Cherish the Thought!

Summer days and adventures and now happy to be home --June--- was a pleasure as always to be in our paradise home in Hawaii. Life is taking a big turn for us, as we learned Erin will be returning to Hawaii for employment temporarily, then schooling, to advance professionally. Avery will be joining her soon, we hope, as he spends these days in Australia with family there. Preparations for moving Erin, household contents, and car from Pennsylvania and preparing Megan for a roommate sister were a big part of the June planning at our home.

Celebrating and packing and off we go! July--- got off to a good start with packing up for our mainland trip to Kansas City, Utah, and Iowa. As it turned out, we added in some other destinations, too, and our itinerary made some as-needed adjustments along the way. Departing on July 7, we arrived in Kansas City on the 8th. Enjoyed Independence, MO and also Liberty, Far West, and other special sites in our two days together-just-us there. Visited friend Al D., and enjoyed the Amish restaurant for lunch in Jamesport, too. Moving on to Salt Lake City, we met Megan and Erin there as they'd been traveling in the Ford Escape cross country since July 1. We all celebrated Aaron Jensen's birthday at Olive Garden at his request. Then each daughter returned to Hawaii from Utah, and Bill and I headed for Long Beach to deliver the Escape to the shipping dock. We enjoyed mountains in Utah and Arizona, and endured desert in Nevada and California before arriving in busy LA area in scorching July heat. It was a trip to . . . know we'd made!

Ripping books apart, magazines, too, is a way Bill and I endure and enjoy airports and plane rides. Nick Sparks' The Lucky One and The Last Song were ripped and enjoyed in the 7 airports and 11 plane rides total this summer!

Back to Utah, visiting friend Janice M. first, then we drove on to Logan to see once again our former Utah home and friends and acquaintances. The soda at the Bluebird was a huge treat, too . . . and fragrant campus floral plantings at USU fill my memory while we walked and viewed the recent campus diggings and new buildings. Aggie ice cream was a Peterson treat for us, along with visiting them, Bob and Kim Mills, Johnson and Candie Mak, Jay and Jane Monson, and seeing other old neighbors and ward members. Logan is still growing, many changes from our days when we could look out our window and see all the way to Hyde Park! Now it has all filled in with houses and commercial areas, and we hear it is large enough to support two Walmarts! The new chapels built in our old neighborhood since we moved number F I V E !!!!! That is indeed growth.

Back to Salt Lake via Ogden and the Litchford visit, then a day trip to visit Juhnyon Park and friends of Bill's in Orem. A highlight was staying next to the Energy Solutions on the 15th for our walk to the Carole King and James Taylor concert there. Loved those moments, and reviewing pictures in our minds while "singing the songs of long ago" and others. "How sweet it is. . ."!

Friday in downtown SLC we started our day with a visit with missionary Napua Baker at the FHL, touring the new church history library, the new Deseret Book store, even a little shopping, and met Janice for dinner at Lambs, prior to the MTC pioneer concert celebrating their 100 years of recording. Awesome! Great seats, too. A favorite way to begin our SLC experience [we'd attended Music and the Spoken Word the previous Sunday] and end it, also. We departed for the midwest the next Saturday, the 17th, with no delays in Denver this time, but the pleasant weather we'd previously enjoyed in KC area had turned very HAH--hot and humid!

Bill and I have a love for Iowa --it's green, rolling fields and . . . Maidrites...so our first stop on the drive from KC airport into Iowa was its first exit--lovely Lamoni, for a wonderful official maidrite--loose meat--sandwich. MMMMM! This is something we miss for sure. On to Des Moines, where we found my mom who had just been released from the hospital. The plans had been adapted so that I would stay with her for 10 days to help her recover. It was a good visit, and Bill spent valuable time with his mom and family, too. I made it to northeast Iowa to see Neal family, stay with Betty, eat at Olive Garden, and attend Grama Lois' 90th surprise birthday party at Melinda and Ray Cagley's new home in the country near beloved Shell Rock. How nice to see Neal farm, "Happy Acres" , outside the front window! The fields looked green and lush! It felt to me so much like home. A great feeling to be there. A feeling of peace, calm, and assurance, grateful to be close to the earth. It's been part of my life for over 35 years, more than half my life. Strong feelings -- I'll always be drawn to this place, in its own way a heaven on earth.

Our ten day visit drew to a close so it was time to head back to Hawaii, via MSP and Portland once we returned the car in KC on the 27th. We were rested and ready to return to our home and family, and enjoyed a dinner with Kevin and Felise Prine before departing the next day.

Grandsons and Kylee awaited our return. Seems like they missed us! And now August--- on August 5 at 9:21 p.m. new baby grand Mason Joseph William Jensen joined our family! Happy time, happy family, and this is what counts for us.

It's been a family focused summer in many ways...Erin's return here, joining with family in the midwest, tending mom and seeing her amazing recovery, visits with long ago family-like friends,[Brian S. and others] too, and now our grandbaby's birth. Too soon the routine of school and classes will arrive. Bill is already back and busy and my syllabus is being prepared. But it must be said, we wouldn't do life much differently. Still love our simple life, with some opportunities to travel.

My souvenir of meaning--So glad I brought home a bookmark leaf from Adam ondi Ahman and walked barefoot in the green silky grass at the temple grounds in Far West. How cherished to walk in all of these places, feel the spirit strongly in our Liberty Jail visit, taste our yummy maidrites again, enjoy sweet fragrances on USU's campus, hug dear ones, be uplifted by the MTC and CK and JT, reconnect with so many cherished friends and cousins.

It was trip to remember...and to cherish our blessings. I am grateful for each one.