Doc by a Tree

It wouldn't be a post without Doc by a tree, but oh what a tree!  Take a look at the gorgeous white blossoms.  Not sure what the species is but the large white blossoms are spectacular.  This one is located on the other side of the apartment complex. 

mis.sion.ary,(noun)

While visiting with President and Sister Roach in Chicago, we stopped by the mission office. They had this sweet sign. We couldn't help but take a picture with it.  Imagine my surprise when a package came from the Fairbanks family that included the very same sign! I love the meaning: "mis.sion.ary, (noun) someone who leaves their family for a short time so that others may be with their families for Eternity."

Even though we aren't proselyting, I think Doc has a big influence in keeping the elders and sister healthy and out there finding those the Lord has prepared to hear the restored gospel. We know it's the hardest work many of them have ever done but we also know it's the most rewarding.

Going Squirrely in Connecticut

Many of you know when we served our first mission in Lombard, IL, we had a fascination with the Canadian geese.  The young goslings were so fun to watch and it gave us a diversion. 

Well, here we are in Connecticut and our new fascination is the squirrel family and cousins that live in the trees in the courtyard outside our office window.  They are as nimble as can be as they scale the trees and jump from one evergreen to another plus their antics are just down-right funny! The first ones we noticed were the parents. Eventually the three babies migrated from their nest in the tree to join the rest of the family for their morning picnic.  They don't seem to be afraid of humans. Here's a close up of one of the adults.  And no, I haven't named them individually, I call them all "Moochie".

That bundle of branches is their nest.

Every morning the maintenance men pick up the garbage at the curb and every morning the squirrels have a picnic--rain or shine. One day someone left a good-sized box by the curb.  We laughed watching the squirrel struggle to get inside and then we didn't know if it could get out. We thought of how funny it would be for the maintenance man to pick up the box and have the squirrel come barreling out.

Here's another picture of two squirrels munching away at breakfast.

Look right in the middle of this picture to find the squirrel. I took it through the screen so it's not the best quality, but this is literally right outside our office window.  I thought he was going to drop in for a spell.  The young ones play continually.  They play leap frog and tag.

This picture is for you Sydney. Take a look in the right hand side of the picture.  It's one of the squirrels' cousins, a chipmunk. The chipmunks aren't as plentiful as the squirrels but they are fun to watch too.

We also have brown bunnies that come out early evening. Then later just before sundown in the bushes outside our front door, we get a twinkle light show from the fire flies. Oh, I even saw my first tick.  Thank goodness it wasn't on Doc or me. It was on the railing out our back door. Got to stay away from those little creatures.

Gorgeous Blooms in New England

People say there's no place like the Northeast in the Fall for spectacular colors.  I think Connecticut is absolutely beautiful in the Spring too.  Here are a few photos of the blooms that are hard to find in Utah like Azaelia (sp?) and Rhododendren bushes.  These trees combined both pink and white blooms.

This is what the rhododendren look like as they first start to bud out. The following pictures are the bushes in full bloom.

Does a Birthday Count If You're Away from Home?

I am so blessed to have so many special people in my life who won't let me forget a birthday or Mother's Day, even if I'm not close by. Packages and cards came in the mail and Doc fussed over me to.  Here's a picture of some of this year's birthday treasures.

At dinner Doc and I splurged with some of the "way good" hand-made chocolates Chelsey and Shel picked up at the Hobble Creek Boutique.  I put the candle in mine, sang happy birthday to me, made a wish and blew out the candle. Thank you to everyone who made this birthday so special.