My Other Girls.

It may just be me, but when I drive by wrought iron fenced property while driving to and from youth conference, and notice there are giant walrus and rhinos....

it becomes a necessity to stop and see what it's all about, and what kind of mischief I can create with them and my camera.

It's something you never grow out of I guess... I'm seriously wishing I had the picture of my high school friends when we wore pioneer bonnets to play pinball at the local movie theater... I'm going to have to dig that out now and add it.

This is also what happens when you have a few kindred spirit young women in you car when you decide that stop is necessary.

We pulled in and discovered it was an art museum, and we took a minute to appreciate the art, without setting a single foot inside the building.

 

As Mik would say, it just isn't youth conference until you get kicked in the butt by a rhino.

As I would say, "tough love, Mik."

You know when you're in a church meeting and a leader gets up and says something to the affect that they love everyone.  And you think, um hum, with a roll of your eyes.

Well I'm not going to say I love everyone.

But I am going to say that I love these girls.  The time spent with them has been a blast.  I've loved watching them figure out what to do with their lives, and listening to their high school stories.

I love that I got to hang out with Ballison, who's name is not Ballison, just one more time before she jets off to be a missionary in Texas.

And to listen to Gail's enthusiasm of life before she heads off to dance at college.

And to grow a little bit closer to Mik who is going to rock her senior year of high school.  I still get one more year with her and I'm thankful for that.

I wish I could have had them all there with me on those statues, laughing our heads off. Sariah, Whitney, Malone, Cassie, Toree, Mia, and Izzy who isn't mine yet, but will be soon.  And Bryanna who already grew up on me.

They make me feel shiny and happy.

I wish I could tell them how much they better my life, but I don't think I'll ever be able to express it well enough.  So for now I'll just continue to listen to their stories about school, and watch them in their talents and as they make grown up choices with their lives as they graduate.

I'll keep learning the gospel with them and cheering them on in life.

Always I'll be cheering them on in life.

And yes, I love each one of them.

The Circus Takes On The Museum of Ancient Life at Thanksgiving Point

When I moved out of Utah Thanksgiving Point was still a pretty new thing.  In fact, I moved in 2001, the very same year it had its grand opening.

Needless to say, I never got to see it, and it has certainly done some growing in the years since then.

Fast forward six years to when I finally move back to the Salt Lake area.  A lot changes in six years.  It felt like I had missed so much in a city that was supposed to be my home, where I was born and raised, and yet there was so many things that were new to me that weren't so new to everyone else.

Thanksgiving Point would be one of these things.  It took me 12 years, but finally, I made it to Thanksgiving Point.

For my biology class I needed to go check out the Museum of Ancient Life.  So I took The Man and the two willing kids that we had and we set out to see what we could see.

And to take a lot of notes so I could remember it later for my paper.

I was competely and utterly fascinated by the enormity of the displays inside this museum.  Time and time again I would find myself whispering, "whoa," under my breath.

I can't believe it took me so long to come and see this place.