Motherhood Summed Up

For JLA: New Post Please

Ok, I know it’s been a while. What can I say, I am a lousy blogger person. But in my defense I have been busy as we finally made the pilgrimage to Nauvoo. (And yes I know that was a couple of weeks ago and this is late in coming. Quit your whining).

We visited sites I had long wanted to see: Independence, Liberty Jail, Far West, Adam-ondi-Ahman, Nauvoo, Carthage. It was both fun and faith promoting and I loved being there in person where so much happened in the lives of the early Saints. So inspiring and sobering to reflect on their sacrifices and courage.

Oddly, I have been much more reflective by way of memory of these sites than I was when I was actually there. Go figure.

Some ‘Voo Vacation Vignettes:

The senior missionary couples (although the lady who forgot to give us our token gingerbread cookie is on my list). Seriously, those old guys and gals are inspiring in their service. Who knew yodeling was a gift of the spirit? I especially loved the cute old guy at the brick making place who reminded me of Dad and Uncle Charles. He had the same gentle demeanor and quick wit.

The Nauvoo temple. Incredibly beautiful, both inside and out. Loved, loved being in the celestial room with my ‘lil fam.

Seeing Megs chat up sister missionaries at each site. So touching and sweet. So sweet in fact that I forgive you Meghan for continually texting ‘u know who’ as it was so annoying and sheesh he should have just come with us, for all the constant messaging flung across the miles. Still, I suppose it served it’s purpose as you two seem to have discovered that you can’t live without each other.

Seeing Kenz and Brig meet up in Nauvoo. B. Gomer’s been gone most of July selling in Nauvoo. Which is one reason we decided to go. We knew ‘Kenz would be unbearably mopey without him. Good call on our part.

ld going AWOL. He simply went missing. Several times. Found wandering back streets and alleys trying to find an internet connection. As he explained: My readers, all 3 of them, depend upon me to post and I can’t let them down.

The little house, or as the internet ad said, cottage, that we stayed in was charming and quaint. The owner, who calls herself, Auntie Ann, had the most amusing and interesting decorating style. Let’s just say it was eclectic. Whatever her taste in interior design, she was a sweet and thoughtful woman who left as a parting gift to us an old photograph of Old Nauvoo. This photo hung in her father’s paint store in downtown Nauvoo while he was alive and she made a copy of it for us. You must see it.

And yet again, ld’s fascination with power poles and power lines and corn fields. His unsatiable curiosity about the draw bridge and did I mention how hot, er, I mean endearing, he looked in a certain straw hat?

Dinner at Alpha’s in Fort Madison, Iowa. Some immature and slightly infantile persons (and their names begin with B and K) started throwing ice and lemon slices from their water glasses at Megs and yours truly because they said we were telling secrets and acting, shall we say, a little silly. It was so not our fault. Not, not. The reminder and reprimand that I got from our grand poobah patriarch that I was ‘for pete’s sake goin’ on 50’ was sooooo unwarranted. Hmmph!

The Pageant and the sweet lady from Iowa City who chatted me up and told me her conversion story. The wagon ride (where I took most of the pics seen over on ldsquared)

I could go on and on but then it would start to seem like a boring fireside slideshow “Our trip to Nauvoo” and having sat through far too many of those in my lifetime I won’t be so cruel. Still. It was a wonderful trip, with enough sights, sounds, feelings and memories to sustain me when my mind is prone to wander off. Which is often.

The only downside to the trip is that our 82 year old Relief Society sister passed away while we were gone and her funeral was the day after we came home. So, I was kind of busy with all that. Oh, and then Meghan fell in love. A wee bit distracting.

But Nauvoo. It’s true what they say, everyone should experience it once in their life.

There JLA, satisfied? New post from you now, please. Neener, neener, neener.

Snakes on a Plate

Yesterday, while stopped at a red light on State Street, I noticed something rather unique. A customized license plate. Now, I know, you are saying, Big Deal. Bumper stickers and personalized license plates are very common.

True. Some of them are even fairly amusing. Ones like:

I'm still a hot babe, but now it comes in flashes.

Dyslexics are teople poo.

Life is short. So buy the shoes!

Therapy is expensive. Popping bubble wrap is cheap. You choose.

Hang up and drive.

Funny, no? Still, I confess to being a license plate purist/snob and am mildly proud of the fact that I have never displayed my opinions, beefs, or values on the bumper of a car. It just seems so tacky and well, kinda needy.

But yesterday caused me to rethink my beliefs in that regard as the car in front of me inspired such curiosity and interest.

What made this plate so unique was that it had a snake border. Really. There were two sculpted gold snakes framing the thing. And they looked all Egyptiany. Like two agitated cobras, to be exact. The kind of thing you might see on a Sarcophagus.

Anyway, it was somewhat perplexing. What does having a license plate with snakes on it say about a person? The rest of the car looked mainstream, no jacked up tires and no guns visible from the window. Just your average, ho hum car, unremarkable. Yawn. But it did have a Utah license plate, did I mention that? Which makes it all the more intriguing as Utah plates are fairly predictable as you might expect a Utah plate cover to boldly proclaim, R U LDS 2, or Proud Parent of an Honor Student, or Families R 4ever.

So, what gives with the snake theme?

All day I have been puzzling over this.

Maybe they have a fear of snakes. Maybe their therapist suggested this was a great way to address their fear. Makes perfect sense, display whatever gives you nightmares on a license plate.

Or maybe they want to inspire fear in others. Maybe this person is really short and puny and exhibiting snakes makes them feel, well, bigger.

Or maybe they like to eat snakes, as I heard they taste like chicken.

Maybe it’s a religious thing. The vehicles occupants are snake handlers. Or snake worshipers.

Could be they are snakeologists, er, people who study snakes. For a living. And they want the world to know.

For all my speculation I will never ever really know the reasoning or meaning behind the license plate. But it has got me thinking. If I were the type to ever purchase and display such plates what would I choose? What symbol or graphic would define me as a person and reveal to my fellow road warriors what I am all about? Good introspection exercise for all of us, eh?

Then again, maybe the mystery surrounding the snakes is the point. Maybe it‘s meant to be a puzzle, sort of like a brain teaser.

My head hurts from obsessing about this. Really, I’m done. Here is what it really means and I'm so dumb why didn't I see it: Life is a snake. Period.

I hate it when I’m out deeped.