Gilbert Temple Dedication

The day of the big storm was also the day for the Saturday Youth Celebration before the temple dedication on Sunday.  There was worry about the rain but also thanksgiving because Arizonans are always grateful for rain.  I found this picture which shows the Discovery Park just northwest of the temple.

That park is where 12,000 youth sang and danced their hearts out in the rain.  My sweet and very pregnant (although she never looks as pregnant as the rest of us do or did) was there on the hillside wearing a poncho watching the youth that she had been practicing with and encouraging for weeks.

The dedication would be repeated three times on Sunday and would replace all church services that Sunday.  It was broadcast to all large stake centers throughout Arizona.  President of the Church, Thomas S. Monson was present for all three dedication sessions.  The rain had passed and it was a beautiful, cleansed, and blue sky but cloud scudded kind of day.

The dedication was for those eight years of age and older and so this is who I spent my Sunday with, my younger grand daughters.  (Note: they selected their own snacks from the pantry :)  We had a great time together.

This was something new at the house.  That used to be an opening the looked out over the entrance hall and living room.  Now is is a series of display racks so the books can face out.  It made my grandma and old librarian heart glad.

I also snapped a picture of the coming baby's nursery.  Yup, that sweet daughter-in-law who showed her support in the rain birthed a beautiful baby boy two days later on the day the dedicated temple was first open for sacred ordinances.  This beautiful temple will be a blessing in the lives of many.

Note:  The three temple related photos were borrowed from google images.

Arizona garden and storm aftermath

After Albuquerque, our next stop was our home in Arizona where it is already spring changing to summer.

I was happy to be amongst the flowers and green for awhile.  These Italian cypress trees would enjoy the dance of their life later in the week.

It was nice to have so much color after being in the wintery north.

The ranunculus were blooming but were about three weeks early.  Arizona has enjoyed a record amount 80 degree plus days during the first three months of 2014.

I understand that the Flower Fields in Carlsbad, California were also blooming early this year.

That is where I purchased my original blubs.

By the time I left for Utah . . .

there were more pinks as the oranges and reds were starting to fade.

I so enjoyed the riot of color that was outside.

Little purple pansies touched with yellow gold.

I was so glad that I had taken this picture of the coleus in the down under pots.  They would soon be fighting for their lives and reduced by half.

Glen's favorite bouganvilla.

The hollyhocks and iris were up out front.

Begonia down unders.

Remember the record rain storm in California which was so welcome because of their drought?  Well by Saturday it had made its way to Arizona.  About 1 pm I heard winds outside like I had never heard before.  I actually stayed away from the windows for fear they might blow in.  When I finally looked outside, there was a tree in the pool.

On closer inspection I realized that there were actually two trees hanging over the back fence.

A huge branch off my neighbor's eucalytus tree had broken off and then hit the ash tree splitting it in half.

There was a lot more green than normal.

That ash tree probably saved the fence as it broke the fall of the eucalyptus branch.

I also discovered that the wind had blown out panels off the roof of the greenhouse.  Where they landed I do not know.

There was debris from everywhere, including plastered to my garage door.  Soon this spot would be full of tree branches.

Glen had already returned to Utah, so missed out on the clean up party.  Neighbors were soon on hand to help get the branches from the pool and the neighbor who lost those trees soon had a chain saw going.  By Monday he had also picked up all the branches we had dragged to my driveway.

Apparently we had experience a funnel cloud going through.  I actually got off easy.  There were damaged roofs and broken windows in the neighborhood.  It seemed the bar tile roofs had a harder time of it.  My neighbor to the south had a giant evergreen fall out by the roots from the yard of her  backyard neighbor.  It took out the fence and pool fence, completely filled her pool, and hit her house.  It was like that for awhile as her damage was one for home owners insurance and not friendly neighbors.  There were many trees down through this approximately 1/2 mile swath of damage.  As I drove out and about, I could see exactly where the funnel cloud had traveled.

When I was a little girl in Idaho, a twister rolled over our farm.  My father was in his hay truck out in the field and it lifted him and the truck up then set them back down but now in the opposite direction.  It also took the roof of the home of one of my friends.  I can't imagine what it must be like to live in Tornado Alley.

The upside to this little episode is that the ash tree was really trashy and now we won't need to get all of those seed pods out of the pool each year.  I can also see sunsets from my kitchen window.  The downside, lost shade.  Shade is a very valuable commodity during a sunny Arizona summer.

Emilia's graduation

Finally, we arrived in Albuquerque just in time for Emilia's special night, her graduation from dental hygiene school.  She had already had the surprise of her life, her mother and sister at her door at four in the morning.  They had come from Brazil to see her celebrate this great milestone in her life.

The Brazilian community in the States stay connected via social media and Emilia has instant friends almost every where she goes.  The young lady in the stripped dress is one of them.

Her parents were also in the States has they had come to help with that cute baby girl you see in her father's arms.  Her parents would later become my house guests when they came to Arizona for the Gilbert Temple dedication weekend.

That is Emilia's sister, Amanda.  She is in the States for the first time ever and she is also beautiful, talented, and funny.

Glen and I wouldn't have missed this special event for anything.  We were so happy to be with Emilia and her other family.

My youngest sister, Jolene, lives in Albuquerque.

So does my only brother, Farrell.  Sister Becky came from Arizona.  She is always so supportive of family events.

There was a pre-event where special awards were given and a special candle lighting ceremony held.

This is the special award Emilia received.  They highlighted her great way with patients.  She will be such a great hygienist.  Not everyone received special awards.

Mothers always make sure there are flowers.

Before the graduation began with all the different groups, Emilia and I took advantage of an empty stage.

I am so proud of her.  Dental hygiene school is hard and intense.  One third of Emilia's class dropped out before the end.  Emilia still made it happen even with English as her second language.

You go girl!

I know that you have fallen in love with your new profession.

I could tell that you were loved by your fellow students as well as the teachers.

The next afternoon, Emilia had an open house to celebrate.  She is so clever and had the help of her sister, Isabella, who came with her little family from Arizona as well.

Isabella made this adorable cake and yes, those are dental floss sticks in the top of the cupcakes and tooth shaped sugar cookies.

Jolene and I were able to help with the final prep.

Each of those little signs has a tooth related label.

How do you think these things up?

The "Listerine" is blue Kool-aid and clear soda pop.

Now she is studying so hard for her board exams.  Keep her in your thoughts and prayers for me.  I know that she can do this last hard thing and then it is on to a new profession.