Road Trip...

(Can you see the bees?  Spring!)

(Our stress relief after a long day of walking...everywhere.)

(Um...gorgeous.)

(We were sitting right here.  Amazing.)

(At the Church History Museum.  I'm a pulpit-pounding preacher, can't you tell?)

(Reminders of home)

Last weekend my fabulous cousin, Shelley, and I ventured to Salt Lake City, UT.  I felt like a teenager all over again.  Shelley was fully prepared with Road Trip CD's #1,#2, and #3, as well as "Children of the 80's" music.  It was hilarious.  I hadn't heard New Kids on the Block, MC Hammer, Paula Abdul, Vanilla Ice in AGES.  I was surprised by how many lyrics I remembered.  I'm sure I must've been really cool as a teenager, knowing all those songs:).

Admittedly, I was a little nervous about leaving my family.  I haven't really been away from them except for a couple of times.  Weird.  The funny thing is I thought I would experience this major rush of freedom.  No responsibilities.  I thought, wow, I can finally do what I want to do, when I want to do it.  And yet, I did the same things I would've done WITH all the responsibilities.  At that moment, I realized that I've grown up.  My inclination to wacky and irrational things has tempered.  To me, that's a good thing.  Sure, I'm still impulsive, silly, BUT responsible.  Growing up in that way is okay with me.

We did so many wonderful things and spring was in the air--Hallelujah!  It was Temple Square (http://www.visittemplesquare.com/) overload and I loved every minute of it!  Saturday night we went to the Gateway Mall.  I've always wanted to go since the winter olympics were held in Salt Lake.  Well, I got my fill and I don't really care to ever go again.  I used to be such a shopper.  Now, spending $50 on a shirt seems so ridiculous to me.  I looked around a saw 90% of the people there dressed to the 9's.  My eyes were exhausted with commercialism and superficiality.  I just wanted to go into a book store and get back to reality...or escape from reality.  I was struck by how spoiled we are in the US.  I thought of people in Haiti.  Haiti and the Gateway don't really go together.  It was a reminder that "stuff" used to be so important to me.  Especially as a teenager.  Not anymore.  Live and learn, I guess.  However, we did have some really, really great frozen yogurt.

Sunday we went to Music and the Spoken Word with the Tabernacle Choir.  I've always wanted to do that, and we sat in the front row.  The music resonated through me. Chills.  There was the sweetest guest group, a childrens' choir from Beijing, China.  In the Visitor Centers I actually had the time to read all of the information that I've glazed over through the years, because I was wrestling with my sweet children:).  It was the same in the Church History Museum.  There was so much information and I loved it!  We attended a church service in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.  What an experience.

We had so much fun at the hotel.  Movies, goodies, eye masks, an out-of-order hot tub...everything was hilarious and great.  I finallly went to Salt Lake City as a tourist.  Not as a college student passing through, or a parent rushing, rushing, rushing.  I just had time.  Time to take in the experience and it was great.

Thanks, Shelley.  It was a great idea.  Thanks for letting me come along.  We sure had fun, didn't we?