U.S. Memories

It's hard to believe we've been in the U.S. for 5 weeks now.  China seems such a long ways away, and a long time ago.  But it's only a week now until we return.  Time to start posting some of the memories!

It's been 5 weeks of hello's and goodbye's, each hello a happy, long-anticipated event,

and each goodbye a bit sad as we realize it will be at least 6 months or a year before we meet again.

 My brother, in Idaho, has some horses and one of the first things Alice wanted to do was go riding.  My brother thinks it is great fun to push people to the limit, so for her first ride, they went several miles through up and down country--and Alice was sore for days.  But they saw some great country!

 We also went to an amusement park, "Lagoon" in northern Utah, where we met up with our oldest daughter and her family.  They'd come up from Texas to spend a week with us.

As a grandmother, the most fun I can have is helping the little ones have fun.  The 5-year-old is just a tad too short for some of the roller coasters, and I was MORE than happy to do things with him while the older kids rode the "Wicked" and other rides that just do not appeal to me.  I remember even as a child getting motion sickness on a ride (the Octopus) at a small, local park.  

Yes, thrill rides do more than thrill me!

 It was hot.  It was not too crowded.  The water park was great, and we all had a super time!

 Other great memories come from hanging out with cousins.  Cousins are one of heaven's gifts!  (Just like grandkids are a gift.)  Lucky are the people who have cousins roughly the same age.  For the most part, they are ready-made friends, even if they only see each other once a year.

Alice and Ellie had a great time on a 4-wheeler with Hope and Reba.  

 And I just can't stop looking at the sky!  

Unfortunately, clarity and contrast will be just a memory once we get back to China.

It's been so great to see stars at night (lots of them, not just the brightest 2 or 3).