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 the north but everyone was ready to go.  The band was in the middle of their pre-show concert when everyone's cell phones rang with a weather alert.....tornado alert....seek shelter immediately!  Needless to say, we all packed up and headed for home quickly.  It did not develop into a tornado here...just heavy rain.  Across the river (in Iowa)  were not so lucky....they had alot of trees uprooted and even some roofs taken off but the really heavy damage was in the northern part.   I took this picture of the sky after the danger had passed for us.  You can kind of see the circle of blue sky surrounded by clouds of the many colors.  It was pretty but kind of unsettling, as well. 

We see this kind of thing on barns and shops all around the countryside as we drive.  I asked some of the missionaries if they knew what it was....I think that they look like quilt blocks.  They didn't really know and some of them agree that they think that they are quilt blocks.  Each one is individual and different and I'm sure it has some sort of meaning to them.  Someday I may be able to ask someone about them.  I'll let you know if I find out exactly what they represent.  Meanwhile, I think that it would be fun to design an individual one for your family that has meaning and then do the same kind of thing.   How about our grandchildren put their creative skills to work and see what we can come up with ?!?!   We love our family and appreciate the individual skills and personalities that have come into our "family tree"and realize that we all have common roots and appreciate those roots a great deal.
     Elder Paxman is in the hospital tonight (and last night) in Fort Madison.  He is having an episode with A-Fib in his heart.  This means that his heart goes out of rhythm and has difficulty "converting" back into normal rhythm.  They are working with medication to try and get it to convert.  Hopefully, all will be well by morning.  We spent Saturday at the Davis County Fair with "Nauvoo on the Road"  This is a booth that we set up with children's games from Pioneer Pasttimes and Family Search and then they do rope braiding as well as rug braiding.  It was alot of fun.  Elder Paxman forgot to drink and we think that he may have got dehydrated which started the A-Fib   It wasn't really hot outside and he was just busy with the rope braiding and forgot to even eat or drink until around 1:30.  He got something to eat and was just walking back when he suddenly said that he couldn't get a good breath so we knew what was happening and got going to the hospital which was about an hour from there but closer to home which I needed so that I wouldn't be stranded in a place too far away.  We feel confident that it is going to be alright.  He has received priesthood blessings and the other missionaries are so kind and supportive.  We love and appreciate the kind of friendship that we have with them.  It really amazes me that you develop such close relationships with people that you have only known for a few months.