A fabulous birthday, the ocean and superheroes

In the last few weeks, we've had a busy and exciting time.

First, we celebrated Grandma Great's 95th birthday. In true Aunt Deb style, the festivities began with a treasure hunt for all the great grands in attendance.



The hunt was fun enough--what with riotous good time for cousins from near and far--but the kids were over the moon to find the treasure hunt resulted in actual treasure! (jewels and MONEYS). Then we shared a lovely evening, good food and even smores with family we don't always get to see much.

The next day, we drove up to beautiful Cache Valley for more cousin time and to see family we really don't see much of--all orchestrated by Deb and Sue and Marianne and Deb and Sue were both too sick to even enjoy it! But we enjoyed it all for them.

The next weekend, we headed to the Oceanside California, to see the ocean (it's been a few children ago since we'd tried) and see dear friends who'd moved there at the beginning of the summer. We had alternate activities planned, like Legoland, touring aircraft carriers and old missions, but we never got beyond the sand, the surf and good friends.





If only it weren't so expensive, and with such crazy traffic, we'd stay here forever!

And then, we came to the end of the month with its multiple Halloween festivities. Z opted out this year. He says he's too old. CE dressed up, in part because it's part of her grade in Leadership to do so for school, but she's always liked it more than Z anyway. The rest of the kids were too excited about every aspect to wait out even one second.



I was just pleased that we seem to have planned our candy purchases just right--dolling out almost all of what the kids received at DH's work trick or treat AND the ward trunk or treat to other children on our street, so that we only now have to contend with what the littles brought home from the actual trick or treating, and since only Bam and M went out tonight, that shouldn't be too bad.

Tremendous

Two weeks ago, a recent convert from our ward entered the temple for the first time and we were able to go with her and her family to witness their sealing a few days later. Since we were only in Salt Lake City for the day, my husband and I decided to take in a session there before hopping the plane back home. The one word that filled my mind that whole trip was “tremendous.” Tremendous effort for the trip, but tremendous power in the temple, tremendous love and service flowing from the many people there with us. Tremendous.

The following weekend was General Conference. I’ve always likened sitting for those eight hours, at the feet of the prophets, to drinking from the firehose. Tremendous. Tremendous effort on the parts of the speakers and all those who bring their words to me, from the satellite operators to the people coding the HTML whatsits so I can participate over and over and over again. Tremendous gifts from heaven there for the taking. Tremendous.

This weekend, I joked that we were ordinance surfing. Friday we attended the temple with a couple for their first time. The next morning we witnessed their sealing. And the afternoon found us attending the baptism of another new member. He was confirmed and given the gift of the Holy Ghost this morning. Tremendous. Tremendous love pouring out of the temple, out of the baptismal font, out of the Heavens as those who love God are led to find Him and those who have found Him hold out their hands. Tremendous blessings to be a minor participant, almost a bystander really, in the wonder of this work.

A sister gave a talk on the Holy Ghost at the baptism. She was filled with the Spirit and loving and tender and she closed her talk with a thought about our progression about learning to trust God and reaching the point where, in gratitude we find we have become trustworthy to Him. Becoming trustworthy to God. I think the pieces of these past weeks are key points in that journey. Making covenants, receiving ordinances and holding out guiding hands to others so they may do the same. Tremendous.