Chaplain Spouse Luncheon and VIP Tour

I love this view from the front as we were waiting for everyone to filter in. Talk about a gathering of incredible women. It's always such a treat to see familiar faces, and new ones, too. This is in the Relief Society building, and the feeling in here is like a little piece of heaven. I love the pics of past Relief Society Presidents on the wall.



They tried something a little different this year, and after we were all seated, they had us stand around the room and then had all the chaplain candidate spouses fill in the middle section...so we could surround them with our love. Isn't that a cool idea? We have a record number of applicants right now, and it was fabulous to contrast with years past.



Then we were called to fill in the other sections, one branch at a time. Here are some of my Air Force sisters. Lookin' good, ladies. Our Navy section was looking pretty strong, I must say. But I was too busy humming "Anchors Aweigh" to think to get a pic.



The luncheon was the usual chicken salad in a half of a V-cut cantaloupe, rolls, pink punch and a fruit-topped cookie for dessert. This year, I was OFF the speaking docket, so I enjoyed it much more than last year. Amy did a fantastic job with her talk, and so did Sheri Dew. I was so excited to see her again.

Right after lunch, we had to head off to perform our escort duties for our guest of honor. The Navy Chief of Chaplains did such a great job with his message earlier this morning. He has come to Okinawa a couple of times when he was the deputy, and we just really enjoyed getting to know him. His Aide was just as fabulous. We felt very lucky to have the opportunity to tag along on the VIP Salt Lake City tour with them.

We took them to see welfare square, including in depth looks at the Bishop's Storehouse, Deseret Industries, the cannery, dairy, Church Employment, and the Humanitarian Operations. Then we headed over to the Family History Center for a tour of that facility, even getting to learn about some of our guests' family history. Then we crossed the street to Temple Square. It was sprinkling by then, but we didn't mind.



We started at the Visitor Center, where these Sister Missionaries took great care of us and answered our questions. It was so fantastic just to sit here and look at the Christus. It was hard to want to leave.



Sitting in the Tabernacle was great, too. I hadn't been in here since I was a kid. Even with the impressive Conference Center, this Tabernacle is still amazing.




Intently listening to our tour guides...



Here's some more Tabernacle photos:










The Assembly Hall



I love this statue. One of the General Authorities on the tour did a fabulous job briefly telling the story of the handcart companies. He got very emotional, so naturally, I followed suit.



We finished our dinner with an incredible lamb dinner at the Joseph Smith Building. It's been years since I've been inside, and it was more breathtaking than I remember.



I'm so glad someone suggested we get this picture. I think it will be one of my favorites.

Unfortunately, we have to take them back to the airport tomorrow. It all went by way too quickly. SO grateful to have had the opportunity, though.

Elder Bednar's Visit

Here they are, all dressed up on a Tuesday night, ready to listen to an Apostle of the Lord. We were SO excited to hear that Elder Bednar and his wife were going to make a visit here to Okinawa. It was a wonderful evening. Cliff and I actually met him 3 years ago at Chaplains' Conference when he came to speak to us, but instead of giving us a talk, he opened it up to questions for the entire time. It didn't occur to me that he might do the same thing here, otherwise I would have spread the word so people would have their questions ready...but that is exactly what he did. There were lots of great questions, though, and I think we all learned a lot.

Even though the questions and answers were great, I still think my favorite part of the night was in the beginning when he shared his military connections with us. My favorite was learning that as a young missionary in Germany, he was assigned to work with young, American, military families. I don't think I will ever think the same of these sweet, young elders who we see at our various duty stations. You just never know who they will grow up to be!

Afterward, Patrick and Jake stood in line to shake his hand. (Troy already had before the meeting started.) Patrick was overwhelmed with the evening, and had a profound moment with Elder Bednar as he visited with him, but he's keeping it private :-(.
(Inquiring minds have been shut down.)

Coree just hung out with me, waiting...you see, I didn't want to take a chance on him recognizing me. Remember his 'famous' talk about being offended, and reaching out to the offended to plead with them to 'come back to the fold'? Well...that was the year he came to Chaplains' Conference, and after that I waited in line to shake his hand. I told him that when I listened to that talk, I knew exactly who I was going to invite back and I was excited to do it. He pulled out one of his cards, handed it to me, and asked me to write him a letter about it. I still have the card...and I invited the person back, but the whole thing was sort of anti-climactic...and I just never had anything noteworthy to write about, so I didn't. He is SO amazing with names and is SO quick and NOT hesitant to speak his mind...it would NOT surprise me if he had said, "Where's my letter, young lady...I gave you an assignment, and you would ignore one of the Lord's servants?!" Highly unlikely, I admit...but I wasn't taking chances just the same.

Scoutey & Me

Isn't he a beautiful boy?



We had the honor of babysitting Scout over Spring break while his family went to Bali. He is a big, dopey, sweetie-pie of a puppy. We are used to a ten year old grandma dog...so it took some adjustments to get back in step with a 3 year old.



The introduction to Charlotte went pretty well. She's not one to get excited or back down, which seemed to confuse Scout a bit. He barked at her stillness as if to tell me, "It's broke...make it run so I can chase it!"



Double tricks, double treats



He's a happy boy...he's got his ball, and a pretty girl to pet him...and by the way, doesn't he go great with my furniture? Now I'm totally aware that Brownie clashes with it and I'm feeling ripped off. Thanks a lot! Next time I'm in the market for a dog...it's all about the color palette!



"What's for dinner?" Just like one of my kids!

We had a great time. Dog-sitting is sort of like grandparenting. (If you like dogs...or kids for that matter, I suppose!) Anyway, we get to spoil him...teach him to climb on the furniture, feed him bacon and give him belly rubs on demand...and then send him home!




The End!

Flashback Friday...Camp Pendleton, Del Mar Beach

As I was going through my file drawers for flashback photos of baby Coree, I kept coming across photos from Del Mar beach at Camp Pendleton. We lived at Camp Pendleton from Jan of 97 to June of 2001. Jake and Coree were both born while we were there, and we have a lot of memories and pictures of that time. Camp Del Mar is beautiful, and compared to the rest of the beaches in the area, it's really not very crowded. We would go there whenever we got a chance, whether it was for a work or church party, or just to eat lunch with the family...let the kids dig in the sand, or just to come watch the sunset...we went as often as we could. We even had family come and stay in the beach cabins several times...including a Parks family reunion that was awesome! I have many pictures, but to be honest, I just grabbed what was easiest...


Love this pic...see baby Coree in the tent? This tent was a lifesaver. LOVE that haircut on Cliff!


I can still remember this...I can hear the ocean, even.


This was a church luau. Man that diaper had some sand in it!


Love those chunky feet in the sand!


Dig that hair! I can't remember whether this ended up being my first or second Locks of Love donation. I could grow me some hair!


This was during a visit from Cliff's Aunt Kathy and Uncle Craig. I can't find the other photos...this one was by itself from another project...but I remember, this was a fun time. They stayed in one of the cabins, we built a fire and roasted marshmallows. This was the day when we created Scottish S'mores...a Stuart favorite. Instead of graham crackers and chocolate, just use generic chocolate chip cookies to sandwich your toasted marshmallows. Much cheaper. (Scottish...get it? It's not as funny when you have to explain it.) Anyway, it was fall, so we had the place to ourselves...and the weather was beautiful.

Can't wait until it's beach weather here...we already got a glimpse of the beach cabins up north, and they are definitely on our to do list!

The Troublemaker

I did not pen the name, as accurate as it may be. Lisa and I met when I arrived at NAF El Centro. What can I say about her?...let's just say...she likes to keep her finger on the pulse of the base. (Was that Christian enough for you, Lisa?)

I'm quite certain Lisa did not like me right away...although, what's not to love, right? I think she thought I was weird. I have NO idea why! I was just your average, Mormon, thirty-something officer's wife...living in a 27 ft. travel trailer with my husband, 4 home-schooled children and our Rottweiler.

Although Lisa isn't THEE most high-maintenance officer's wife I've known...let's just say, she won't eat at a restaurant unless they "serve" her, she summers at "The Shore" and she shops out of pretentious mail-order catalogs that I had never heard of before I met her. She has definitely "broadened my horizons", much to my husband's dismay...but I figure, now that he's made LCDR, I need to jump on the band wagon!

Lisa and I were here together at NAF for just a year and a half...but it flew by like nothing! I'm sure she never imagined she could have SO much in common with a "chaplain's wife." The first time she heard my "Echo and the Bunnymen" cellphone ringtone, I thought she was going to fall out of her chair. She was evidently expecting Amazing Grace. I think she kept expecting to see me wearing pants under my dress...and she couldn't figure out how I got away with wearing my hair so short. She was certainly NOT expecting that I could beat her any day of the week and twice on Sunday (blindfolded with my hands tied behind my back) in "Name that Eighties Tune."

As it turned out, we had more in common than our love of the eighties. We also love scrap-booking, cooking, older men, old-fashioned parenting, pedicures, shopping, have wicked senses of humor, and our parents even graduated from the SAME high school around the SAME time! Her mom was in the same class as my aunt. (I wish my aunt remembered her so I could ask if her mom was as big a troublemaker as Lisa is!)

Lisa moved back east about a year and a half ago. It just hasn't been the same here without her...I miss her all the time! But lucky for me, since I am leaving the country, she flew all the way back out here to see me for one WILD weekend!

FIRST order of business:

Lunch at Junior's! We used to do breakfast there often, but his lunch menu rocks, too. Junior is an impossible flirt...unless we bring our husbands with us...then he minds his Ps and Qs.

Then we had some time to kill before we met friends for dinner...so we went around the base, visiting the ladies at the commissary and some other places she used to frequent.

Then, we went shopping...

and found matching shoes on clearance! OK, so my feet are bigger and whiter...but pastey white is the new tan!



Then, Lisa M. and Deb met us for dinner at Carino's. We were taking a gamble, but actually got GREAT service this time!

The visit was over FAR too quickly. Hopefully I can convince her to meet me in Bali or something...or who knows, maybe we'll meet at "the shore" one summer...


One thing is for sure, Lisa is a keeper! You just never know who God is going to send you when you are in need...If only He would arrange orders for them to Oki!

Uncle Justin and Aunt Brittani

The day after we returned from our conference trip, Uncle Justin and Aunt Brittani arrived for a visit! While we hope they will come to see us in Okinawa, too...and we hope to come to Colorado to visit them, all we know for now is that we are leaving the country and we need to savor every moment we have with them!


Here we are enjoying dinner shortly after their arrival. Things were so crazy with Cliff having to leave for KC (for Dave's funeral) as soon as we got back from SLC, AND the busiest time for my work (change of the term) ahead of me...so it was SO sweet of Deb to surprise us with this delicious dinner. I was just planning on getting pizza or takout. This was SO much better!


OK, so maybe we had a little competition. They were here to see us...but they also scheduled the trip around the Chargers/Patriots game. I can live with that.

Let's be honest...there's not a WHOLE lot of excitement to be had in the Imperial Valley. We went to the Mall, Gamestop and Coldstone...Cliff took them on a tour of the base when he got back...and then the last night they were here, we went bowling at the NEW bowling alley out in town. It is pretty awesome, I must say.

Uncle and Nephew


Aunt and Niece


Troy and Patrick put on their best "teenage attitude" faces. Their vote was laser tag...which doesn't really lend itself to family conversation.


We were having fun, anyway!


Couldn't resist a rear view


Did you know Justin took bowling in college? And snowboarding! How cool is that?


Look at that form! Kind of an artsy shot, huh?


We all laughed so hard at this one...I was trying to capture some of Justin's tricks (like his under the leg one here)...but none of the shots came out very flattering...this is the funniest one!




This is where the REAL fun is!

Besides bowling and laser tag, they have an arcade full of games which dispense tickets (like Chuck E Cheese) where you can earn prizes. I wonder if there is a kid out there with his eye on that Crock Pot? (Only 2815 more tickets and that baby's mine!)



All the kids took a turn learning from the master...




Cliff and Patrick are out of tokens...so they make up their own games

Just good, clean Valley fun!