Back to Ol' Nauvoo

I came to visit my old mission with my friend Megan and her beau, Jared. Just a 48-hr jaunt but ahhhh...how blissful.

HIGHLIGHTS
Every SECOND!! Seriously!

- Seeing the Herbsts who I lived with in Iowa. Mockery abounds and I love it! And Brock is so cuddly and I actually got to cuddle him this time.

- Sis Randall (who we're staying with) freaking out because Jared randomly bought Rummikub on the way up here. She found her Rummikub soulmate. In her own words: "This is the most excited I've been my whole mission!...Besides when my grandkids came." We've played every night until midnight.

- Still being eligible for free frozen custard at Annie's because "once a sister, always a sister." Thanks Helen!

- Getting to hug the senior elders.

- Seeing mission "posterity" and all the sisters hard at work.

LOWLIGHTS
- Reading all of the signs as we drove past them on the road, often in midwestern farmer accents.

- When Megan chose a "salad" for her side and the options were: maccaroni, jello, potato, and lettuce. "Yes, I'll choose the lettuce salad please." Which turned out to be a handful of the bagged iceburg in a cup. Yes, welcome back to Midwest cuisine. How I've missed you. I was laughing with delight at her shock and horror.

- The Dusty Farmer running out of creamed corn nuggets.

- Regaining the "Nauvoo 30" in just 2 days. It was all downhill after the Twizzlers for breakfast.

- Going to the temple today. Really a highlight but it really made me miss the sisters.

OR Coast

Highlights:

- Seeing all kinds of wildlife: seals, whales, sea lions, sea anenomies, etc. Really wild. Like the crocodile hunter but for the coast.

- Our cute and FREE condo we got to stay in. (Thanks Paige's mom and dad!) Right on the edge of a cliff down to the beach.

- Going on runs though the woods and along the sand.

- Making yummy, wholesome meals at night. Followed by yummy, less-wholesome desserts.

- Seeing my friends I love and miss and having long meaningful and meaningless conversations.

Lowlights:

- Uh, I'd say the chilly, massive fog cloud we've been in the whole time, but that's all part of the OR experience.

- Hearing, "Mom! I'm not kidding! I'm really gonna puke!" and "I just wanna go HOME!!!" from Paige's nephews (out here for a day). They very nearly didn't make it through the hour whale-watching trip. I'm not ashamed to say I captured a pic of them both doubled over and almost in tears.

- The seven hours we spent at the outlet mall. I ended up pulling a Scott and leaving to sleep in the car. Though not in a fit of rage.