Our time in Middleton

As much as we enjoyed our time with Andy and Kathy, we were very eager to get moving on to Middleton to see our son, Aaron, and his family.   The kids all spent Christmas in Michigan with their non-custodial parents. Sharing holidays is something you just get used to in blended families.  On the day after Christmas, however, we got to pick them all up at the airport and bring them home. We could scarcely believe how much they had all grown!

We have absolutely no doubts or second thoughts about serving this mission.  We KNOW it was the right decision at the right time fr us. Still, seeing our grandkids so tall and self possessed was an abrupt reminder that one of the big sacrifices we made was to miss out on the caboose of their childhoods.  Gone are the days of little kids cuddling with us while we read books on the couch.  This new version of youth who took their places are still great kids, but oh how different they all are.

It was wonderful to see the new home that their family now lives in.   We had watched pictures posted on FaceBook as it was being built, but actually staying with them in that home was a very special treat.  One of the things we had talked about during the time they were building it was that they had decided to forgo having a third bay garage so they could afford to put in a full bathroom and extra bedroom on main floor - something that had us very much in mind.   For now that extra room in a craft room and is where they keep their exercise equipment.   But in the future should health or circumstances ever necessitate us needing more help or care, they wanted to have room in this house for aging parents.  The love and forethought of that decision truly touched our hearts.  

We hope it will be a long, long time before we will even have to think about living anywhere other than our own home.   Still, it was very tender to know we were sleeping in a room that had been put in that house especially with us in mind.

One funny thing that happened when we were staying there -  on one of the days when both Aaron and Stephanie had to go to work I was at the house with the boys while Larry went out to have lunch with his sister, Toni.  Chesilee had gone to work with her mom.   (Stephanie is a Nannie for three sweet little kids in Boise and on occasion Ches will go with her to play with them.)

So I was spending some quiet time on my own downstairs while the boys were upstairs playing their video games.  I decided to be helpful while I was there and did some cleaning up around the kitchen.  Then, as I was putting things away into the refrigerator, I saw the most wonderful looking salad.   I figured it was probably something special Stephanie had made to go with dinner than night.   I tried to resist it.  I really did!   But it looked so scrumptious that I just couldn't help myself.   So I took just a wee taste to see what it was like.   SCRUMPTIOUS!   A little bit latter I took a second taste, which was every bit as good as the first.   Finally as I finished the last of the dishes I gave in completely and just went ahead and scooped up a bowl, enjoying my share of the salad for lunch, figuring I could pass on it when it was served later for dinner.  It truly was delicious.

When Stephanie got home I complimented her on the wonderful salad she had made.   She gave me a strange look and asked me "What salad?"   Now I was the one to be confused.   I said "That really good salad in the bowl in your refrigerator.  I had some for lunch and it tasted wonderful.  I hope it was ok that I had some before dinner."    Still looking uncertain she pulled the bowl out of the refrigerator.   "Do you mean this?"  she asked.   YES!   That's the stuff...absolutely yummy.

Now she looked at me with a mystified look on her face and answered "that's the iguana food".
OOPS.   Oh well - it was still very good.  It was a mix of chopped collard greens, kale, red and yellow peppers and mango.   I liked it so much I ate MORE of it at dinner.   (Hopefully the iguana won't mind.)

Valli Hi Christmas

 After a LONG road, we finally made it safe and sound to Idaho.  We spent Christmas Eve and a delightful Christmas morning at my brother's home in Eagle.  Andy and Kathy really know how to make the holidays special.   We went to Mass at Holy Apostles Catholic Church with them and enjoyed the sacred music.  Of course on Christmas morning there were wonderful surprises for everyone in our stockings and we played the usual white elephant game that is the family tradition.  There was not quite so much stealing / trading of gifts this year as there has been in some years past, but it was still a lot of fun.

Christmas brunch on Saturday morning was absolutely to die for.  It felt wonderful to be inside all snug and warm while watching the light shift across the snowy landscape outside.   This was indeed a Christmas we will long remember. 

Holden Holiday

As we travelled from Las Vegas to Utah we were fortunate to have clear roads all the way.  We saw snow on the ground but never had any storms to drive through.

By the time we finally reached Holden, Utah we were tired of being in the car and more than ready to get out.  Our hearts were warmed by this cute sign that the kids had made for us:

Both because of the snow and because of the many decorations, this is where we finally began to catch a taste of the Christmas spirit.

We were able to stay in Holden with Larry's brother Ted and his wife Karen for two days.  While we were there we were able to visit with several members of Larry's extended family.  We truly appreciated the chance to spend time with each of them, young and old.

Aunt Phyllis 

                                                   

Carol and ElDon Frampton

Jerid

Sam McCall, Savannah & Austyn

 Of course, as is our custom, we went up to the field above town for a bit where Ted keeps his horses and where the alfalfa field is to savor some of the beauty there.

It was a lovely visit with wonderful meals, good company and much love all around.   We were very grateful to our Utah family for making us feel so welcome.  All too soon it was over and time for us to get back into the car to continue on in our grand USA adventure as we headed out for the final leg of our journey to Idaho. 

Life Long Friends

Another long time friend we got to visit with in the Verde Valley was Geneva St. Amour and her husband, Mike.   I've known Geneva since she was just a little girl and remember when her sister, Jessica was born.  I was just enough older than her to think of her as a child and myself as "big".  Back then she was really more my sister's friend.  But as the years tumbled by, the distinction of a few years difference in our ages didn't much matter anymore.

Geneva's dad, Bruce Brimhall, died a few years ago after a long battle with diabetes and hepatitis.  Her mother, Peggy, died just a short time ago.  This was my first visit since with Geneva since she lost her mom, someone I considered a friend.  It was obvious her heart was still heavy with mourning.  Still, the smile on her face when we hugged hello was priceless.  It was great to spend time with her and also to see her sister who dropped by while we were with Mike and Gen at her parents' place in Clarkdale.

Larry and I with Geneva & Mike St. Amour

The Brimhall Sisters - Jessica and Geneva

pThe Brimhall family - Bruce & Peggy with Geneva & Jessica back in the day
when they were our neighbors in Cottonwood

As we were getting ready to leave Geneva handed me a couple apples for the road - with a grin she told me these were Pendley apples that had been grown at Slide Rock State Park, my grandfather's old homestead.  It was another reminder that sharing time with people I've known for many, many years in a place where I have deep roots is a very special blessing indeed.

I will always have a deep connection with Arizona.  Boise is home for now (or will be when we are done with our mission).  But at some point down the road I could very much see us moving back to the southwest.  Only time will tell.

All too soon our visit in Arizona had to come to a close, as it was time to continue on to our next stop on our USA journey.    We went up through Flagstaff, where we got into a bit of snow - a BIG switch from our beach life in New Zealand!

view of the San Francisco peaks from just outside of Flagstaff 

 We drove past Hoover Dam which was interesting to see.  We didn't have time to stop, but if I ever go back again I'd like to take the tour that is available there.

Hoover Dam on the Arizona / Nevada border

Lake Mead which is created by Hoover Dam.
The water going through the turbines generates electricity

According to Wikipedia:  Lake Mead is the largest reservoir in the United States, measured by water capacity. It is on the Colorado River about 24 mi (39 km) from the Las Vegas Strip southeast of the city of Las Vegas, Nevada, in the states of Nevada and Arizona. Formed by the Hoover Dam, Lake Mead is 112 miles (180 km) long when the lake is full, has 759 miles (1,221 km) of shoreline, is 532 feet (162 m) at greatest depth, with a surface elevation of 1,221.4 feet (372.3 m) above sea level, and has 247 square miles (640 km²) of surface, and when filled to available capacity, 26.12 million acre feet (32.22 km³) of water. The lake has not reached full capacity, however, since 1983 due to a combination of drought and increased water demand.^[1][2][3] Owing to current low water level, Lake Sakakawea holds claim over Lake Mead in terms of the United State's largest reservoir by total area and water in reserve.

The reservoir serves water to the states of Arizona, Nevada and California, providing sustenance to nearly 20 million people and large areas of farmland.^[4]

There was so much stark, desolate land as we crossed into Nevada, serving to remind us how precious water is to these desert states.  It is clearly very different indeed from our emerald green Aoteara (Maori for New Zealand) where cattle are raised on grass pastures kept lush and thriving by frequent rains.

However, we did not stop at the dam or the lake because we had a schedule to keep.  Our whole purpose of going that way was to reach Las Vegas, NV so Larry could visit with his life-long friend, Fred Turner.  They have been best pals since they were just kids.

Larry Bennett & Fred Turner

They used to fish together every chance they got.   They are shown here from about 1960 when Larry was 14 and Fred 15 with fish they caught in Pioneer Creek.

Fred has had a rough go of things in recent months, struggling with throat cancer and ultimately having to have his larynx removed.  It was very difficult for him to communicate.  Still, it was great for he and Larry to connect again and reminisce over old times.  I also very much enjoyed visiting with his dear wife, Lonnie and the grandkids that were there.  I spent some time showing them some tips on FamilySearch and helped them find family names they could take to the temple.  (Even though we are on "vacation" from our assignment,  we LOVE showing people how to do family history!)

We went out together for a wonderful meal at a local restaurant (more Mexican food...YUM!  We don't get much of it in New Zealand so we are savoring chances to eat it here).  We spent the night enjoying good company.   Then early the next morning we were back on the road again!

We are doing a lot of driving but it is very much worth it to get times like thing with good friends.

Getting Brenda Back

Brenda in High School

Another delight for me on this trip was spending a night at the home of my dear friend, Brenda Bell Cofer.  I have been friends with Brenda since the 6th grade.  During our teen age years she was very dear to me.  Then her family moved to Texas and I completely lost touch with her.  That left a big hole.

Years went by and life took over. We both had our ups and downs throughout our growing up years without knowing where the other one was, but we never forgot each other.  Then a couple years ago we reconnected through facebook.   Finding each other again after all those years was like a miracle for us both

Our 2013 reunion

Although she and her sweet husband, Doug, have lived in Alaska for several years, they have now built a house in Clarkdale which they will use as a home base, traveling back and forth some to maintain their business there.  Doug will stay longer in Alaska to maintain residency, but when he is ready to retire Brenda hopes they will transition to having AZ as their primary home, only going up to Alaska for the summers. As beautiful as Alaska is, the long winter dark is difficult to endure year after year.  Besides,  Arizona is her history.  She and Doug did a great job on the place they built, with Brenda doing much of the work herself.

.

She and Doug took Larry and I out for Mexican Food in Cottonwood - the town nearby where Brenda and I both lived when we were girls.  Then when we came back to the house we sat up till the wee hours of the night talking and talking and talking.  I've met many wonderful people over the years and have been blessed with some mighty fine friends.  But there is something very special about having someone with such deep shared history.  Even though we were apart for such a long, long time,  the torch of our friendship never dimmed.

Our lives have been very different.  But our deep regard for each other is a blessing to both of our lives.  It was so good to have this delicious visit with my friend Brenda.  I look forward to having lots more of them when this mission is done.

My Kurtz Connections

On Sunday we were blessed with a gathering of my my mother's cousins.  We started this as an annual tradition a few years ago.  When my aunt and uncle in Colorado shipped me several boxes of family photos, letters, genealogy files and miscelaneous papers that had belonged to my maternal grandmother, I spent several months scanning as many of the photos as I could.  Once I got all the pictures digitized I took two suitcases of the original photographs with me to Arizona to pass them back to the various family groups that the pictures were of.   That first visit at Gloria's house was very special as we all shared family stories from over the years.   Our love for each other began to blossom that day, and has grown stronger with every gathering since.  

Last year we held our gathering in November at Don Goddard's place, right before Larry and I were to head out on our mission.   We assumed this year we would be skipping our annual get together due to our mission.  That had worried me since several of the people who come each year are getting up in years and some have had some serious health challenges recently. We never know how many more visits like this there may be.  When we learned we would be getting to come to the USA for this special trip, one of the joys of that was knowing I could be with these dear ones again. I love them more than I can say.  

I especially appreciated my aunt, Nina Lovett (pictured here with her youngest son, John), for hosting the gathering this year.   For many years Nina and I did not have a warm relationship.  The truth is, for a long time I chose not to communicate with her at all.  The reasons why no longer matter.   It is significant to me though, that right before our mission,  Nina and I reclaimed the opportunity to share each other's lives.  Both of us softened our hearts and let go of the harsh judgments that had caused bumps in the past.  I'm so grateful for that.   Life is too short for holding grudges over old hurt feelings or offences.  I feel richly blessed to have Nina back in my life.

Families can be complicated.  The Pendley clan certainly has been.  Yet the blessings of family connection offer a richness to life like no other.   I'm glad that I've learned that lesson before it was too late.

Our Arizona Family

We spent the first part of our USA visit in Arizona.   As we were preparing to land in LA after the 12 hour flight from New Zealand I was shocked to see how BROWN everything looked.   After over a year in a paradise of green, it was a big adjustment.   But once we had been in AZ for a couple days I was reminded that the desert has it's own beauty.

We had a bit of a bumpy re-entry as we had to deal with some car problems we had not anticipated, but once that was taken care of things were pretty smooth sailing.  

It was wonderful to see our family.  We had great visits with Darrin, Kris, Jacob and Troy in Maricopa.  Our annual tradition is to spend Christmas at their house.  They are always so gracious and welcoming when we stay with them.  This time I spent the the visit just savoring our time with them rather than taking photos.   but here are a couple  favorite picture of us from our 2012 Christmas visit.

                               

We couldn't believe how much our grandson, Jacob, had grown since we had seen him last.  We are fortunate that we have been able to stay close with frequent FaceTime Visits, so we see him on a regular basis.  Still, actually getting to be there to cuddle, read books together and play with him was absolutely wonderful!

We were also really glad it worked out that we were there when we could be of the most support to Kris and Darrin.  Troy, Larry's youngest son whom they have guardianship for, had been in the hospital with a serious infection.  He was back home and doing much better when we arrived, but he needed to stay home a few days before the doctors would release him to return to work.  Both Kris and Darrin had to get back to their own jobs, after having spent much time away to be at the hospital with Troy during his illness.  So it was a good thing we could be there to stay with Troy during that time.

There are no words to express how grateful we are to both Kris and Darrin for how well they care for our sweet son with special needs.  We are also deeply grateful for Troy's successful recovery from the basal cell carcinoma on his face that was discovered right before we left.  Although the cancer and the radiation both have left this nose significantly damaged, because of Troy's cognitive delays he does not seem to be self conscious of his appearance.  We are just glad to have him doing so much better. 
Here are a couple of my favorite shots of Troy:

                                       
                                                                    Troy in 2010

Troy at Disneyland earlier this year.  Kris & Darrin gave us a wonderful calendar as a Christmas gift with photos of their family on each page from their Disneyland adventure.  We were so pleased to see how much fun they had!

We also got some time with Gabriel, Jacob's older brother who is our GREAT-grandson.  We took the kids to see Santa Clause and very much enjoyed the lights and festivities - FINALLY helping me to get into the Christmas Spirit .

We had less time with Greg, Larry's other son who lives all the way over in Casa Grande.  But even though our visit with him was shorter, it was great to see him too.

Now that the visit is over, I do wish I had taken more pictures to hold on to the memories. However, I realize it can be annoying to family to always have a camera in their face. In the future I'll strive for more balance, hopefully getting a few more shots than this trip, but perhaps less than I have in the past.   With or without pictures to prove it though, we really were so happy to see them all and love them all to the moon and back.