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Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Christmas 2011

My parents came to Arizona to stay with us for a few days the week before Christmas. I had the week off and Rick was supposed to work but he got bumped from his job (when you get bumped you have 48 hours to put yourself on another job) and he would wait out the 48 hours before he put himself back on. He kept getting bumped which normally would be annoying but it turned out that he had the entire time off to spend with me and my parents, so that worked out perfectly. 

The first thing we did when they got there was open presents. A week and a half before Christmas. That's how we roll.




The best present. Did anyone else watch this religiously when they were younger? Even Rick used to watch it. That's how I know that we're soul mates.

The next day was Sunday. We all went to church together. The organist was AWOL so the Bishop announced that we'd all be singing acapella. Sounds pretty, right? It wasn't. At all. During the first song the 1st counselor got out his iPhone and turned on this app that plays the Hymns on the piano. He put it up to the microphone but we were already halfway through the song, and so we all had to start over, but we didn't realize it played the introduction first so people were singing through that, and then it started for real, so we all started singing it again. And then for the rest of the songs the music kept speeding up after every verse. Like double time. And we were all trying so hard to sing as fast as we could, and the lady conducting was so frustrated that she just stopped conducting and stood up there until the music ended. So that was fun. After Sunday School a lady came up to my parents and said "Bishop and Sister Harris!?!?!?!" Of course my parents would find someone that they know in a the middle of nowhere at a ward they've never been to.

Our ward right now meets at 9:00. Our ward in Tucson met at 9:00. All of our wards in Utah met at 9:00. Remember how much I love 9:00 am church? I was excited because next year our ward is supposed to meet at 11:00. I work at 1:00 every Sunday and it is an hour drive, so I knew that starting next year I'd only be able to go to Sacrament then I'd leave afterward. I know that that's not the ideal schedule, but I'll take it. I'll gladly pick that over 9:00 am church. On Sunday the Bishop got up and the first thing he announced was that starting in January the ward would meet at 1:00 pm. Uhhhhhhhhwhat? So we met with him afterward to discuss our schedules. He was sad to hear about our work schedules, mostly because he wants to give us a calling in the Primary, but he said that I had 2 options. I should keep my records in his ward, but as far as meeting times I could either go to the "9 am ward, but that's the Spanish ward" or I could go to the "11:00 sacrament, but that's the Prison ward." Did I forget to mention that we live near a Prison?

Awesome.

So I can either go to 9:00 church that would be in a language I don't speak for another year, or I could hang out with the in-mates during sacrament meeting. Everyone is telling me to pick the Spanish ward, but honestly, 9:00 church is the bane of my existence. The thorn in my side. The eyelash in my eye. The rock in my shoe.

I can't do it for another year. I can't. I'll die. That's how good of a Mormon I am.

I'll be sure to let you all know how the in-mates are doing.

After church we went to a tiny town in Southern Arizona called St. David. My dad and brother went down there on a motorcycle trip earlier this year and in the middle of this tiny town is a tiny cemetery and in that tiny cemetery are my deceased family member's graves. David Patten Kimball (my 3rd Great-Grandpa) is buried there next to his wife. He is the son of Heber C. Kimball, who was in the Quorum of the 12 apostles for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and who served as first counselor to Brigham Young. When David Patten Kimball was 17 he and 3 other young men came to the rescue of the Willie Martin Handcart company, who had to cross the freezing Sweetwater river. They carried members of the company across the deep freezing water, and they all suffered lifelong injuries/illnesses due to the extreme exposure to the cold water.

When he was 42 years old he got lost in the harsh Arizona desert where he had no water and no food for 6 days. He knew he was going to die, and he wanted his friends to find his body instead of being torn apart by the coyotes, so he tried to dig himself a hole to hide in. Then, his parents (who had passed away) appeared in front of him. They gave him food and water and told him he would live for 2 more years. He was later found alive. 1 day before the 2 year anniversary of his parents coming to him in the desert, he told his wife he knew he was going to die the next day, and he was able to say goodbye to her. He passed away the next morning.


Look closely at the headstone. You will see him carrying someone across the Sweetwater river.



 His original headstone.


And here I am complaining about 9:00 church. Goodness.

After we left St. David we went to Tombstone, where the famous shoot out at the O.K. Corral took place.




The next day we went to Mesa to see the Temple lights there. Every year of my life I've gone to the Temple lights in Salt Lake and froze to death but still enjoyed myself. This time I walked around outside and admired the lights in the palm trees and orange trees. It even got a little hot. It was everything I've ever wanted.


Christy had been telling me about this neighborhood in Chandler where on one street everyone that lives there has to decorate their house for Christmas. They start decorating the day after Halloween and they open it up to the public the day after Thanksgiving. They set up porta potties and everything. We all went and my parents were able to meet Chad and Christy and the boys. I've skyped with my mom a few times and Cael likes to talk to "Mama Chicken" (my mom's grandma name, given to her by my nephew because my parents have chickens). He was a little shocked to see her in person at first, I think he was trying to figure out how she escaped from the computer, but after a few minutes he warmed right up to her and held her hand the whole night.

The people who live there said they HAVE to decorate their houses, like, it's in their HOA contract, but they can decorate them however they want. So there was one house that was Harley Davidson Christmas themed, and another one that had a star on top of their roof and as you walked through their yard it told the story of Jesus' birth. It was so fun to see, and I can't even imagine how much time it took all of them.





After seeing the lights we went to the DQ to get some ice cream and so the boys could open the presents we got them.


I think he likes the movie we got him.


Miss Jodi and Sloan playing peekaboo.


Utah Family meets Arizona Family.

I came back to Utah with my parents. I'll be here until the 3rd. I left Rick at home because he had to work. It's really not as mean as it sounds because now he gets the whole bed to himself. Lucky guy!

P.S.

The day after we got to Utah Christy sent me this video. My mom and I have watched it 500 times because it's the cutest thing we've ever seen.



4 comments:

Courtney J said...

There is no question. I'd go to the prison ward. Think of the stories you'll be able to tell your kids.

Phil Manning said...

Forget your kids, think of the stories you'll be able to tell US! :D

bon said...

You. Crack. Me. Up! How come you weren't this funny when we worked together? :P

Lucky to be the mom said...

Really Jodi? Willy the Sparrow?!?!?!? I'd totally forgotten about that movie! Yes, the boys watched every time we went to my parents house...dreadful movie!
It's ok, I love you any way :)