus me. 

And we met up again with the cute young Finn, Milli Silvenoinen, we met at the Finnish Comedian Ismo's show that Darby took us too. 

Here we are with the Helsinki Stake President, Harri Myllyla, who had a work trip for meetings in California next week and decided to come a week early to enjoy conference. Good Timing. 

Our first mission President, Wayne and Luanna Watson, are just 3 months home from a two-year mission to Africa. 

This young sister was in the choir with Dad, and afterwards posted this picture of her and the missionary who baptized her great grandmother in Finland!  Of course, her mother married an Amercian missionary who brought her back here, so the missionary is also an American, of the half Finn variety. 

And while we were busy visiting with Finns from our past, Davin and Becca had finally arrived in Texas, where they and their families will join Emily and her family for an eclipse viewing party on Monday.

Then the three families went to search for fossils at a nearby lake.

Its fun to see all three families hanging out together.

This picture was sort of weird of Elias 13 and Abbie 9 ... she looks so tiny. 

In this one their relative size is closer to the truth.

And so much fun was had by all .... Emily made them French Bread hoagies like we used to have when you were all kids. It always was a great picnic solution.  Later she made Grandma Connie's pink salad too. 

And while they were gathering in Texas, these two were gathering in Idaho.  Here we see Darby about to be tortured with some hot yoga.  

But she was really in town for a Tim McGraw concert. 

I loved this picture of my girlies.  

So basically, with Spencer's Family in Wyoming visiting her folks, we had just Ashley and Trevor in State, how weird is that?  The Trevor part came in handy though, when he came down to help Dad haul sheet rock to the basement and put it up on the ceiling framework Dad built last week, and Monday.  Thanks Trevor. 

We watched conference all day Saturday, even when Trevor came to help.  President Nelson was at home watching the three sessions, and was so missed, but I loved this meme I found. 

I found this great recipe, but subbed lentils for the white beans ...  Still, it was pretty good, I just think I'll switch back next time.  Two more lovely sessions of conference today.  So many wonderful thoughts and challenges.  I loved listening to Elder Kearon's English accent. If your family had a chance to watch, I hope you found the peace and joy that we did.  

And so many great new temples. 

 We hear Trevor's excited about the one in Edinburgh.