One More Day

It is hard to imagine. This morning when I woke up I realized that we have only one more day in our Las Vegas home.
It has been an intense 2 1/2 weeks while we have prepared to leave for a year and a half.

First and immediate when we arrived home (I had been in Utah helping Heather with new baby Brooklyn) were shots. I had 6 in one week, Steve had 5. Our immune systems were in shock I think! Then the next task was to gather everything together for our visa...no small task! Each of us had to have our passport, police record clearance, 24 passport photos, an international drivers license, a resume including our education, work experience, special skill, leadership background hobbies, and special awards or achievements. Also certificates of graduation from high school and college, a certified marriage license, and notarized copies of as many certificates and awards as we could find. Fortunately when we moved from Utah I organized all that kind of stuff in boxes and labeled a box for each person in our family --much to the protest of Steve who just wanted to through everything in a box and organize it after we had moved - (I told him I'd never get to it!). Within two days we had EVERYTHING - except the certified marriage license - we had our temple marriage certificate that we had notarized but that would not do. Fortunately I had a doctor's appointment to check my pacemaker on Friday of that week in Salt Lake. Robyn picked me up at the airport on Thursday about noon - it was her day off. It was a day of unfortunate circumstances - the State Vital Records office did not have our certificate and directed me to Logan where we were married. We literally plowed our way through Sardine Canyon only to find out Logan did not have it. After some time looking the lady said to me,"Did you happen to get your marriage license in another county." "Well yes - if my memory is working correctly we got it in Provo." So off to Utah County - Provo we drove experiencing a white knuckle experience back through Sardine Canyon. We began with prayer - the snow was blowing 12 feet high across the road which was caked with the white stuff. Others were sliding off the road, but I knew that HF and the angels knew I had to have this certificate and somehow we would make it through, and we did. After 4 1/2 hours of our driving adventure that day, I walked into the Records office in Utah County ten minutes before closing and sure enough they had the certificate. I felt that day that I had failed Genealogy 101. The next day I delivered the certified marriage license in person to the missionary travel office. The church office building is highly secured and on my approach to the hallway to reach the missionary department I attempted to go through the turnstile whose light was green only to find bars fly out to stop me and the alarm to begin shrill repeated beeps. Steve asked me if I told security I had set off alarms worse than that - I did step out in the rose garden at the white house while we lived in Washington DC area and set off the alarms.

Thursday and Friday were the days of President Hinckley's viewing. Thursday my son in law (Robyn's husband) said he walked right in - no lines. Well Friday after I got through at the church office building I decided I would go to the viewing only to find lines wrapped around outside, knowing that the lines also wrapped around inside the building. I stood in line for about 10 minutes and moved a foot - I came to the sad realization that my desires were not going to be fulfilled. But as I stood there in line the spirit was just beautiful and I was glad I was there even for a brief few minutes. I felt sad that I wasn't going to be able to see him one last time. He was such a great man. A great worker in the Kingdom - he was a visionary and he was a doer. As I left the thought came to my mind "It's ok. You are doing what President Hinckley would want you to do and you are honoring him."

Finding clothes was easy for Steve - white shirts, dark pants, ties. For me it was a little more difficult - summer clothes - short sleeves, light weight just don't exist much this time of year - but a few spring clothes are hitting the racks and between the items I could find and what I already had in my closet it will do - they tell me to take only 3-4 outfits - are they crazy!!
Well I have 5, I think. Fortunately I was told by Sr. Smith whom I'm replacing that I can purchase fabric over there and have it made up for about $20. I will probably dress like the Ghanians- I like that because I like color - the idea of wearing conservative black, dark blue, etc. everyday for 18 months just doesn't appeal to me - but I would have been obedient if this was what I was to do - maybe that is why we are being sent to Africa! The Lord really does know me!

Well our bags are packed - we fly out to Ghana on Monday the 18th of February. We are flying Delta which turned out to be another blessing. Steve is a platinum medallion member of Delta till Feb 28th, 2008. This allows us to take 3 pieces of luggage each (150 lbs each)- not sure how we are going to maneuver it around but we will somehow - we will most likely leave one piece in Africa - maybe one of the missionaries there can use it.

Homes and bills - many logistic nightmares but I think we have solved 99% of the problems. We've packed up our clothes in the house for storage. We've compiled many letters to children, friends, and neighbors detailing contacts if needed. We are about ready. Guess we'd better be - we leave in the morning!