April 2015
Well, mates, it's been a long month of trips, tours, and tickles. Who knew that so much could happen in so short a time... and I could survive it all. That's not to say that the adventures weren't enjoyable, but I have returned a little older, a little wiser, and a lot more tired. Rachel Lynde would certainly disapprove of how much I've been going to and fro, up and down.
To start the whirlwind adventure, my dear friend Lacey asked me to help her to visit her folks in Mesa, Arizona, with her twin boys, Ben and Jack.
These boys were rock stars on the trip, despite their tender age, their recent bout with the croup, and the stress of traveling by airplane. Lacey was holding her breath, fully anticipating having two fractious babies on the whole trip. I chose, instead, to view the adventure with rose-colored and positive glasses. Before we left, I declared that the boys would sleep through most of the flight, that they would be cheerful when they awoke, and that our seat-neighbors would be charmed by Little Thing One and Thing Two. And, lo and behold, the little dears stuck to my plan with very little fussing. Lacey was astounded and kept rubbing my arm like a good luck charm.
We did part ways at the airport pick-up, though, as Grandpa Christenson and my great uncle, Dale, picked me up, and Grandma Kupfer picked up Lacey and the boys. I had the joy of splitting my two-and-a-half week adventure between Mesa with Lacey and Carefree with Grandma, Grandpa, Dale, and Sheila. While Mesa was filled with baby laughs and little sleep, Carefree lived up to its name, and I ate far too well, slept deeply and contentedly, and flitted on the wings of fancy.
One of the particular joys in Carefree was experiencing a touch of retirement living. After a lovely, hearty breakfast one morning, Grandpa Christenson declared that he wanted to go to a bookstore (just to browse and find something fun) and have ice cream for lunch. Which is exactly what we did!
We dined outside on our cold and creamy lunch, laughing about the past and plans for the future. When Grandma and Grandpa had to leave for Quincy, Dale, Sheila, and I kept busy with a stroll down memory lane, a hike up the Alpine paths, and detours through scenic simplicity. They told me of the adventures that they have shared, offered anecdotes from my grandfather's childhood, and advised me on my own upcoming adventures. Dale helped me hone my photography skills (explaining aperture and shutter speed), even offering to take me to the Desert Botanical Gardens for a test-drive of the new knowledge.
My camera is really good at making it seem like I'm a good photographer. Lucky me.
We also ventured out on hikes and a ride into the back-country near Carefree. I blame the altitude for my quick fatigue on Pinnacle Peak, but Dale certainly had more breath than I did on the 1/4 mile that went nearly straight up.
But I survived, and Dale refrained from mockery. All along the hike, he named all the plant life. I've forgotten most everything, but I remember the Mexican poppies, desert marigolds, hedgehog cactus, and the lupine (love those lupines!).
It did my heart good to see these cousins of the blue bonnet so far from home. Nothing brings peace to this Texan's heart than a good ol' blue bonnet.
Well, the trip finished with the gong of the Kupfer's grandfather clock (which happened to wake me up every 15 minutes on those nights I stayed in Mesa). The twins had met their twin cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandparents; Lacey was spoiled by her parents; I learned the important tips for a successful trip to the UK; and the return flight was even easier than the first (though Lacey had to get a full pat-down at security).
Then, not a full week later, I was off again to California to help set up for Rachel's wedding. We both had delays getting into San Jose, but were able to recover enough to get Rach to her dress fitting the next morning.
Though we were insanely busy, things fell into place like they should. The one mishap, though, happened Friday morning, the day before the wedding.
Rachel went for a run before Rory woke up and they were to go get their marriage license. After showering, Rach opened a new bottle of what she thought was contact solution... It was, in fact, a bottle of contact
cleaning solution, and put her contact into her eye. Her eye immediately started burning, and she pulled the contact out. But the cleaning solution (which contains hydrogen peroxide) was in her eye. We tried flushing it, tried a compress, called the doctor, all without a change in condition.
Enter Nurse Mother-in-Law-to-Be Waldman! Renee swooped in with experience, competence, and confidence, properly flushed the eye, and prescribed an eye patch, ordered antibiotic eye drops, and ushered us all back to those tasks which we
should have been doing that morning.
Despite the late start, we were able to pull everything together. I got to work extensively with Renee, Rory's sister Randie, sweet Aunt Ruthie, and Ian (plush a few more intermittently) to set up the reception hall.
It was so much fun to get to know these incredible people, and bend the rules with Renee and Ruthie. Breaking into storage closets with lingerie gift cards and stealing lavender was just the beginning, and it was completely memorable!
Saturday, April 11th dawned beautifully, and despite a minor hiccup or two, ran smoothly. Rachel and Rory were sealed in the Oakland California Temple, surrounded by the people who love them. She was lovely; he was glowing. All was right.
This is the start of a great adventure for Rachel and Rory, and I'm so excited for them. Up to this point, their story has just been in the prologue. With the sealing, they open into the first chapter of their lives.
And if I couldn't escape the romantic fever, when I came home, it was time to hit the pavement running to help Nick prepare for his proposal to Megan. His attention to detail, his anxiety that all would be perfect, and his excitement were all sweet to watch, particularly knowing the acute delight that this step would inspire for Megan.
Nick considered the ring precious to the point of religious care. He kept it almost always in the ring box, refused to touch the center, gently touching only the sides, and becoming anxious just thinking about the slight possibility of it slipping through a potential hole in his jean pockets. All of this compounded into Nick wrapping the ring in plastic wrap before slipping it into his pocket.
Sunday, April 19th started normally enough for Megan Duffard. She planned for a relaxed day with her boyfriend. They drove to Independence, Texas, to enjoy the wildflowers and a pleasantly cool day. As Nick became more anxious (because people were crowding into the Antique Rose Emporium), she only slightly suspected something out of the ordinary. But when he told her that he had something for her at the gazebo, her heart rate picked up its pace.
Two friends emerged from their flowery hiding places to capture the experience. Megan and Nick walked under rosy arches and up to the gazebo where pictures showed their history and a small table held a Bible, a dozen roses, and a note of promise. With tears in her eyes and joy clouding her mind, Megan read the note and turned to find Nick... fighting with the plastic wrap encased ring.
After his proposal met with her approval, Megan and Nick joined their family and close friends for a small engagement party. Megan was still in a daze (which wouldn't dissipate for days), and Nick was overflowing with excited relief.
What a way to wrap up a sweet prologue, indeed. I wish them the absolute best as they embark on their next adventure!
Truly, I feel that the last month has been crammed with adventures here and there, but it has been sweet to experience this great adventure called life, and to witness a few of those adventures of the people I love.
Now I have just enough time to catch my breath before heading on another grand adventure: a dream-like tour of the United Kingdom with the best first mate (Sky). This accounting must seem long, but I'm sure that the next adventure will need several logs to relate the adventures we embark on.
What will your next adventure be?
