"They sound like idiots"

For several months now, I have been bugging Brandon to take me kayaking. We thought our honeymoon would be a perfect time. We called the kayak rent shop and asked about conditions vs. skill level and such. He said the sea was a bit choppy and that, especially since we were inexperienced to sea kayaking, it would be difficult to row against the current and wind, but you should be fine.

"Is the bar open today?" I asked. (The bar, for those who don't know, is a place where the river and ocean meet. On days that is it open, boats are allowed to roam the sea, on days that it is closed boats must remain in the harbor area.)
"Yep, it's open" he said.

Brandon and I felt pretty dang cool clad in our rented wet suits and carrying a tandem kayak down toward the harbor. We had to wind down a stair case, passing several people who, no doubt, were thinking to themselves, "They must be so hardcore. If only we were as cool as that."
I figured I'd be nervous, but it was worth the adventure. It wasn't that bad actually. It was really fun rowing out and getting comfortable with the rhythmical waves and it was even cooler once we left the Depoe Bay Harbor and got out into the open ocean.

Now, let me explain something. This is no river kayak; as dinky as those are, sea kayaks are even more so. There are no sides to a sea kayak. It's as though you are in a very narrow canoe with a cover over it, so that the place you sit is almost level with the edge. There isn't anything that you sit into (there there were some chair-like things that you strap, simply just for you to have something to lean back against). So it really is just you and the sea and nothing in-between.

As we got farther out, the waves turned into swells, but we were still having a ton of fun (mostly because we felt so hardcore). Before too long, we capsized. But not a big deal, we were very calm and climbed back in (which proves to be rather tricky). Right after, a whale watching boat drove by and asked if we were doing alright (which, of course, we were) and advised us not to go any father out: the wind was picking up and the swells were getting bigger.

In the course of turning around, we capsized again and as we were just about back in the kayak we flipped over a third time. Bu calm and cool we remained. At this point, the swells were...oh somewhere between 6 and 8 feet. I successfully climbed back in, but Brandon couldn't: the swells were too frequent. The same whale watching boat made a circle around us and announced, "We're coming to pick you up." While I was thinking, "that is a great idea" Brandon was thinking, "Now, I will just swim to shore, tugging Angela and the kayak."

We climbed into the boat, saw a whale (which, turns out, we were headed right towards in our kayak), and then were returned to harbor. Once we unloaded, the Coast Guard came to talk to us. After checking our condition, they told us the bar was closed that day and asked us where we got the kayak. Fortunately, he did not fine us the $1100.00 for disobeying the rules, since we didn't know, and got upset that the same shop continuously rents kayaks out to inexperienced people and tells them the ocean is safe for the day. And then he let us go.

Since we still had the kayak and wet suits, we kayaked around the harbor for a while, which had plenty of sea life, and ran into a few people who asked, "Are you the couple that was kayaking out in the sea??" Yeah, that's right, we're famous.

To top it off, we told Marshall (Brandon's brother) this story, who just happened to go out to Depoe Bay the following day to show a friend the Oregon Coast. They went on a whale watching trip, and were chatting with the captain who said, "Yeah, you never know what you'll find out here in the ocean: whales, kayakers,..."
Marshall: "You saw kayakers?"
Captain: "Yeah, just a few days ago. We had to pick them up; the sea was dangerous."
Marshall: "They sound like idiots!"
Captain: "Yeah."

Either way, we felt cool. Perhaps we should have been nervous...

Who Loves Asha?

Anne (to Ashlyn): Mommy loves Asha!

Ashlyn: NO!

Jesus loves Asha.

Elmo loves Asha.

I suppose I can give half credit for that response.

Bekah's first day of first grade

Here is the classic first day of school photo of Bekah from yesterday. She's outgrown all kinds of things lately, including her nickname (at least while at school). She has asked to be called "Rebekah" and many times decides it's not okay to be holding mom's hand anymore. She says goodbye to us from the side door now since she is big enough to walk to school by herself. Hello world of packing school lunches and muddy clothes from recess. But at least she's having great fun. Does this last photo of her lunch box bring back any memories? Got to love that Japanese-style English humor.

Obrigado

Thank you, family, for all the Brandon birthday wishes. That was awfully kind of you! For those of you who called Angela's phone and left a message: do not be offended. Angela's phone charger was lost for several days, so the messages were not received until many days after they were left, but they were still greatly enjoyed.

Things are going well. We are almost all settled in; still putting the finishing touches on the decorations. Brandon has already fixed the refrigerator, replaced the door handle and bolt lock, and jimmy-rigged our microwave to fit in the kitchen. He's just great!

Time for Guesses!

OK, family, our ultrasound is scheduled for next Tuesday, September 1st, so you have until then to cast your votes via the poll at the right.

Happy Anniversary of the 19th Amendment

Yesterday, Emily and I went to the revealing of a new memorial here in Rochester where Susan B. Anthony cast her illegal ballot in 1876 and was arrested. It was a important event in getting people to start talking about Women's Suffrage. There was the official Susan B. Anthony character there. Susan spent the second half of her life here in Rochester.

We also went to her house. It was really neat. This dress was created by the Relief Society in Utah, as a gift to Susan because she did a lot of campaigning out there. Utah was the second state to accept Women's Suffrage!

Susan and Fredrick Douglas were friends and they worked together on getting the right to vote for the African Americans and Women. There is a folk story that they got together to have tea in the park here to discuss their plans.

There was an annual festival and everything yesterday because this coming Wednesday is the anniversary of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution in 1920, that gave women the right to vote.

Anyway, it was pretty cool and we thought we would share.

Thank you family for the wonderful week!

Here's a pic of my office I relocated to for a while before leaving :) for Portland. Very spacious and empty at 4:00am.

It was so much fun to be all together! I loved spending time with everyone. Abby and Brandon I am so happy for you!

Wedding Memories

We are a week and a day past the big event - "Brangela's" wedding - and I thought I had better record some memories stored in my brain but apparently irretrievable after a short period of time! The pictures added are not professional but they are all I have at the moment.

When Angela and I first discussed what was most important to put money into for her wedding she listed 3 things: the announcements, the dress, and the photographer. In looking back, I would say she hit 100% on all 3. Her announcements were called by some "the classiest ever!"; her dress which she and my dear friend, Linnell Mikkelsen, designed and Linnell created was one of a kind and so perfect for Angela - she just looked radiantly beautiful but not overdone; the photographer was a gift from heaven - a professional looking to do some weddings for free to build his portfolio. Thanks so much, Guy! I will add some of those pictures later.

For Blaine and I, we decided that food was high on the list. After all, once you have stood in line, signed the book, and wished the new couple a happy life, it's all about the food! Some of my warmest memories will always be how hard my dear friends worked to make that come true. Marlin and Cindy Harker took on that request with great zeal and provided a spread that not only tasted fantastic, but looked elegant. Together with their "team", it all came together and made for a wonderful night.

And of course, the food included the wedding cake. Along comes Ashley Kitchen, Blaine's niece who is currently living with us. One day she announces that she would like to do the cake as her payback for a place to live. Though she had never done a wedding cake, she did what it took to learn. We loved doing our part - eating as much of the practice cake as we could! Brandon's brother, Tyler, also got into the act and was Ashley's key helper. The final outcome was so perfectly beautiful and delicious, made even more so to me because of the love put into it. Thank you, Ashley.

Later in the planning, we decided to add a groom's cake, complete with wheat grass and antlers to represent Brandon's love of the great outdoors. Though Brandon had seen the antlers laying around and asked why I was growing wheat grass, we managed to make the cake a surprise. He loved it.

The most important memories of the wedding are centered on family. Having my parents, my sister and many of Blaine's family here added so much. My sister in particular became my go-to girl for all the final preparations. And as we met for a family dinner with the Roses the night before the big event, I felt deep gratitude for Brandon's family. Dave and Laurel have raised a great family and I am honored to be connected to them.

All of our own children (plus 2 of our grandchildren) made financial and other sacrifices to be here, but they wouldn't have had it any other way. Having all of our children together in the sealing room was an experience too great for words. A small taste of the eternities? Truly, creating eternal families is what this life is to be about. This new creation is going to be a great one!

Happy Birthday Brandon!

Happy Birthday to Brandon! I hope you and Angela have a great day getting settled into your new place and starting your new life together in Provo. You are loved!

"and thy curtains are stretched out still"

I don't suppose any of you needed more evidence to understand that "man is nothing", but this video does an impressive job of illustrating the expansiveness of space... "And were it possible that man could number the particles of the earth, yea, millions of earths like this, it would not be a beginning to the number of thy creations; and thy curtains are stretched out still..." (Moses 7:30)

This is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAVjF_7ensg

Happy Day

Congratulations Angela and Brandon!!! We love you.

H2Ohhhhhhh

I stole the title from a sign at Niagra. Emily and I celebrated our second anniversary at Niagra Falls for a few days last week. We had such a great time. The Falls are everything they are cracked up to be. The pictures don't do it justice!

We went down to the Hurricane Deck which is this pathway that lets you walk right up to the Falls. There is so much wind and water everywhere that you can't take a picture but it was so amazing to just stand almost in the gushing water, hand in hand and get soaking wet.

We also road a boat that took us right up to the biggest falls. Again we couldn't get pictures of the best parts because there is water everywhere. Both on the Hurricane Deck and this boat ride, they make you wear ponchos because you can get so close to the falls.

Oh yes, and my boss said we should go out to dinner on his tab so we went to this beautiful restaurant next to the rapids before the falls.

My girls love watching this video - over and over again. So, I thought others (Dad in particular) might enjoy it as well. :)

As we approached the 2 week mark before the wedding, we took time out for a double date with the happy couple. We feasted on a couple of Super Burritos at El Chilitos in Canby and then headed for the river where Brandon treated us to a trip on the Willamette to downtown Portland. It was a beautiful warm night and we enjoyed a view of the city you don't get any other way. It was fun to spend some time together. It is starting to sink in that those opportunities will soon be left to only times when they are visiting... as with all of our children. Each are doing exactly what we prayed and hoped for... happily married, getting a good education, raising a family, and building their own lives together. It's the moving far away part that makes me wonder about that plan!