Paul’s passport came this week!
We are working on visas before we can get tickets, so we’ll let you know when we anticipate coming home. It probably won’t be for Christmas, but it may be shortly thereafter.
Paul’s passport came this week!
We are working on visas before we can get tickets, so we’ll let you know when we anticipate coming home. It probably won’t be for Christmas, but it may be shortly thereafter.
In August, we visited Noojee, which is in the Yarra Valley, and Mornington Peninsula, which affords a view of the sea.
Here are my photographs from those two Saturdays.
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I am starting to feel like I am seven months pregnant. Baby keeps on kicking all night long. It is so great, in some ways, to know it’s a baby down there. On the other hand, I know this means that from now on I’ll never get a good night’s sleep again.
I’m still not ready to send pictures. You people keep asking for a picture–and I’m not sure if you are teasing me or if you just missed the point (that point being that I’m not ready to hear your comments, good or bad!!!). Maybe in a few more weeks when I start to feel more miserable I’ll feel like sending a picture. I’ve only been marginally uncomfortable for about two weeks now. Give me some more time…
My husband and I went on some photography journeys to see this great land we live in. A few weekends ago, we went to the Dandenong ranges, which are only 30 minutes from home. Then the next weekend we went to Noojee, which is a part of the Yarra Ranges, about 1 1/2 hours away. We had a good time. I was going to post pictures from those excursions, but I don’t really feel good about any of my photos. I’ve got my tripod now, so maybe our next trip will end up nicer. I’m still learning how the camera actually works.
We got our shipment from Chicago last week. So far, we think they only missed one box. I guess $200 of stuff is an okay loss when consider you just shipped $9,000 of stuff across the world (amazing how it adds up!). The major thing we are missing is our HP printer. We know we handed that over! Also noticed missing is my husband’s ice cream maker and a few oval bowls–but we can’t be sure we ever packed those; they may be sitting in our storage unit. We could live without those. But the printer is sorely missed. We’ll see what happens: the Chicago warehouse says they’re “looking for it.”
During the week, I’ve been volunteering at the local city council volunteer office, helping with filing, data entry, and reception. (I think I’m much better at entering data into Access than I am at answering telephones. …I’m an awkward receptionist.) I volunteered there 1 day last week and 1 1/2 days this week. I may do more as needed in the next few weeks. It’s nice to feel needed.
(My husband says I’m finally making what I’m worth. “Nothing?!” I asked. “No. You’re priceless.”)
Other than that, I’ve been learning to cook some easy meals (some turn out better than others), I’ve been reading certain novels that have recently been published, and I’ve been growing a baby.
Hopefully in the next few weeks we’ll get our rental baby furniture. I can’t wait to set up baby’s room. The Big Day is some day in the next two months. I’ll feel more ready when baby’s room is ready!
To celebrate our anniversary, we went on a road trip to church history sites.
We started in Winter Quarters in Florence, Nebraska (outside of Omaha). I have never been there before. Because it was the first stop and we hadn’t yet talked to dozens of missionaries, I enjoyed it the most, I think. I was very impressed with the sacrifices the early Saints made AFTER all the struggle in Missouri and then leaving Nauvoo. They were driven out of their homes time and again. Now they were so grateful to have a roof over their heads. 10-15 people spent a year in a tiny cabin smaller than my storage unit. They had gone through so much. And then they would have the ordeal of crossing the plains. So many people died, and yet they were grateful to the Lord for the gospel in their lives.
And should we die before our journey’s through,
Happy day! All is well!
We then are free from toil and sorrow, too;
With the just we shall dwell!
But if our lives are spared again
To see the Saints their rest obtain,
Oh, how we’ll make this chorus swell–
All is well! All is well!
My husband and I attended a session in the Winter Quarters temple. It was a special experience. I felt close to the early pioneers who gave so much. I wondered what Heavenly Father will ask me to sacrifice. Has he already asked me? Have I willingly given of my time and talents? Will I be ready and willing to do what is asked of me in the future? I don’t yet know what “plains” I’ll have to cross.

We then drove to Missouri. We visited the Independence Vistors Center, Liberty Jail, Adam-ondi-Ahman, Far West, and a few other locations where various sections of the Doctrine and Covenants were received.
Then we headed to Nauvoo. We’ve both been there a number of times. By this time, we’d be driving a lot over the past few days. So we were pretty tired. We went on a tour of the Joseph Smith Mansion House and Red Brick Store, and we enjoyed walking the streets of old Nauvoo. Tuesday morning we enjoyed the sunrise over the Mississippi River (though we were a little too late for good pictures) and we went to a session in the Nauvoo temple. Another good experience.
After a stop for Nauvoo fudge, we headed on home.
When (if) we have time again, we’ll have to go to Kirtland and Palmyra. For now, I sincerely hope our next trip will be to Australia!
I left my husband to organize boxes while I went with Mom, Elizabeth, Daniel, and Jessica to visit Jenny, Leah, and Chris in Utah. Mom, Jenny, and I went to Women’s Conference Thursday and Friday while Elizabeth babysat and visited some friends. It was a great time. We stayed up late and played games. And Mom, Elizabeth, and Jenny all shared good advice about preparing for baby.
It was a great time, but it was good to come home to my husband. I told him about our weekend. He says it sounds like a long sleep over. Yep, that’s what it was.
Mom, Jenny, and I heard Elder and Sister Holland speak at Women’s Conference.
Daniel and Leah enjoyed chasing each other around.
A giggly video.
Siblings Daniel and Jessica are BYU Cougar fans!
Cousins Daniel, Jessica, and Leah
Me (and unborn baby) and my nieces and nephew (note my growing bulge!)
Grandma and her grandkids (except for the one on the way)