June 10 -- The North Rim of the Grand Canyon

I'm certain there are no photos that can capture the granduer of the canyon. "Now, for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed." Moses 1:10

I don't know this fellow, nor do I really care to. But I do thank him for helping establish scale in the photo.

The group at Bright Angel's Lookout.

Seeming to like the American style of photos, Mr. Mokashi poses for the shot. Cambry love's that their sweatshirts even match.

Riley and Parker pose while hiking into Bright Angels lookout.

Angels window from a ways off. You can see there is a lookout on the top.
The view from Angels Window Point. I felt a little swooney here.

The group at Angels Window point.


From Point Imperial.

Hayden's peak from Point Imperial. Everyone needs to experience the Grand Canyon. We are so small and insignificant, and yet God is mindful of each of us in every particular. This boggles the mind.

June 9 -- Road Trip Zion National Park

The weather was unsteady for us this day with cool showers off and on all day.



The checkerboard Mesa as we entered Zion's east side.


At weeping rock we stopped for a snack. Aleah's shoes got all sandy and Mokashi cleaned them off in the stream.
They said the water seeping out of the cliffs was 8,000 years old.We hiked along the Virgin River to the head of the Narrows. Most of the group shed their shoes and walked out into the water. Some day I am going to take this hike!

Parker had a river adventure and Dave documented the action.

"Wish I hadn't put my socks in that pocket to keep them dry."

1000 words.

Recovery with a smile.

Yes, he's alright, though a little shaken for the ordeal.

The view from the river at the head of the Narrows trail. We walked out of the area to board the buses and just as it had all day, the rain came down once we were in the bus.

Hyp-Oh my goodness!-thyroidism

I last posted several months ago, and I have not completed documenting the Mokashi's visit. There is a good reason, though: I simply was using all my energy just to do the little things like take care of five children, make meals, do laundry, pay bills and the like. I went to the doctor to have some blood work done in July. Dave and I were worried because I broke two toes in six weeks. Turns out I was just more tired than usual (and therefore more clumsy) because I didn't have enough active thyroid.

Hypothyroidism umbrellas all the symptoms I've had for years, but I tested normal when my brother was trying to help me back in 2004. From what I've read, the symptoms can appear several years before the tests confirm the condition. My doctor thinks I will not need to be on thyroid for more than a year. Hope he's right. (But today I'm kind of afraid to not have it again, my mind works better, my bowel works better, my muscles and joints don't hurt, my hands and feet don't feel like velcro.... I like thyroid!)

So now we return to the road trip...

June 8 -- Road Trip Bryce Canyon

Leaving is part of the trip. That's what Dave says when it takes us three hours longer than planned to actually drive away from our house. Indeed. Packed to the rafters, we did eventually flow into traffic on I-15 and make our way south.

We had rented a cabin in Orderville to give us access to three parks: Bryce, Zion, and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. We learned that Bryce was on the way in to the cabin and so we added it to the day's itinerary as we drove.

Never having visited Bryce, I was looking at it with the same wonder as the Mokashis. What a phenomenal place! Smita saw people walking around in the amphitheater and she wanted to walk down and see the view. I was so happy that she asked to do that because that's what I wanted as well. We walked the Navajo loop trail and each turn brought a stunning perspective. I took a lot of pictures, but they do not seem to convey the wonder and awe I felt walking through it.

"Take my picture. I want someone to take my picture too." Tired of being outdone by the children, Mr. Mokahi requested this photo be taken of him.

Coming back out of the canyons.

I was so happy we stopped here on our way to the cabin. How such a place came to be I cannot tell, but the effect it has on me is profound. Creation alone is not enough: there must be diversity and beauty as well. God is good.

June 7 -- Sunday

If I didn't have Sundays in my life, I think I'd lose my mind. This Sunday was a fast Sunday, so the majority of the house wasn't eating. I set my alarm, turned it off, and fell back asleep. Thus I was late getting us off to church. I hate walking into church late. But this particular Sunday I got to walk in late with Mr. Mokashi and Smita. They were able to meet some of our friends in the hall after sacrament meeting and then I took them home to rest.

When I got home, Smita and I prepared dishes for the Parish Indian night. She made shrikhand and egg curry. I made a terribly inferior flat bread (not a reflection on Smita - the flour was too course, we were pressing it out with a tortilla press instead of rolling it, and they were just dry and tough. Those inferior breads completely disappeared anyway.) Plus we tried tandori chicken that was too bland but again disappeared. Anna made dal makhani, Katie sent a fabulous vegetable curry with Johnny but kept her sorry sick self at home. When Mr. Mokashi tasted Katie's curry, he inquired with surprise and admiration who had prepared it. He said it was an absolutely appropriate use of Indian spice. Jeff and Amber brought a salad and Wes made one as well. Matthew brought Ben and Annie down which is a great treat.
We wore our saris to the party. Aleah couldn't find her necklace in her room -- and she pulled her room absolutely apart looking for it, making it impossible for me to find. (When I completely gutted and cleaned her room this week I still couldn't find it until I checked my jewelry box where it had safely hung the entire time ;). Dave, Wes, and Riley had a meeting they had to attend in the evening which kind of broke things up, but I took the Mokashi's on a walk around the neighborhood to see the flowers while the men were gone. This rose was planted my by friend Erika when she lived on Center Street. Smita captured the image. What a lovely rose it was!

Now how did we lose Mr. Mokashi's face in that group? Trust me, he was there! Again, it was a nice evening.

June 6 -- Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house

There was a flash in my mind while we were in the Draper Valley Temple open house with the Kelseys of Mr. Mokashi and Smita with us in what I understood to be the Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house. I was so excited to consider sharing that opportunity with them, I checked the dates that very night. The open house didn't begin until June 1. On that day, we thought the Mokashis were to visit some time in May. I told Dave, "He thinks he's coming in May, but he's actually coming in June." Within a few weeks, the dates were moved and indeed they were to visit within the Oquirrh Mountain open house dates. Imagine that.

Saturday was the last working day before our road trip and it was a whirl of getting ready for Sunday's big Parish dinner and for the road trip (I don't know why I always act like there will be no stores where I'm going?). I took Smita to Costco. She was impressed by the size and variety. I love the quality.

When we got back home we had to race to get everyone into Sunday clothes, hair done, and off to the open house. I had gotten tickets for our family with the Mokashis and both Dave's folks and mine. I forgot my cell phone and couldn't coordinate with my Dad, though we parked right next to them (about 20 minutes later). Not finding us readily, unable to contact us by phone, and not wanting to miss us altogether, my mom and dad went on the tour without us. They waited for us in the reception area following there tour. We met them at the conclusion of ours.

After some pictures and cookies, I wanted to take everyone out for Indian. Dad got out his iPhone and found us an authentic place not too far from the temple. It was called India Fusion and Mr. Mokashi certifies its authenticity. We all really enjoyed the night.

When we got things settled down back at home (not really, Parker was in a mood and I just left him in Dave's charge), I took Smita to Wal-Mart to get the things on my list Costco doesn't carry. For some undefined reason, I always have to check my mind at the door when I enter that place, I think all the stuff overwhelms me. I remembered that I'd forgotten the cream before I checked out, but I realized I'd forgotten the chicken for Sunday's Indian dinner after we loaded up the car. I just couldn't go back in. Calming down on the way home, I reconciled with my circumstances and ran into Smiths (a much smaller store) close to home. Phew.

Antelope Island and the Bramwells

Friday morning was all pies. We were planning a big Bramwell shin-dig up in Layton that evening. My mom orchestrated the dinner and since Dave is top pie man, we offered to bring six pies (which turned out to be at least twice the amount we needed. No waste, though. Mr. Mokashi discovered that he LOVES pie.)

After a late lunch of chicken potpie, we departed for Layton. We first went to Antelope Island. We toured Garr Ranch which has one of the oldest structures on original foundations (it was built by a mason) in Utah. There was a root cellar that when Aleah entered she said, "Wow. That's, cool. I'm going to leave now."

It was really windy out there on the island, which I suppose it usually is.

"American style!" Mr. Mokashi takes advantage of his surroundings to pose our style.

We saw bison (two up close) and antelope right next to the road.

We met up with the family for what is a late American dinner. Mom had cooked up a storm.

Dad was on the barbeque cooking the chicken. There must have been eight different side dishes with roasted vegetables, marinated vegetables, salads, salsas, rolls, pickles, olives, watermelon..... Everything tasted wonderful.

The kids gathered and played and we adults congregated in the living room. We exchanged gifts and talked and teased each other. I instigated a pre-emptive rubber band strike against Eric.

Everyone seemed to thoroughly enjoy the evening and we were reluctant to leave.