ERSTER AUSFLUG

Somehow, I was suckered into this first "field trip" because it was not very far from the road (just a short walk - very little up and down - and it was supposed to be a beautiful falls - I mean, after all, it is named THUNDER  BIRD FALLS!!!!

first of all, we had to sit through about and hour and a half of construction on the Glenn Highway because of construction. When we got to the parking lot for this place, we were instructed to leave a visitor's fee --- State of Alaska, you are so cheap!

Next, I'm certain that all the thunder birds in the world are much insulted with the designation of these diminutive falls having something to do with them -- but, I get ahead of my self.

THE WALK IN AND OUT

Frankly, the only interesting thing on the...

"short" walk in and out was the...

vegetation.

The short hike was was about a mile and it definetely

was UP and down.

Plus, the "skeeters" thought I was a walking lunch...

but they left sweet Sister C. completely alone...

Hmmmm! Go figure.

I saw many fern plants on our jaunt and wished that

I had a pot of soil with me to steal one for our apartment.

A look out over the river below...

 full of cloudy glacier water.

 The old man and the mountain...

 Sister C.

 Finally, we reached the platform where we could see...

THUNDER BIRD FALLS -- TA! DAH!

You're kidding me, right?

This is what we walked in here for?

Hmmm?

Yaaahh...

Wow! We sat through an hour and a half of 

construction traffic for this, huh?

What say we go home --

REQUIES IN PACIS

In April, Sister C's mother passed away. It was not an unexpected event, since she was in her 93rd year and suffering from dementia in a major way. Her death and the funeral were more a celebration of her life and a three day experience of a spiritual feast. We were are grateful for that. However, something happened there that I never expected.

Several years ago, I heard the expression, "There are some wounds that time can't heal." Interestingly enough, I am still in complete agreement with the statement. However, there are no wounds that Christ and the Atonement cannot heal - whether it's here in time or afterward in immortality. I'm now a personal witness to that.

----------------------------------

Here are some pictures from Mom's  funeral in Mesa. 

Angie and Stephen

Cari, Maryann, Daniel and Paul

Loriann and Cari

Sister C with the Gomez's

Sister C talking to Brent. Paul to the right.

Lori with JP and other assorted relatives

Angie and Robert

poor photo...

 Daniel, Phillip, and Jared

Russell - notice the F35 pin on his lapel.

Another backside photo of everyone (So! Who who
was the terrible photographer, anyway?!

Paul, Angie, and Aunt Nancy

Lisle sitting by the casket

Uncle Lisle with his nephew Jesse N.

Jesse, Liz, Becks, Janet, Angie, and Nancy

Cousins - Lisle and Ermalee

Paul, Janet, Maxine, and Martha

"Our baby" - Lena

Aunt Sharon talking to two of her nieces -

Lena and Rachel

Say Cheese!

Beautiful and sweet - love 'em!!

Aunt Cari holding Ryan with Rachel and Lena

My first grandson, Ryan Lee

Much fussing before the family prayer

Sharon, Cari, Jake, and Rachel

Campbells and Mohlmans

-----------------------------

PICTURES AFTER THE FUNERAL

Mom and Dad have 45 grandchildren. Four are missing

from this photo. Betsy and John Robert are deceased

and two of mine - Andrew and Lisa weren't there.

Not a bad posterity.

Another shot - incidentally, there are about

eighty great grandchildren who are a part of the

clan.

 Jess, David, Laura, Loriann, Russell and Ben

 Mark, Jared, Caroline and Susan

Jan talking with her cousin Jim

Paul, John, Jim, Jan holding Lena, and Jess

The grandson pallbearers

The Casket

Grandpa Lisle and Grandma Jennie

Mom and Dad's headstone.

-------------------------

SONS, DAUGHTERS AND SPOUSES

It is so strange to be the old folks now. Our children

and grandchildren will now watch us pass away as we did

the proceeding generation. Thank God for the Priesthood,

for priesthood keys and sealing powers. Otherwise, this would

be the most miserable of existences.