WALKER TALK: SIX MONTHS ALREADY

We received a box from Daniel the end of last week with some discs that had pictures and videos that he took on his camera. We have had so much fun looking at them. One of them was of him burning a tie. I guess that you burn a tie when you reach the six month mark on your mission. I hope to find out more about this from him. I am also wondering which of his ties that he burned! (Isn't he so handsome?!)

I loved this scenic photo he took. I can't wait to go to Hawaii and see it for myself!

ANOTHER PICTURE FROM BEAUTIFUL HAWAII

THANKFUL FOR MY IRISH ANCESTORS

I never knew how much Irish ancestry I had until my wonderful Aunt Carol wrote this awesome history about my Dad's ancestors. There are still 8 castles partially standing over in Ireland that belong to my ancestors. Most of them (14 of them) fought in the Revolutionary War so that I could enjoy what I have today. There is also some tie to Bunker's Hill and Breed's Hill.

St. Patrick's Day never used to mean much to me until I knew my ancestry. Now I take time to think about them a little bit more during that time. I am grateful to them for being so brave and courageous to leave so much of what they had to come to America and start new. I am somewhat what I am because of them. I can't wait to thank them in person some day.

THE TWO SIDES OF WINTER

Have you ever noticed that there are two sides to winter? There is the beautiful side. The sun shining on the snow on a crisp morning. The silent snow falling in the full moon. The quietness that a snowy night brings. I love so much about winter and the fun and beauty that it brings. But there is a sad and lonely side to winter. When we were coming back from the cabin the other night we rode through the desolate camp grounds. The picnic tables where barely poking their tops through the snow. Somehow it made me sad and lonely. I realized then that winter has two sides to it.