Festa Della Mamma

 May 8, 2016

Today all missionary moms are rejoicing because they are talking/skyping with their missionary. I remember the anticipation and absolute joy of that phone call.  How good it was to hear my son's voice across the ocean and continents.  It has been truly delightful to see posted all around my social media sites pictures reflecting those special moments and joyful missionary' faces. 

My joy today - Craig, my children, their spouses, and children gathered for a family dinner.  I cooked it.  I felt happy being able to do something for them, I don't get to very often anymore.  Z bug helped with the biscuits and Craig with the roast beef, Aimee made a moist chocolate bundt cake and Anth and Jana provided gelato - the sea salt caramel was amazing.  I may have eaten way too much.  Anthony hit it on the nose when he said "I think the best Mother's Day present for mom is this." And true to form I teared up. 

They may or may not forgive me for posting this but this is my gang and I love them

Sunday's lessons taught me the purpose of missionary work and why I truly want to serve a mission.  The lesson was taken from Howard W Hunter's words - "Taking the Gospel to all the World".  Just knowing that we are all brothers and sisters - literal children of our Heavenly Father - I am not going to teach the Italian people, I am going to get to know my brothers and sisters in Italy and share my love for Jesus Christ and my Heavenly Father, and my gratefulness of the atonement of Jesus Christ that covers all of us.  Incidentally, Craig was asked to teach this lesson to the men and the time taken by them to express their thoughts afterwards indicates to me the words were well received.

More joys this week.  Just playing in the backyard with J baby and Z bug.  If Craig brings out a tool or two, J wants to be right beside him helping and checking out the tool.  Babysitting J and Z on Wednesday while their parents attended a class and Craig attending the SLC Temple with our ward.  The report was about 100 hundred members attended and all were with ward family names.  That is so cool. 

The measuring tape is an especially fun tool

We also had a great dinner breakfast at Aimee and Nate's Friday, then played with Colby while his parents went to a movie.  A great evening of movie watching, ball playing, and popcorn popping.  You know I hold dear to my heart the kisses from each of them.

Wednesday was another Frontrunner ride down to Lehi and experiencing the Thanksgiving Gardens Tulip Festival with Aimee and Colby.  It was beautiful, I couldn't believe how many tulips and so many different colors, shading, and shapes and sizes.  Colby wanted his mom to hold and carry him almost the whole time, except when he was photo bombing other people's kid portraits.  He has picked up saying "yuck" when smelling anything so when he said "mmmm" sniffing the lilacs Aimee and I were both laughing because we love lilacs too. 

Italian Gardens at Thanksgiving Point

My cuties among the  Japanese lanterns

  I used my time traveling on the Frontrunner to study for the Utah Driver's License test and whew! I passed Thursday morning.  So I guess I have made the official transition to Utah.  I had to dig out my birth certificate and marriage certificate for proof of who I was.

I really have been enjoying my Frontrunner rides

 Other adventures: Craig and I hiked up to the top of Ensign Peak to see the valley.  It was about a 2 mile walk from our home and 1/2 mile steep up hill.  Windy but beautiful. Eating sushi for the first time and realizing I have been missing out. Continued hikes/walks up City Creek Canyon. And a fun 5 km neighborhood run, where Craig came in 9th over all and I finished under an hour. I was walking while pushing baby J most of the way with the occasional downhill run. 

Just a bit on the windy side

Looking south to the Salt Lake Valley from Ensign Peak

Sushi rolls from Sapa

City Creek Canyon in the spring

And five more things were checked off my "to do missionary preparation list": driver's license, international driving permit, nice suit jacket and skirt for me and white shirts for Craig.  Plus a simple wedding band for me to wear.  I had my dad's wedding band resized for me to wear in Italy because apparently a simple band is more common and safer than my diamond ring.  I love that I will be still wearing a ring that is sentimental to me.

Each day I work to learn a new Italian word, I actually try to learn more than one but if one sticks I am grato.  This week - oggi:today, burro:butter, che:that, chi:who, grato:grateful.  I know that isn't going to get me very far but it is better than zero.

Siamo tutte figli di Dio. Ricorda che.

Ti Amo,
Ellen