right after my saturday 76th birthday, Derek and Missy left for a week long business trip to Panama and we got to help with the children. WHAT A WEEK! when I got there Jake had prepared the best chicken I have ever had and all the side dishes with perfection and kallie made a birthday cake, it even had candles! I was over joyed. As the week progressed I got to see how much each of the children work with their various chores, Dereks family includes 3 large dogs, 2 cats, 6 baby chicks and I dont know how many chickens and a rabbit or two, I think.
Along with caring for themselves, getting up for school, they have their others chores which are dishes, This week the microwave was broken which ment many many many more cooking and pans than normal. AND I had just got my nails done by Nattie!
Each of the kids has sports and or dance. And guitar and of course getting to school and back. Lucky fot me Jake has a big truck and is very helpful in driving. Needless to say, I am grateful for the opportunity to serve and love and get to know each child better when I have the chance to work together and serve together. Above photo is Jim building with Izaak. We wanted to do some real building with Izaaks creative mind but never got to it. But Izaak and I did write a poem about his GREENS!!!
Kallie is the dancer.also plays the guitar, She is very talented and committed which is what one needs to be very good at dance, I got to see some of the dances coming up in the next competition and take her to practice for the show in MAY
yes, these nails are from Nattie, I love the happy pink and orange flowers to welcome in spring, She hand painted these on my birthday!
on the first Monday Izaak wanted me to try this, UGH, I only went 2 miles an hour and that was scary, then later that day he sadly crashed and hurt his knee which caused pain for the rest of the week and he missed his swimming and faked his track practice.
early morning walks around the DRAPER temple started my days off with prayful and thankful heart, my biggest prayer is thankful for my health, that I have the energy to serve and the brain to help with our students in Nigeria, Even Izaak included blessing our students in Nigeria in his early morning prayer!!!
Friday morning rain from the cover around the Mt Timp TEMPLE . Jim and I finished off our week with serving inside this beautiful temple. I dont want to forget the joys of helping Dereks family this week, Layla was sick most of the week but we did get an extra visit as I drove her from her 5 am swim practice which is more than half and hour away, Layla is very dedicated to being the best swimmer which includes swimming more than one and half hours every day and good nutition. She is also an avid reader so we get to share our favorite books. AND Jake is so helpful and mature as the oldest sibling, He cares for each and sacrifices his time by helping to drive them when I am double booked, Both Jake and Layla cooked the dinners while I was there and Kallie did an amazing job cleaning up most of the house. I just love being with them all. BUT it is hard being a Mom! As mothers eveywhere know ,we work hard to keep the family together with sacrifice and love.
celebrating my birthday with a ride or two, behind is TIMP , my mountian
And our love of temples, this is the Provo City temple.
and lastly, Jim and I got to ride in Draper while the kids were in school, and we werent doing our zoom in Nigeria. So we did get some down time at Dereks ! what did I learn this week of turning 76. So glad I am healthy and have the energy to serve and love.
Jim made up a map of all the Utah temples and marked up where we were going to go this summer. I have tried to take photos at each one and will continue to catch the spirit of each of our trips as we make our way around Utah. The frist real trip is to Manti Utah. This vcery old temple was started 1880s and built from local stone . Much sacrifice goes into each temple as the saints work, save, and sacrifice to make a beautiful sacred monument and house of the Lord.
we spent the day discovering Manti and about one hour on our bikes to see most of Manti
Ephrim is about 10min, away from Manti and will be finished next year, It is right next to Snow college and will be able to provide an easier worship for those who cant climb stairs
we loved sharing the morning with our young great grands, here is Augie and we are at the Taylorsville open house
the kids really did notice Jesus and had many comments about the worship in Gods Holy House here in Taylorsville.
this is the front of Taylorsville which hasnt been dedicated yet, when it is, then only those who have received a recommend can reverently enter and worship in the Temples.
and our local tempe which I bike, hike or walk by many times a week, Lindon is only 1 1/2 miles away on the Murdock trail
after leaving the Timpanogoes temple on a very rainy day I captured this beautiful photo
early morning sun rise over Draper temple when I spent the week at Dereks home
Provo City temple, This used to be a tablernacle but there was a fire and so the city rebuilt the structure as Temple and dedicated it to the Lord
And last here, sadly, does not exist anymore, It was the Provo temple, built the year I left BYU in 1972. now it is being rebuilt and will be the Rock Canyon temple close to the same site as this. We love to see the temples. Jim and I love serving and trying to be more honest and selfless each day
this photo was taken in January when we first went inside the Orem temple 
In November, during the open house of the Orem temple we captured this magnificent photo with Nikki an Daryl and the girls. We will continue to travel around Utah and enjoy the beautiful buildings which we call Temples, houses dedicated to worship Jesus Christ
