Canada

Nathan and I spent 9 days in Canada and it was a fantastic trip. It's Canada's 150th birthday (arguably) and entry to all of their national parks was free for the year. We went to Waterton & Banff in Alberta and Glacier National Park in British Columbia; we camped in Glacier although there was an active fire in the east end of the park and frequent bear sightings. Luckily for us neither of those impaired our visit. The parks were beautiful and we hiked 6-12 miles a day, so we returned home with sore legs. Nathan showed me all his favorite spots in Calgary and the food was worth the hype.

IMHO, Glacier was the best.


Glacier

Wildflowers, rivers, and pines, oh my!

The moss covered rocks and gorgeous pines, cedars, and hemlocks! Ah!

Banff

Lake Louise at the top (a gorgeous, dusty baby blue), Nathan with his walking stick that blends in with the trees, Silverton Falls, and the lovely Bow River. 

 Found these fun red Adirondacks by the Hoodoos. I was so excited to find a pair after reading that the Canadian government placed a handful of the chairs in certain national parks.

Boom Lake, courtesy of Nathan's photography skills. 

Cardston 

The LDS temple, a beautiful brick wall with a cute boy, and the most mesmerizing sunset - the picture doesn't even begin to do it justice.

We visited the Remington Carriage Museum and it was probably my most favorite thing ever....ever. 

"Nathan, take a picture of me as I alight out of my carriage."

Waterton

The spectacular view from Bear's Hump. Somewhere in the mid-ground of this picture is the Canada-US border with Montana. 

Calgary

Pics by & of the LDS temple and Nathan with his first love - Seniore's donair pizza. 

Late Nights and Daffodils

Work hours come and go in cycles. The past two weeks, the short hours have been going while the long hours have settled in. 

I arrived home from work this past Thursday around 9:15. I was tired, my head and eyes ached. Nathan picked me up from the train station and we went home. I walked in the door, and noticed an empty sink, a tidied kitchen. I threw some pocket lint away and noticed that the vacuum had been emptied out. My eyes ventured to the cleaned carpet and finally, I noticed some bright daffodils sitting in the white pitcher on the dining table. 

I turned to Nathan and in surprise asked him if he had done the dishes and vacuumed? He answered yes, and I followed up with another question: did you make the bed, too? He nodded. Where'd you get the daffodils? I went to Smith's and got some flowers for you then I got some flowers for me. He had purchased some sweet and Thai basil. 

These simple acts of thoughtfulness were tender mercies, and I felt such immense gratitude for Nathan, although busy with experiments and writing a thesis, who took the time to serve me. 

Sure love that guy. 

A Little Piece of My Heart

Dear L&T,

You moved to St. George yesterday.

Thus ended a chapter in my life of living next door to you guys, commencing a new chapter in your lives. It was and will be quite an adventure.

And when you drove south with the truck and trailer carrying all your belongings, you also carried with you a little piece of my heart, sitting snugly in his car-seat.

It's amazing what a little boy can teach you about forgiveness, joy, patience, frustration, sorrow, laughter, vivacity, and love in a short year and a half.

I'll miss your Big Shark who calls himself "Ol" and proudly proclaims he's three. I'll miss those moments when he would knock on my door, promptly walk in then say, "E, what ya do?" I'll miss his giggles, his hugs, his help in the kitchen, his games that involved monsters and playing asleep or dead. I'll miss the look of pure satisfaction and bliss on his face when he's running -- usually being chased by someone.

We've been through some tough moments as well as perfect ones, moments of regret but also sweet success. I'm so grateful to have had this time with him and for the friendship he has so generously shared with me. I'm also grateful for your patience with me as I have learned alongside and from him.

Sure love you, Oliver.

All the best,
Oliver's E

She Hath Done What She Could

I watched the first session of general conference a few weeks ago, known as the general women's session. It's a unique opportunity to hear from the female leadership of the LDS church. One theme that stood out to me was that of service, and I wanted to share some thoughts.

She hath wrought a good work...She hath done what she could. --Mark 14: 6-8

This is all the Lord asks of us. 

"...there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up." --Doctrine and Covenants 84:88

We are never alone, especially when we are serving the Lord's children.

I often think about language's ability to simultaneously limit and expand our understanding of Christ's doctrine. Communication is a funny thing; language facilitates the exchange of communication, but the efficacy of communication depends upon how the message is sent and received. Words have myriads connotations to different individuals, but culture also influences what notions we associate with certain words. When speaking about the role of women, I want to broaden how we interpret certain words that are typically associated with that topic. Neill Marriott spoke last night and I loved how she took expanded our understanding of three words in particular: to nurture, to mother, and to create. We don't have to think of these words in a way that limits them to a biologically essentialist understanding. Instead, we can see how these words apply in a variety of situations and encompass all of God's daughters. Thinking of these words and concepts in new lights allows us to broaden and value women's roles and influences and purposes in many ways. It's liberating.

Florida

Nathan and I spent the past week in Florida and it was glorious (picture evidence below).

We were in this little resort town called Palm Beach Shores. We loved it; it was quiet, empty, and small though a bit eerie at night. The beach, private for the resort guests, wasn't very crowded, the Atlantic ocean was warm. We built a sand castle which we dubbed Shell's Keep and Nathan dug holes big enough to climb in and out of it. The distant sound of the ocean was therapeutic and the sunrises peaceful. We ate lunch or breakfast on our balcony, overlooking the pool and nearby beach. And I read a book on the beach almost every day...in short, we lived the dream.  

We ventured to Miami on Friday. A colleague at work recommended that we check out world-famous South Beach and Miami features one of the (if not "the") largest concentration of Art Deco buildings. We headed downtown and oh man, we missed Palm Beach Shores. The streets were crowded with cars, pedestrians, and preying valets alike. Young adults and retired folks walked on the pavement and people hung from their ocean-view balconies. Bars lined the streets and girls danced on corners and tables to presumably attract business. The city was packed and parking was not to be found (at least at a reasonable price). After inching along the road, we decided this "college spring break" scene was not our cup of tea and we left. We met up with a friend of mine and went on a thriller speedboat tour around the harbor and into the ocean instead. It was a worthwhile decision. 

I did get a peak at some nifty art deco buildings though. I would love to go back and explore the streets in the early morning to get a glimpse of the architecture void of traffic and pedestrians. 

We got back this morning to windy, chilly Utah weather and we already miss Palm Beach. 

Four Years

Four years ago, I was sitting in an apartment in Provo. It was dark. I was watching Pride and Prejudice (the BBC masterpiece) and a cute, nervous boy was sitting next to me, holding my hand.

Shortly after the movie ended and that shy boy worked up the nerve to say what was on his mind, he asked if I would like to be his girlfriend. And I said I'd love to.

And I have loved being his girlfriend, fiance, wife, confidant, cheerleader, shoulder to cry {& sleep} on, snuggle buddy, hand to hold, travel mate, fellow late-night-snacker, co-adventurer, dancing partner, fashion adviser, best friend, and companion. He has been and is all these things for me and more.

What an adventure we embarked on four years ago.

Postscript: I just need the world to know that this man wakes up with me at 5 AM to make me breakfast during the busy work days.
Voluntarily.
Without complaint.
And it's always so yummy.
He's a keeper, I know.

Other than the light partially obliterating our faces, I love this picture. The colors, the people, the time of year.