I spent the first few week of June hiking, packing, relaxing, etc. I decided to take advantage of my vacation time and get out to see some of the beauty of West Virginia. I went on a couple of day hikes and really enjoyed myself. Now that I’m the scout leader I will be taking the boys out for some hikes and I wanted to scout out some good areas. I think I found a few that will work really well.
On June 9th we flew across the country to Boise. We weren’t sure how Becky would handle the flying, but she did just fine (and as far as we can tell the baby did just fine too). Becky’s parents picked us up and we spent a week with them on the farm. It was good to see them again, it seems like it has been so long. We had a family reunion in Swan Valley at the foot of the Tetons in a beautiful valley. 2 of her uncles asked me to work on their backs (Rob I think you warned me about this several years ago); I was able to help one, but I had to tell the other to wait a year or two until I learn a little more.
Then we came to Rexburg. I’m sorry that I didn’t get the word out that we are here, because I have heard that at least one of you (Derik) is in town and we probably could have met up. Unfortunately we are leaving town tomorrow morning for Bruneau. And by the way Derik, I was watching the 4th of July parade and saw the Jr. Miss float and thought “that girl looks very familiar, where do I know her from…” Then my mom told me it was your sister. I told my family that I used to pick on her when she was little. Tell her congratulations for me, I’m happy for her.
Here in Rexburg we spent time playing, talking, debating (our family’s new favorite pastime), swimming, eating, walking, etc. It has been a wonderful time. Being here has given me some perspective on just how much I have grown in the last few years. Life changes us, it’s up to us if that change is positive and uplifting, or degrading. It has also been bittersweet for me to realize that the Rexburg of my youth exists only in my memory and the memories of those who lived it with me. Rexburg has changed and there’s no going back. Becky and I took a stroll through the flower garden up at BYU-I today, and I told her that, though they are beautiful, I almost wish I hadn’t come back. I love the gardens of my memory and seeing the new ones, crammed full of ponds, and pathways and buildings, reminds me that the real flower gardens, the ones I remember, will never exist again. Okay I’m done with my sentimentality, it’s just that there are no other people who can sympathize with me like you guys can.
Tomorrow we drive back to Bruneau to spend another week with Becky’s family, then we fly back to WV on July 13th. We hope that the Holiday has been good to you all. Rob, we hope you have a healthy little addition to your family now.
Stewart and Becky
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3 comments:
Wow, getting all "Walden Pond" on us. I think that's encroaching on Derik's field of expertise ;)
Yup, you are forever doomed to help every extended family member, because everyone has pain somewhere. From here on out, every time I move I am telling people that I am a janitor, because people feel like jerks asking someone to clean for them when they can do it themselves... but everyone feels comfortable asking any one with "computer" or "technology" in their title for help with a PC virus.
You pretty much only have 1 hope- a rapid escalation of lies. Tell everyone you know that you flunked out of school and became a janitor, and that you are so upset about it that no one should ever ask you anything about it. That sort of thing always works... well, at least in the first 20 minutes of sitcoms... I am too busy to watch all the way to the end of the show.
You could tell everyone that you are an English teacher. I tell people that and then they stop talking to me all together for fear I will correct their poor grammar...or they ask me to edit their kids' paper for some class. either way it is isolating.
I know, I'll tell people that I specialize in those awkward exams (hernia, prostate, etc.). They'll ask if I can help them with some kind of back pain, and I'll grin as I snap on my little latex glove.
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