GOOD FRIENDS AND GRANDKIDS

Last Saturday Craig and I went for a little drive to one of our favorite places, Yankee Meadow.  We wanted to share it with our good friends, Sam and Ruth Gracia.  It was a nice break from the triple digit weather we've had. As expected it was beautiful and the weather was perfect for a picnic in the mountains.

I can't forget to post about my special visitors on Monday.  Kylie, Kayla, Jayden and Shaylie came to my house!  They stayed all day and we played, swam, ate and got totally worn out.  I love those kiddo's and wish we lived closer.  I just can't get enough of them!  I didn't get a picture of Jayden but just know that he is the very best at cannonballs! 

SOFT SERVE AND ROAD TRIPS

When Craig and I were young, both of our families would travel the same highway to visit relatives in Utah.  I remember these road trips well with my family.  I was usually in the back of the station wagon, squished and uncomfortable.  The two lane highway always scared me, especially when it came to passing a slow car or a big semi.  My Dad would keep us busy by telling us to find a place to stop for ice cream. That was our job and I took it seriously. My sister and I would keep an eye out for any roadside stop with a spinning ice cream cone sign in front of it.  My Dad would always stop, sometimes multiple times per trip. I remember being anxious to get out, stretch my legs and enjoy an ice cream cone.  It was always soft serve and Foster’s Freeze was the favorite. 

A couple of weeks ago Craig and I went on a road trip.  We traveled up that same two lane highway. It was fun to reminisce about family trips and some old sights.  Then we past an old house. A really, really old house.  It dawned on me that this house must have been there all those years ago and that my family and I had driven by it countless times.  I realized I had, more than likely, seen it as I was looking out the window looking for a place to stop for ice cream. 

It was a big house and I could imagine a large family with lots of kids living there.  They would have had holidays and family gatherings in the big weed filled yard.  Maybe the parents grew old together there.  I imagined the generations of this family moving out, saying goodbye, growing old, passing on.  It had a history and even though all I did was drive by it in a station wagon I was part of it.  

 

I WON'T FORGET MY SHOES!

I had months to prepare.  Along time ago I had a dream. The dream started out so light and carefree. I was with Craig. We were holding hands, walking through the most beautiful, soft grass. It was a meadow. It took very little effort to walk for miles on the soft ground. Then suddenly the cool soft ground came to an end.  As far as you could see the ground was dry, gravely dirt. Suddenly I realized I couldn't go any further. Craig pulled me, but sadly I was forced to stop, I wasn't able to continue. I showed Craig why. I was barefoot, I had forgotten my shoes. I WASNT PREPARED.

I am not sure why we were walking so far or what the destination was but I did know it was somewhere special, good and there would be a reward waiting for us. Craig urged me to keep going but I couldn't. We agreed that he would go ahead and l would go back and get my shoes.

Then I woke up.

I had this dream at least  30 years ago. I've never forgotten it. It had a real, clear message for me -

BE PREPARED

I think all of us, especially me, should use caution and always be prepared for what life may throw at us. When I've remembered this clear message things have, for the most part, turned out in a positive way. I believe that my dream was a gift and has helped me through some difficult challenges.

Months ago Rebecca invited me to participate in a 5K with her.  I am not a runner but I love to walk. I knew this would be a challenge and I accepted. I was committed to eating right and to "get into shape". As the months ticked on I found really good excuses to skip the gym. I actually counted the months and then weeks always thinking I still had time to get it together.  It amazes me how fast time goes by for some things and slow for others. Training for this 5K went by fast. I literally hadn't gone to the gym for months. 

On the day of the race I was a bit nervous. I knew I wasn't prepared. I was asked if I was excited and the only answer that came to mind was, "not nervous, only anxious for it to be over".  The setting was beautiful, Mona, Utah, in the lavender fields. The weather was perfect. I was feeling blessed to be able to walk and jog (a little), in such a beautiful place. I was also grateful to be there with my incredible daughter and her family. Most of all I felt blessed to have Craig waiting for me at the finish line. I will do better to prepare in the future and -

I won't ever forget my shoes.