Nauvoo Vacation

One of the other things we did our first full day in Nauvoo included Exploring the Visitor's Center and the Women's Garden. I took a lot of pictures of the beautiful statues in the Women's garden.  Leah wanted a picture with every statue (that got old quick)!  I have discovered that I really like to study artwork.  I enjoy contemplating expressions, colors, lighting, and meaning of artwork.  I turn inward when viewing a piece of art and ponder the feelings such work brings to my heart and what intriguing thought it might bring to my mind. 
Here are the pictures from the Vistor's Center and Women's Garden:

Christus Statue

and Leah age 8.

Christus Statue
and Mckay age 10.

 Me with the plaque dedicated to the

 organization of the Relief Society.

 Leah stands with Joseph and Emma Smith Statues.

 Elias looks so tiny looking up at this pioneer woman.

 Contemplative prayer.

 Pioneer Statue with Visitors Center in the background. 

 Pondering.

 Reaching out to others.

Elias: "May I have this dance?"

 This is Leah thinking about her future dates with boys. 

 This is dad thinking about buying a gun for Leah's future dates.

 Leah's favorite statue.  I think she is excited to be a mother.

 This statue is titled, "Containing Elias."

 A proud mother with her priesthood son. 

 Very Proud of such a great young man!

Here is another future priesthood bearer.

 Leah has to be in on it too.

 Another one of Leah's favorites. 

 I like Elias' face in this one. 

 This was Mckay's favorite statue.

 He wants to have fun.

 Let us learn from the scriptures together.

 "Mom, can you read this book to me?"

 Leah: " I want to play the violin.  Maybe this is a statue of me."

 Grandmothers are dear to our hearts.

 

 I love you Grandmother.

 More twirling.

 "Come on little one, you can do it, we will help you."

 The only picture Ryanne would let me take of her that day. 

This was her favorite statue.

 Elias: "I like Joseph Smiff."

 "My mom knows a song about Emma Smith.  She sings it pretty."

 One of the original Sunstones from the Nauvoo Temple. 

 "It makes me happy."

 Wes really liked the Sunstones.

Bye-bye for now! 

More Nauvoo

     A note about MRE's (Meal's Ready to Eat).  My parents gave us some MRE's one Christmas to enhance our food storage.  I have eaten MRE's before on backpacking trips and they are tolerable--some are even good.  But, I must confess, these particular MRE's stayed in our 72 hour emergency packs for a loooong time; I don't know exactly how long, maybe 5 years.  I decided we either needed to use them or toss them, so we packed them in our car and planned to use them while on vacation.  Our first night in Nauvoo, I decided we would dine gourmet--MRE's.  Out they came and---UGH!  Not only did they look and smell like congealed fungus, but they tasted like dry, rubbery cardboard (Yes, The brave souls of the family--me and Mckay--actually sampled them).  We had chili and potatoes for dinner instead.    Suggestion: don't store MRE's in your garage in 105 degree San Bernardino summers.  And don't try to eat them after 5 years if you do!  

The first thing we did as a family in Nauvoo was to take a wagon ride.  I was really looking forward to a brief tour of the sites in Nauvoo and thought the kids would enjoy it.  I'm not sure if it was too much previous driving in close quarters, or what, but the kids decided this was the time and the day to torment me with miserable bickering, untimely offenses, and intolerant whining.  It was not fun.  It saddened my soul and put a damper on the day.  The whole day was sprinkled with bickering and , I must say, it was my least favorite day of the whole vacation.  I about blew my lid several times. When you are in public, especially in a Mormon public, you want to appear to be a sweet, loving, gospel-living family.  This was not one of those days--we were grounded in the reality of raising four kids--it was embarrassing.  Sigh.  Where were the "angels" I'd raised who knew how to be thoughtful, helpful, and considerate???

On the Wagon Ride:

Beautiful horses used to pull the carriages. 

Hey-ho! A Wagon Ride!
 
Things we saw from the wagon:

The Nauvoo temple.


A beautiful old Catholic church next door to the temple. 


An eensy-weensy cabin.
 

An Old Well.
 
The show must go on . . . Literally.  In the afternoon we went to see some of the shows that Nauvoo offers.  The kids loved them.  Ryanne and Elias liked the humor of the presentations. 
Leah loved the dancing.  She said, "I'm going to do this dancing and singing when I get old enough.  i am going to come and perform in Nauvoo!  Nauvoo is great.  I want to live here.  It would be hard to drive all the way home to get our stuff and then drive all the way back, but it is worth it because it is sooooo beautiful here."
 Mckay had a hard time sitting and listening; he wants to constantly be moving, touching things, investigating.  One thing that was humorous and slightly embarrassing was that he asked the missionary guides so many questions that they could not get through their scripted presentations on the tours!  In one of our plays, Anna-Amanda, Mckay left us to go sit with a 10-year-old girl he met!  (The same one from Adam-ondi-Amen. More on her later). 


The cast from "High Hopes and Riverboats."  Elias liked this play
because one of the main characters was named Eli. Eli was a funny,
endearing tease who made everyone laugh. Elias definitely identified with him!  


Here is "Eli" dancing on the left. 


Elias thought it was cool that guys could dance, sing, and act. 


Here is the puppet show that was an entre act to another play
titled "Just Plain Anna Amanda." It was geared towards kids and they liked it.



Then we saw a play featuring all the Senior couples in Nauvoo. 


 Ryanne liked this play best of all because
there was a crochety, crazy old wife who
drove her husband so mad
with nagging and non-stop gab
that her husband  pretended to be deaf.  

One of the shows we saw was BYU's "Vocal Point," an ACapella group. 

We loved it.  Ryanne became a fan (she later got some of their CD's).  Mckay was excited that one of the members of Vocal Point was named Mckay.  Elias couldn't help himself--he kept getting up to dance.  He has funny "moves."  The people behind us were laughing like crazy as they enjoyed his rhythm. 

Born in the wrong Era

I really need to live on a farm--or somewhere I can have a little farm.  I want to raise chickens and eat fresh eggs.  And I want to raise rabbits.  And have beehives.  I love bees.  Aren't they amazing creatures?!  Why is it that a row of cloth diapers snapping on the line outside makes me satisfied?  I don't mind washing them.  And what is better than popping ripe strawberries or blackberries in your mouth as you weed the yard? 

No, I definately do not want to go back to wearing dresses and bonnets all day.  Or having to heat the tub water.  I'll keep the modern medical care too.

But can't I just move to a little plot of Earth wear I can manage my critters and grow my beans?  I am absolutely content to spend my sunny days tilling in the yard and my rainy days sewing, canning and writing.  I am really going to have to rely on the Abrahamic covenant: someday I will have land along with my seed and priesthood promises! 

Sometimes what we give up for service to the Lord isn't a realized or tangible thing--sometimes it's just the dreams of our heart's heart.  Sometimes it's losing a part of who we are or who we want to be that goes by the wayside as we shepherd other flocks in a different vineyard.