Jim & Jolene Paxman in Nauvoo

Sunday July 29, 2018 To say that this week has been normal would be an understatement!   I would like to experience a "normal" week.....haha!  As a continuation from last post,  Elder Paxman did not convert his heart rhythm in Fort Madison so they transfered him to Burlington Iowa....Great River Medical Center  Cardiac Unit on Monday afternoon.  They continued the medication that was used in Fort Madison but were much more aggressive and knowledgable and by midnight he was back into normal rhythm without having to have a cardioversion procedure.  We were very grateful for that tender mercy.  Of course, we waited until about noon on Tuesday to bring him home.  They did an ultrasound of his heart (forget the name of the procedure) as well as the echocardiogram.  We are scheduled to meet with the cardiologist this week for a consultation and evaluation.  We are so grateful for everyone's concern and felt the prayers of faith that we...

Sunday July 21, 2018 It has been an interesting and busy week....I think that I say that every week!!  So...we live on Parley Street (up on the bluff on the east end).  It leads west and ends at the Mississippi river.  This picture just above is where the saints left Nauvoo and crossed the river on the ice in February.  You can still see deep ruts in the bank.  Of course, not everyone left then and those that left later used a ferry.   The upper pictures show you a replica of the wagons and the ferry that they took across the river .  Leading down Parley Street is called the Trail of Hope (renamed by Pres. Hinckley....was called the Trail of Tears).  Along that trail are plaques with stories and experiences / feelings taken from journals of the people here in Nauvoo.  It really is an inspiring and beautiful walk. Thursday evening was our turn to do Sunset by the Mississippi.  The sky looked like a storm was brewing in th...

Sunday July 15, 2018 Yesterday (Sat. July 14) our Quincy 2nd ward was in charge of serving a meal to needy people in the Salem Evangelical church which is in the the middle of the city of Quincy.  It was a massive, cathedral-type church with a big kitchen facility in the back that we served the meal from.  It was super hot and humid outside so the people seemed to enjoy getting inside where it was clean and cool.  Some brought their entire family .  This church opens it's doors every Saturday at noon and supplies a meal for these people.  Different denominations take turns supplying a meal for them so they can count on a good meal every Sat.  It was a good experience.  On our way to Quincy, we drive a section of road right against the Mississippi River...it is my favorite drive.  This shows you the lily pads that grow against the east banks....they are in bloom right now and are quite pretty.  But as I've said before, there is a go...

July 8 2018 Crops These are pictures of the corn fields around here.  The fields are either corn or soy beans...they alternate these 2 crops and as you can see, the corn is about 10 feet high right now.  The soy beans are above your knee in height. The corn grows about 2 feet each week...some locals say that if you stand near a corn field on a quiet night (they rarely have wind) that you can actually hear the corn growing.  I'm not sure that I believe that but they were quite serious as they were telling us !!  The second cut of hay is off the fields and the winter grain has been harvested already.  The next picture shows what it is like to drive down the country roads lined with corn....you feel like you are driving in a tunnel of corn and you never know what is going to dart out of  it !!   Luckily, they mow the ditches really well so there is a couple of feet of clear vision on either side of the road.  The lightning bugs that fly...