Road Trip...

I had to planned to go to Cheyenne to visit my Mom in July so I could be with her on her birthday. I talked to my brother Lloyd and he was leaving town with his girlfriend for a week. Since he is the one who checks on her the most, I thought I would go for a few days, that way he wouldn't worry so much. Mom trusts Lloyd more than anyone and she does not like it when he's gone.

So I drove over on Thursday. I stopped in Rock Springs to visit Mark and Dianna. Julie had been there for a few days, and right as I drove up she was putting her kids in the van. It was fun to see her for a quick minute. She is expecting her sixth baby!

This is Mark and Dianna home, it's over 100 years old. They always leave things better than they found them, they did a lot of work inside and out. The house is very charming. They have only been in Rock Springs for one year.  

They will be entering the MTC in Provo on Saturday in preparation for their mission to Peru. I think Mark with be an excellent mission president.

Mark hung this plastic bird in the tree, he says the grandkids loved it!

We had a nice visit, I'm glad I took the time to stop by.

I wanted to stop in Rawlins to see Jimmy, he's working at the Sinclair Oil Refinery. I called him, he was just getting off work and was headed to Cheyenne also. I was about 20 minutes behind him, so he said he would call Casey so we could have dinner together. As soon as we hung up, he called Lloyd and Kenny and invited them to dinner also. 

I was so surprised when I walked in the restaurant and saw them. Jimmy is so thoughtful, I love him. We had a great time visiting and I got to meet Lloyd's girlfriend Rhonda. She is very sweet.

I wish I had taken a "before" picture of Mom's house. It was a mess and so dirty. I cried a lot. Mom has never been a tidy housekeeper but this was unacceptable. She is weak and not well, so it's hard for her to do any task.

She has needed a new sofa for so long. For a few months now she has thought it was infested with bugs... even though I've had a service spray numerous times. She had it covered with blankets and she refused to sit on it. She kept saying, "I want someone to haul this couch away." I had talked to Chris and Mark earlier to see if they would help me get a new couch. I found a nice one at a furniture store nearby her home. I told her, "Mom, in about an hour your old couch will be gone." She thought I was kidding and kept saying "Really!" When they brought the new couch in the door she put her hands over her face and cried. She kept saying, "Chris and Mark, thank you." My sons... I cannot express how grateful I am for your help. Thanks from the bottom of my heart!

I have never worked so hard in such a short amount of time. I organized stacks and stacks of papers and cleaned for nine to ten hours a day. Mom slept a lot. She doesn't eat very much. I got some fresh raspberries and other yummy things, and she enjoyed that. She has lost about 40 pounds. Her face is so thin, it use to be round like mine. 

I hardly recognized her. Her hair had not be cut in months and it was longer than mine. I made an appointment for her to get a perm and trim. She has been going to the same place for years and loves the girl who does her hair. Kathy is an angel, she calls Mom, "Miss Nelle." She gave her lots of hugs and told her she loved her numerous times. When we were leaving Kathy handed me a card with her personal cell number written on it. She said I could call her any time day or night if Mom needed something. I cried again, it was a sincere expression of concern and love for Mom.

I was excited when Theo called and ask if he and his family could come by. Mom was so happy to see them even though she fell asleep while they were there. I gave Teigan some grapes and raspberries, he thought they were yummy!

I loved playing a game with Teigan and holding Raeland! 

 Raeland has curls like my sons and grandsons!

It was green and pretty around Cheyenne. And yes, it was so windy!

The prairies were even green and covered with wild flowers. It's usually already brown and dry this time of year. I love the Wyoming skies!

My brother Les's grave marker was out at Lloyd's place. Mom and Lloyd decided to move it to town in case Lloyd ever had to sell his home and land. I took a minute to go by the cemetery to see it. The wind had died down and it was a beautiful evening. I sat on the grass by his grave and cried. I love my brother so much, he was my best friend. I miss him, but have peace knowing that I will see him again. 

I couldn't leave town without stopping at Taco John's! 

I thought about stopping and attending services at this church in Laramie. Very pretty!

Well, I was cruising along near Elk Mountain when I heard a very loud pop. I was on the right side and away from any big rigs, so I pulled off the road easily. Sure enough I had a blowout on the left front tire. Sadly I have never changed a tire. I have five brothers and they always did the heavy lifting. I have always been able to call Tim if I did have a flat and he would come to my rescue. I can only remember having one flat since we have been married. I think because I was exhausted and emotionally drained, I panicked. I sat there for a minute and then called Tim but he was at church. I talked to Chris and he said to look up on you tube to see how to change the tire! When Tim did call, I asked him to call the highway patrol to come to my rescue. I had my trunk completely full of boxes of things my Mom gave me. I started taking them out so I could get to the spare tire. Moments later a car stopped. A woman came over and said her husband could change the tire. She said she came over first so I wouldn't be frightened. We talked and she said they were on their way home to Rexsburg, Idaho. I knew they had to be Latter-day Saints and when I asked her, she smiled and said yes. I cried and hug her. Brother Winkle changed the tire in his white shirt and tie while fighting 30 to 40 mile an hour wind gusts. I said I wish I had something to give you to say thank you. She said you did, you gave me a hug. Then she said she was feeling bad because they didn't go to church and helping me made them feel better.

I always feel like my Dad is my guardian angel when I drive to Cheyenne. I was grateful on Sunday for angels seen and unseen. Brother and Sister Winkle were angels to me and I will always be grateful for their kindness. 

"I have spoken here of heavenly help, of angels dispatched to bless us in time of need. But when we speak of those who are instruments in the hand of God, we are reminded that not all angels are from the other side of the veil. Some of them we walk with and talk with—here, now, every day. Some of them reside in our own neighborhoods. Some of them gave birth to us, and in my case, one of them consented to marry me. Indeed heaven never seems closer than when we see the love of God manifested in the kindness and devotion of people so good and so pure that angelic is the only word that comes to mind."
~ Elder Jeffrey R Holland 

I am thankful I got to spend some time with Mom. I'm sad I can't see her more often. I had some sacred, spiritual moments while I was there. I'm a lot like my Mom, and I'm grateful for her sacrifices and for all she taught me.