Jim & Jolene Paxman in Nauvoo

Sunday, May 19, 2019 NAUVOO DAILY SIGHTS  I've decided to show you some of the things that we see on a daily basis and perhaps take for granted...the vegetation and animals.  First....at the corner of the highway 96 and Parley Street (where we turn to go home) is an old power pole that looks like a tree because of the climbing vine that is so thick on it.  It turns out that the vine is poison oak.  It grows on lots of things....up tree trunks, etc. and the vine eventually becomes woody and looks like a tree trunk that is attached to a real tree. Example of the vine growing up a big , mature tree Power pole-tree .  There are no longer any power lines attached to this pole. Right across the street is the sign for the State Park that extends up the hill and is across from our house. As you continue up the hill, you will see this small vineyard of grapes that is just beginning to blossom.  In the fall, we are allowed to go into t...

Sun. May 12, 2019 HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!! This is a day of many thoughts about my mother and grandmothers that have" set the bar" for me, as a mother.  I am so grateful for their love and example.  A thought that was brought out in our sacrament meeting today was this...the term "mother" was given to Eve even before she had children.  Thus mother is first and foremost an indication of our nature and not a head count of our children.  A "mother heart"  is an endowment of the power to love.  Comparison is the thief of joy and we each are better than we think that we are.   I hope that you all have had a great day contemplating mothers ! This week has been a happy, busy week.  On Monday, we said goodbye to one of our service elders:  Elder Reynolds .  He has served for 18 months and his entire family came out to pick him up and to meet everyone.  He is loved by all who know him. Receiving his flag from Jordan and then bearin...

Sunday, May 5, 2019 A couple of interesting things this week !   First, is that we got the YPMs (Young Performing Missionaries) here and settled.  It was a little crazy for a couple of days.  Their leaders decided to do some changing in housing which had me hustling but fortunately, we were able to get some of the YSS (Young Single Sisters) to help us and they are amazing!   We got things done and all is well....it always is when you are doing your best....the Lord provides a way to make things happen!!  Elder Paxman ended up with four of these super-helpers in the paint shop on Tuesday...it was pouring outside so it was an inside day of working.  L-R   Sister Mitchell  / Sister Hyde   Jim ( they flipped his hat because they wanted him to represent his silly self...haha) Sister Davis & Sister Faimolo First thing:   we have had lots of rain this past week and with the snow melt from farther north,...