Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Merry Christmas?


As I write this blog, we are quite literally sitting in the shadow of the temple. We try to make Tuesdays our temple day, whether we are manning the information booth or inside for dinner in the cafeteria and a session. For being such a huge temple, in a destination spot, it is not very well attended. It is such a beautiful, peaceful place to spend the afternoon.

Yesterday, we had an MRM lunch/meeting. We sure have grown to love our friends. We laugh and gripe and share stories with each other. Oh! That reminds me of something cool that happened. Mike's brother Neal went to Spain recently with his wife, Shirley. While they were there they went to church and met a couple who had served a military relations mission in San Diego. The Wiggins came here to visit their daughter and we met them for dinner. It was interesting to learn how some things have changed since they were here, and some things are the same.

 A sad thing happened a few weeks ago. One of the recruits was up at Edson range for his final stage of training. He was on his second to last day on the Crucible. (This is the most challenging part of all of their weeks of training. No sleep, very little food, hiking and climbing carrying a lot of gear, ending with a very steep hill called "The Reaper") As he was climbing over an obstacle he didn't compensate for the extra load he had. He fell onto his head and broke his neck. He has had surgery and is not paralyzed, but is far from 100%. He is being transferred to Palo Alto for rehab. He is hoping to return to the Corps, but time will tell. These guys are doing tough stuff from day one.


We had a great Fourth of July. Seth and Manina and their family were here staying at a friend's home in La Jolla. We saw them for at least a little while each day. Eli was here, too. That was a fun surprise. The kids gave Mike Padre tickets for Father's day. (Get it? Father--Padre?) We went to the game with Seth and family. And who should show up but Eli!! He stayed for the weekend and we all went to the Big Bay Boom fireworks at the harbor and then to SeaWorld the next day. Fun Times!

 


Some friends of ours, the VanDenBerghes, from Riverton Park Ward came to San Diego for their family vacation. We met up with them for a quick visit at the Midway, and them we ran into them again at the Mormon Battalion where we we going to FHE. They are great people!





Last week, brave Jana drove down with Ava, Little Eli, and her son Christian. They were here for a day, and David flew in for a few hours before they headed to Disneyland. We went to the Midway (this seems to be our stand by attraction)and on a harbor cruise. It was so good to spend a short time with them. And with that visit, all of our kids and lots of our grandkids have come to visit. We hardly have time go get lonely, but I always feel so blue the day they leave.



Christmas in July! A member who works with us at MCRD invited us to a party at his house with his home ward and some neighbors. It was fun to meet folks who live as far south as you can get in the USA. They were great people who have stereotyped "Utah Mormons" as very strict and by the book. I think the latter belief is a good thing-otherwise the church could get very interesting in the mission field. Hopefully, we changed their idea about uptight Utahns as we got a little competitive during the white elephant gift exchange. Imagine that!


We are staying busy working on the two bases, a YSA ward, the MCRD branch, the brig and volunteering at the USO. We occasionally get an assignment for something else. Days with nothing to do are long, so we try to fill those with something fun. It's tough!


Two roads diverged in a yellowed wood...I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.