World War II Memorial

Back to Thursday. The WWII Memorial was the most impressive. It sits between the Washington and Lincoln Memorials, but is unobtrusive because of an elliptical shape, sunken in the middle with a large pool with facing fountains. At either end, there is a tower representing a theater of war (Atlantic in this picture ==>). Each of the campaigns is engraved in stone around a smaller fountain at the base of each tower. Here I am standing at the base of the Pacific tower, with a quote from Gen. MacArthur behind, and some of the later campaigns (Iwo) below to my left (<==). Flanking each tower are several (54 or 56) smaller towers, each with a metal garland, and engraved with the name of a State or Territory. Here is Utah's share of the monument. In the middle of the monument, as you face the Lincoln Memorial, there was a semi-circular granite wall with lots of gold stars mounted on it. Each star represented 5,000 U.S. Soldiers who lost their lives in that war. At the foot of the fountain below, the large engraving reads "MARK THE PRICE OF FREEDOM"On both sides of the stars were more waterfalls. Here is a shot, looking away from the Washington Monument, that gives you a better overall view.

Here are the views on the left of this picture, and on the right. Can you tell we were impressed? From this Memorial, Devin led us toward the tidal basin to see the cherry blossoms, and walk through the FDR Memorial en route to the Jefferson Memorial. Before we could get across the street, though, I was overwhelmed with emotion, and sobbed as I had received a small glimpse and reminder of the tremendous individual sacrifices made by those in military service. The personal losses, like the cumulative good they have done and are still doing for America in particular and the whole earth, cannot be exaggerated.

Great time with Devin and Melanie

Our time with Devin and Melanie was Capitol! We will only do a few highlights, but it will take several blogs, partly because the pics are coming in one installment at a time since we are so rusty at blogging. On Thursday morning, we did a walking tour of the monuments, starting at Iwo Jima, right outside Devin and Melanie's apartment. Here's Devin, "flats" & Iwo =>(Melanie was working that morning)

The monument itself is huge! Check it out. <=

From there, we hiked a loop past the Netherlands Carillion, past Teddy Roosevelt Island, and on to Memorial Bridge. Here is a shot on that leg.We next went to the Vietnam Memorial after crossing the Potomac. The names etched in granite were sobering. Here are Devin and Joanna (reflected in the stone).

We then doubled back to the Lincoln Memorial. It was wonderful having Devin as a guide. He knew quite a bit about the monuments that made it more interesting and meaningful, like why Lincoln is sitting down.

We walked down to the Korean War Memorial. At this point, our (brand new) camera came down with a case of "lazy eye" (the lens didn't open all the way). So on our next posting we will catch you up on the other happenings, captured on Joanna's and Devin and Melanie's cameras.

We saw the inspiring World War II Memorial, then circled around the Tidal Basin, roamed the sprawling Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial, and ended with the majestic Thomas Jefferson Memorial. And that was just the first part of the day! From there, we went to Alexandria where Melanie picked us up for the short trip and fabulous experience at Mount Vernon.

It is impossible to boil this experience down to one or two highlights, even daily ones. Our perspective was elevated, our respect and admiration was deepened for the founders and preservers of this nation and our shared ideals and freedoms, our faith in God and the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ was confirmed, and the bonds of our love and affection for Devin and Melanie were strengthened, along with the bright prospect of a new grandchild. It is hard to imagine a better family situation than the one Devin and Melanie are creating.

SnoWork

Can you have too much of a good thing? Well, this last month, we have confirmed that you can have more good stuff than you can handle. Take snow, for instance . . . please. The white stuff kept falling and falling and falling. For a week running, my shoveling average was twice per day. Sometimes generous neighbors with four-wheelers helped out, but our walks demand handiwork. Snow accumulated to such a point that there was no where else to put it. In some of the later snowfalls, I would have to walk with a shovel-full to a place where I could drop it, or launch it over my head to have it land on the top of a six-foot-high pile. There is a picket fence to the north of us that is now buried completely. But every time I am tempted to complain, I remember that we are in the fifth or sixth year of a drought. Really, I hear no-one griping about the volume, probably for the same reason. The snow also gives us a better chance to serve and be served. And for a while I enjoyed the illusion that I was lifting weights as much as Michelle does. Last, but certainly not least, Cache Valley has managed to get through the worst season for inversions with only one pollution red day. All in all, the snow is a really good thing. We have just run out of places to put it. Work! While the snow has been piling up, so has my work. Six-day work-weeks are standard now, peppered with wee-hour marathons. There is not time enough to fit it all in, but while it lasts, I am swinging that sickle! Trying to shoehorn my output into a limited timeframe has helped me be more efficient and better at setting and holding to priorities. My clients are happier, and so am I. The downpour has given me (and Michelle) the confidence to hire more help, namely Jeff and Melissa, and there is a whole new treasure of good things inherent in that situation (potential challenges too, but we'll take them along with the blessings!) And like the snowpack promises overflowing canals and a full harvest, so all of this work bodes well for our cash flow, meeting current needs and retiring debt. Work is truly a blessing. Snow is truly a blessing. Blessings so voluminous are being poured out, that there is not room enough, nor time enough, to receive them. Thank God!

Mission Reunion

This is Melissa, and I figured I'd give a little update from this week. So, last night Creighton and I went to Salt Lake and went out to dinner with a couple of his mission buddies and their fiances. It was really fun to see that they were all getting ready to get married within two and a half weeks that we are. It was fun and I know Creighton enjoyed seeing those guys again. Here's a picture of all of us. On the left is Jesse Nichol and his fiance Brittany, then Creighton and I (the best looking ones there obviously), the Shadd Christensen and his fiance Kate.

The Proposal!!!

I'm so sorry it has taken so long to get this posted! But, better late then never, right? Here's the story. We were heading back from Pocatello from a friend's wedding, and the plan was to go to the Aggie basketball game. However, a call from some of Creighton's friends that were already there told us that they weren't letting anyone else into the game because there were so many people there. With that, we just went to dinner at Iggy's. Neither of us had been there before so we wanted to try something new. We were thrilled with the sports grill because we got to watch the Aggie game while eating dinner. We finished eating our dinner, paid for the meal, then we just sat talking for a little while. Creighton all of a sudden got up from the table to "go to the bathroom". I didn't think anything of it and just sat in the restaurant by myself with nothing to do. Then, probably about 5 minutes later, the waitress comes out with a piece of folded up paper and told me someone wanted to give this to me. Completely clueless I was confused as to who in the restaurant would send me a note and not come up and talk to me. But as soon as I opened the note and recognized Creighton's handwriting, my heart skipped a beat. It was a page-long poem explaining that it was finally the night we would get engaged, that he had already left the restaurant and that he wanted me to go a few places before he actually proposed, so place number one: where we first met.

Destination number one: Engineering Building at Utah State University. Here I was at Iggy's Sports Grill, and somehow I needed to get up to USU with no phone (I left it in Pocatello earlier that day), and no car! But, the more I thought about it, I realized that before we went into the restaurant, he had me hold his keys in my purse so it didn't "bug" him in his pocket. So, I had his car! I hopped in and "Everything" by Michael Buble was playing which is our song I guess you could say. With transportation and a destination, I went up to the university, where I found Creighton's roommate Brian Sanders standing outside the door with a boquet of roses and an envelope. Brian was really cute and said "Don't tell Creighton but I bought you some flowers." Then he gave me his pocketknife to help me open the envelope, in which was yet another page-long poem guiding me to the place where we had our first kiss, and he had a gift for me there that meant the most to him and that would guide us through our lives.

Destination number two: bench on Cliffside (above the island) that overlooks the temple. This presented somewhat of a problem for me because I had never driven there by myself before so I didn't exactly know how to get there. But after driving for half an hour, I found the bench and Creighton's other roommate, Brian Wilde, sitting there freezing cold holding a gift and another envelope. I sat next to him and opened the present, and to my very pleasant surprise, opened a set of scriptures with the name Melissa D. Lewis inscribed in it. It was so thoughtful! Then I opened the next envelope and the poem told me to go to the place where we first said we loved each other, and I would find him sitting there waiting for me.

Destination number three: bench across from the Logan Temple, overlooking the island. I knew exactly where to find this so I hurried over as soon as I could so I didn't keep him waiting any longer. I pulled up and there he was sitting in only a sweatshirt! I went over as soon as I could and he stood up to greet me. Ironically enough, there passed by a random man walking his dog at about 10:30 p.m. He was whistling taking his sweet time, but Creighton and I found it rather amusing. But as soon as he passed by, Creighton sat me down on the bench and got down on one knee and proposed! After I said yes and we hugged (and exchanged a kiss or two :) he called his friends who were parked close by and came over to take a picture. The very one that is next to this text.

So there you have it! We are set to be married May 28, 2008 in the Logan Temple! I can't express my excitement! I am convinced there is no one better for me. He has treated me better than I've ever been treated by any man. And I simply can't wait to be sealed to him for time and all eternity. He makes me the happiest I've ever been and I hope I can do the same for him. And I hope you can all make it to the wedding and see for yourselves what a fantastic man he really is!

Briefly Preoccupied

Writing a "brief" for an appeal is like putting on a trial. Everything and everyone else is put on hold. While I am in the middle of it, I am not hungry or tired. Adrenaline or stupidity or both keep me going. When it is over, there is a let-down, especially when those I have neglected start calling for attention, just about the time I am ready to recover (i.e. crash). I produced two of these in the last eight days, which involved two overnighters, about three too many for my age. One of the other bad side-effects is the penchant for verbosity that lingers on. (See?) I wish, oh, I wish that I poured my soul into projects at home, stuff that really matters, like I do when it comes to preparing a brief. Maybe this blog would read better! Maybe we would figure out how to post pictures. That would be nice, if only for a brief moment.

Launch

What a beginning! Yesterday, Melissa and Creighton exchanged a ring and an answer. But it was far more romantic than that. Creighton had prepared well to make the moment a memorable one. We will leave it to Melissa to fill you in on the details. Among our favorites was Creighton's gift of a new set of scriptures, complete with the engraved name "Melissa D. Lewis." We are absolutely thrilled! Melissa is tender in years, but she has stuffed more good living into her young life than many people do in half a lifetime. Creighton is young, too, but mature . . . and wise . . . and kind, well beyond his time on the planet. They are and will be a wonderful, powerful, pair. As soon as we figure out the next thing (how to include photos) we will serve you some visuals to go along with this text. Please forgive our fuddy-duddyness.