Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Utah

Thursday, Glen, Göran and I will be boarding a plane for Denver, with a connecting flight to Salt Lake City. There we will be greeted by my little brother Joe, who will drive us back to his place in Spanish Fork, where we will spend the next ten days during our family reunion. My sister-in-law Becky is a member of the Ute Indian Tribe, so part of the reunion will be spent at a Pow Wow near Roosevelt, UT. Glen has never been to Utah before, so we are planning some outings and day trips to Timpanogos Caves, Arches National Park, the Great Salt Lake and the Salt Flats. And of course, Mormon Central. But other than that, we are just very much looking forward to spending time with family.

Glen can hardly wait; he is so excited he is beside himself. He adores my family -- my parents, my siblings, all my nieces and nephews. He first met my parents when they came to Minnesota for a visit specifically to meet him a year ago April; he met everyone else for the first time at our wedding in Riverside, CA last July. And he fell in love with them (and they with him).

We're all a bit stir crazy, anxious to just get away from Minnesota. Not that we don't love it here. But we're ready for more mountains, less humidity, and a change of pace. And family!

I'm so grateful for my parents. I miss them. We've grown so incredibly close these last few years, closer than ever before in my life. The time I spend with them is literally sacred to me. I look forward to long walks with my mom and dad, play time with nephews and nieces, and talks with my siblings. Göran will spend lots of time in the kitchen with my mom. Glen will hang out with his "cousins."

I don't get to go to the temple. But my family is my temple. It is where I enjoy relationships that are literally eternal. Where I belong unconditionally, where I am loved and embraced, where I can pray out loud, and where I can speak freely of sacred things. There was a time in my life when I never thought I could say this, but it is with my family that I am most myself, where all the aspects of my life, my relationship with my husband, and my faith all come together without contradiction. I feel so incredibly lucky.

Two more days!

10 comments:

MoHoHawaii said...

I think you are lucky. Or maybe blessed.

Have a great vacation!

Beck said...

Sounds like a wonderful vacation planned! Probably no time to connect. Best of luck with all you envision doing.

Speaking of temples, the Oquirrh Temple is still doing the Open House all through the month of July. It wasn't really busy when we went. You should definitely take Goran and Glen to it!

playasinmar said...

Two words: Goblin Valley.

Bravone said...

Have a wonderful time! We will be in SLC the next two weekends as well, attending family reunions. I too am so grateful for family.

John Gustav-Wrathall said...

Mohohawaii: I am both. Thanks!

Beck: Let me know if you have time. We will probably be in your neck of the woods at some point. Glen's previous social worker lives not far from where you do (she retired to live closer to family in Utah), and we were planning to try to connect with her. Perhaps we could do lunch at some point, and then you could meet our amazing, wonderful, super-cool son. Göran would probably enjoy seeing you too!

Playa: Four Words: Already On Our List. Göran and I visited Goblin Valley with my parents last time we were in Utah, and it's definitely something we wanted to share with Glen...

Bravone: Cool!! Maybe you could join Beck and me (and mine) for lunch!!

Kurt Peterson said...

You won't be escaping mosquitos this year. Sorry--too much rain in Utah.

John Gustav-Wrathall said...

Joe - Heh... You call those little gnats you have in Utah "mosquitos"? You should come to Minnesota, where the mosquito is the unofficial State Bird.

Beck said...

I would love to get together. Let me know when you're in the neighborhood!

M said...

I love that your family is such a wonderful home. It's a hard thing to come by and I pray always that my little family will be the same thing for my children. Hope you had a great visit - I know....I'm a bit behind.

John Gustav-Wrathall said...

Maraiya - Thanks, I do consider myself blessed... Although I can also testify that I and my family have been on a journey together, and that we have all learned things that have enabled us to achieve mature love and acceptance of one another, and to offer each other the nurture and support our Heavenly Parents intend eternal families to offer...

Bumps and bruises along the way are to be expected. The important thing is getting to where we need to be...