Claire's Iron Rod

 As I was preparing my RS lesson this week,  I was reminded that Claire had drawn an interpretation of the Iron Rod for one of her YW experiences.  My lesson was from the talk Elder Edward Dube gave in our last conference, "Pressing toward the Mark".  He said, "Pressing toward the mark is to faithfully continue on the straight and narrow path which leads to eternal life with our Savior and Father in Heaven."

What a perfect visual representation of this thought.

My favorite thing about this picture that no one is alone.  Everyone is walking along with one or several others.  We were not meant to do this journey alone. It takes family and friends, neighbors and ward members to reach the final destination.  Thank you, Claire, for that great reminder.

Goodbye Mom

 I visited mom the day after I got home from my trip and noticed she wasn't the same.  She had gone downhill.  As I showed her pictures on my phone, she could hardly stay awake.  I'd say, "Mom, look at the Statue of Liberty." and she'd open her eyes, say "uh ha" and close her eyes again.  Then on Saturday, Amy and the family wanted to come visit her.  She didn't recognize Amy!!  And again, couldn't stay awake.  On Monday, she didn't have the strength to stand, so it was decided she would stay in bed.  When I visited her that afternoon, she would respond when I said her name, but there was no recognition in her eyes.  She slept and did a little bit of moaning.  She was restless, moving her legs like she couldn't get comfortable.  They started to give her some extra morphine to help.  Tuesday was similar.  Sleeping with some restlessness.  No recognition of me.  However, as I was leaving, I kissed her forehead and told her I loved her.  She responded and said, "I love you, too"!!  Such a blessing from God.  Wednesday morning, they decided she needed around the clock care.  Her oxygen level finally fell enough to need oxygen and she started to need some suctioning.  I went over to sign some papers and a short visit.  She didn't rouse. A few hours later, I got a call saying she had passed away.  She passed away at 9:12 on Wednesday, July 21, 2021.

Some of my favorite pictures of mom.

Day 13--Fort Niagara and Home

 Last day...one more stop before we say goodbye to this amazing vacation.  Fort Niagara.

None of us had ever been to one of the Great Lakes before, so we decided that we needed a quick visit.  Lake Ontario!  WE walked around, skipped some rocks and found a playground.

Steps for the day--6,804

And then it was over!  What an amazing two weeks.  So much fun. So many memories made.  So tired.  

Total steps for the trip--202,991 steps!!!

Total miles--a little over 100 miles!!!

Bucket List #16--Niagara Falls

 It did not disappoint.  So big and so much water!!  So glad I was able to share this with Amy and her family.  And as you notice from my necklace, I shared it with Ann, too.  I don't know if she'd ever been before, but now she has.

Day 12--Niagara Falls

 All I can say is WOW!!  Pictures can't capture the enormity and majesty of this place.  I didn't realize that there are actually three different falls, the American, Bridal Veil, and Horseshoe.  I also didn't realize that to get a front view of the falls, you need to be on the Canadian side of the border, which we were supposed to do.  But COVID shut down the borders, so we had to say on the American side.

Horseshoe Falls sends up so much mist, you actually can't see the falls.  And there is always a plume going up in the sky, so it looks like smoke.

The American Falls are much more photogenic!  

Bridal Veil is that little part on the far right side of this picture.

We started our day saying good morning to the falls, and then walked over to Goat Island to get a different perspective.  

Notice the catwalks and little yellow people below?!  

That is where we are heading next!  The bottom of Bridal Veil Falls.

I agree with Owen...OH MY GOSH!!!

The Cave of the Wind. This is where you pay money to go stand under the Bridal Veil Falls and get drenched!  I mean, it was so powerful, you could hardly stand up against the force. They gave us sandals and THIN ponchos, for what good they did!  But, it was so fun!!!

Before...

...during...

...and after.

Amy wondered why she spent time that morning on her hair and makeup!!!

The we walked over to Three Sister's Island

We headed back to the car and drove a little north to Lewiston, a quiet, little town sitting on the banks of the Niagara River.  Lewiston is famous because it's the setting of the kid's book Freedom Crossing.

We read it every year in my class, so I was excited to see the area.  It was the end of the Underground Railroad, where the slaved hid in a house (Tryon's Folly) right on the banks of the river, and then rowed across to Canada and freedom.  They even had a monument dedicated to the story.

I love Emma getting seasick!!

And then, probably my favorite "activity" of the entire trip, a jet boat ride!

Again, thin ponchos that did nothing to keep you dry.  

But the sandals from the morning came in very handy!!

We rode up the river in some class five rapids, did some awesome 360's, and got soaked again. I mean SOAKED. Like jump in a pool with your clothes on soaked!

before...

during (this wasn't our boat, but this is what it was like!!)...

...after!!

SO MUCH FUN!!!

Back to the falls for our Maid of the Mist boat ride.  I was expecting a little drizzle, maybe some mist.  Nope!!  A full soaking once again!!  No need for a shower tonight!!

It was so wet, no one dare take their phones out of hiding for pictures 

while we were actually near the falls.

Dinner and home...but then a couple of us wanted to go back to see the falls light show.

I'm so glad we did.  It was spectacular!

Total steps for the day--17,205