July 2, 2023
Fast Sunday
Snowflake, Arizona
Querida flammilia y amigos,
It has been such a nice week, with the Baker family reunion at the beginning of it, and Independence Day celebrating at the end of it, and a quick trip to the Valley in between!
DC was in charge of the reunion this year, and it was so nice to have it close to where we live. We stayed at the absolutely lovely Lazy Oaks Resort on Rainbow Lake in Pinetop-Lakeside. We each had our own little cabin (ours was the Poplars), and there was a grassy shaded area with picnic tables and a swing where we could gather all together for meals and evening stuff. There was access to kayaks and life jackets, and that was my favorite part, I think, just going out on the lake and seeing all the birds -- swallows and cormorants and herons and eagles.
Exacto, Fluffy, and Rosehips all went on the lake early Monday morning and saw herons skydiving into the water to catch fish! Hummer and a cousin kayaked out to the middle where a dead tree poked up out of the lake and they took turns climbing it and not dropping their phones in the lake! (I DID drop my phone in the lake and it's okay now. . . do you want to hear the story?)
Rosehips and I went on a long, long kayaking trip and had the best heart-to-heart talk on the way and the n the toughest time getting back because the wind had come up and there were pretty high wave peaks. We were so strong! We made it eventually!
I love DC's family. We have been married longer than anyone else in the family except Grandma and Grandpa Baker, and since I was married at the shockingly young age of 19, I've kind of grown up with his family, too. They are a down-to-earth, funny, creative, loving, widely varied, really kind bunch of people, and I'm happy to be part of them!
Breakfasts and lunches were mostly on our own in our own little cabins, but dinners were together and the older cousins loved to stay up late playing games together. One of my brothers-in-law brought a screen and a projector, so there was also a family history slideshow and a special video celebrating Grandma and Grandpa's 50th wedding anniversary (happened 3 years ago during covid so we still hadn't really celebrated together).
I loved that we still had a group scripture study every night with the ones who wanted to join and the ones who didn't want were not pressured or made to feel bad, just invited. I loved that some went on the little hike together and some didn't but everyone wanted to be at the slideshow and special video. I loved hearing my sister-in-law of another faith pray like Jesus was standing right in front of her. I loved talking to my beautiful Italian sister-in-law who was just baptized a few years ago about her love for the temple. There's just a strong feeling of acceptance and real joy in being together, despite different choices family members have made.
Wednesday morning we had the extended goodbyes that is traditional in DC's family. There's an unwritten rule that you can't leave until you have hugged every single person and talked to them individually, and it's the sweetest thing but it takes forever and I'm the type of person who hates saying goodbye so it just feels like slowly pulling duct tape off my arm but I know it's because they love each other and me so I try to calm down and just feel the love, lol!
So grateful everyone had a happy time and all the travel went safely and that we got to be together again!
Friday I went with Ham and Exacto to The Great Valley so that H could have a therapy appointment. I am so, so glad he's trying to take care of his health! It's been a tough year for him so far. We got yummy Salad-and-Go and went to Hobby Lobby before heading back up the mountain, and H and I enjoyed some crocheting on the way back (he started a harness for Arthur 🐇 and I started my first amigumuri project) while Exacto drove. It was fun to read out loud lots of The Year of Miss Agnes, too.
Yesterday it was nice to be home and finally get more work done on planning the food for my family's reunion which starts in less than two weeks! 😨 And then in the evening we went to the Taylor Rodeo. Nana says her Daddy used to take her and her sisters every year, after buying them new Wranglers at the store. She loves going, and even invited us to come early to save our seats and watch people.
I was a little hesitant because ever since the pandemic and the political ugliness that began around that time, I've been a little afraid to be at a rodeo. But I wanted to spend time with my Mom and I knew it was important to her, so I went, and I'm so glad! It was delightful! It never got too political and the rodeo events were really cool (there was a new breakaway women's calf-roping event I'd never seen before) and it was the most love I have felt for my country in a long time.
I've always been patriotic, but the word had started to take on a disagreeable tinge over the past few years and I think I'd started to forget its true meaning. Last night as I pledged allegiance and sang the national anthem with 9000 people and then watched the fireworks and sang I'm Proud to Be An American, my heart felt full of gratitude and love for this truly amazing country I was lucky enough to be born into. And then the next song was I Love You, Arizona and I got super teary!
Dad and DC brought us ham tortas from Cupidos, and we sat near some people from Tucson that were super nice and fun to talk to (we cheered for the cowboy from Marana together!) and Ham got excited about the macarena song because it sounded like everyone was singing about cicadas, lol (Pacarina shoemakeri).
I am thoughtful this morning about influence and agency and parenting and "the joy of the saints."
As a disciple of Jesus and a mother, how do I "feed His sheep" if the sheep maybe doesn't want to be fed?
I have a new perspective on that after DC sharing some of his thoughts this morning. He said "feed His sheep" makes him think of the tree in Lehi's dream. The tree had shining, white fruit, and represented the love of God. We can eat the fruit and experience the love of God and invite our family and friends to do that, too. We can share the love of God ourselves! Maybe others can feel His love through us, and that is feeding His sheep!
And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms.
And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father! Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw?
And I answered him, saying: Yea, it is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things.
And he spake unto me, saying: Yea, and the most joyous to the soul.~ 1 Nephi 11:20-23
And so, please always remember:
👉You are most likely to be happy when you are living by the teachings of Jesus Christ!
Live His gospel and have fun, too!
Love,
Mommy
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