Hi Yo Silver Away....
             We'll Be Home in Three Days

     It wasn't so much that I felt like the Lone Ranger riding west into the sunset with his faithful sidekick Tonto but rather I was on a mission to deliver something highly important that my family had waited eighteen months for. It was important to them and to us to return and rejoin.
     After three great days in Texas we again took to the road.  This time is was different....we were actually "going" home.  According to Google Maps it is 1209 miles or 19hours 4 minutes from Carrollton to South Jordan.  That's two days for most but we stretch it into three....pretty much equal segments.  There is really little to note as the miles pass by, the radio plays, and occasionally we have something of interest to say to each other.  We are getting a little more excited as we get closer.

     Thinking I was being helpful to Stephanie, who is the one person who wanted to make sure she kept track of us, I gave her a link on Glympse.  That's an App on the phone that allows people to see where you are when you give them a link to track your cell phone.  I thought I was giving her "peace" of mind.....instead she took a "piece" of mine.  For three days of countless texts and phone calls with myriad of questions;  "It's not moving...why?  I don't think it's working...send me a new link,  It looks like you are drunk and driving in circles.....are you?   You are stopped near a McDonalds....why?  I don't think it's working...send me a new link?  Why aren't you driving?  When are you going to be here?  Are you really in Provo?  What time will you be here?"  And that's just the short version.   At least we knew that someone was keeping track of us.

     Our first stop on the road home was Tucanmari, NM.  Why did we stop there?  It was about a third of the way home.  There's probably some things to see there but that wasn't the plan.  We did stop on our way out of town and take a picture of a Route 66 sign.  The highway was made popular in the early days of automobiles as the  Southern route to travel while going across the country.  Leaving that little oasis in the desert we headed west and then northwest.  I had spent enough time in Arizona with work that I knew, even though Google said I should go through Shiprock, NM and Farmington, NM that there was a more scenic route to our eventual destination of Cortez, CO.  So, taking the road less traveled we headed north to Sante Fe, through Pagosa Springs, and into Durango, CO where I had done a lot of work earlier in my life with Rolf Kuepper....he had a patch over one eye so we called him the "pirate".  

     Durango brought an unexpected event, however, as the only real road out of town was blocked do to an "incident".  So for an hour and a half we strolled the streets ate dinner and finally tried to make our escape to Cortez, CO once again.  With the road finally being opened again we drove past a real estate office which had been cordoned off with yellow police tape.  We were left only to speculate that someone had taken offense to a realtor.     We finally arrived in Cortez where we waited for the SLCC women's basketball team to check in.  They must have been coming or going to a tournament.

    

     We left the next morning and soon to our great joy....we entered Utah for the first time in 18 months.  It was a whole different feeling....we were home....but not yet "home".  The closer we got the intensity grew.  Lunch in Moab....more texts!   Arriving in Provo...more texts!   Driving down Bangerter Highway things started to look the same...but different.  There was so much road construction it was a whole different experience than I remembered.  We were home as we drove through the neighborhood...and then......THE CELEBRATION BEGAN!!!

    

     As we turned onto Iron Gate Road we could see this lone figure standing in the middle of the road in front of our house....jumping up and down....surprise!!.  It was of course Stephanie and soon she had the family running to meet us as we pulled in front of the driveway.  Hugging the grandchildren and children was an experience we had long waited for.  Soon we noticed all the work they had gone to in preparation of our arrival.  Signs, banners, and chalk art were all over the place.  We had returned to a "Hero's Welcome"

    

     

The biggest change of all was Jerzylynn.  Marilyn had a opportunity to hold her briefly, as a newborn, before we departed for the mission field.  Leaving the grandchildren had been the most difficult part of being away....but not being able to bond with her was especially difficult.  She was now 18 months old, walking, smiling, and being a "handful".  It will take some time for her but she will soon learn to love "grandma" like all the other's. 

I will let one final picture sum up my feelings about being home.

Texas is not "that"Great.......
      ....but Well Worth the Wait!!

     Leaving Independence we headed west into Kansas where we stayed and Emporia, Kansas.  I had often joked to my young football kickers that they should kick it to Kansas.  Now, I had a realization of how far that really was.    It was Friday and we were not getting used to driving but the constant stops helped.  I pondered on what it felt like to be walking along side a wagon or pulling a handcart as my early ancestors had done....It was an easy choice.....I took the pain of driving and plowed on.

The saving grace in all of this was we were now heading to Carrollton, TX and family and we were excited.

     

   Our arrival was met by Eric, Kristin, and the grandkids and  Christi.  They streamed out of the house when they saw us pull up and the hugs were abundant as we greeted them all.  My little buddy Kimball came running to me, I pulled him up, and he gave me a bear hug that lasted for minutes.  It was almost like he was afraid to let go.  What a welcome!!

     They had prepared a basked full of treats and goodies and we were given the entertainment room as a bedroom...complete  with a blowup queen size bed.  That didn't work out so well as Marilyn and I move around a little while we sleep and by two o'clock, with Marilyn giggling away at the constant movement, we pulled the futon off the frame and slept on the floor in relative bliss.  At least she stopped giggling!

    

     The following day, which was full of fun and excitement, started with French toast breakfast.......without almond or a griddle.  Sometimes you just realize you haven't trained your children well at all.  The saving grace was the grandkids really didn't know how good French toast can be when cooked with proper ingredients on a griddle.  They will live on without knowing the "better way".  Until they taste mine.  

     As we left for our Saturday adventures and being in Texas, I just couldn't help myself.    I donned the big ol' cowboy hat that I had acquired in  Nauvoo Missionary DI.on our last day in Nauvoo.  I had never found anything of value there over eighteen months  but that ended on our last day as we dropped off some things.  There was this "big ol' oversize western hat (probably from one of those ol' big headed teamsters), that I just couldn't pass up.  Marilyn grabbed my other "special hat" and together we made an impressive(?) pair as we posed.

     Our first stop on our Texas adventure was a nearby nature preserve with lots of trails that meandered through the untamed, well groomed Texas wasteland.  We walked around hoping to see something exciting but it was more of a dog walking park than anything. The Texans looked pretty much like people everywhere......except Iowa where there seems to be a lot of "Big"(overweight) folks. 

    

    


     Things got more interesting as we headed to the Dallas Temple.  It was a gorgeous day and the temperatures were mild...not the cold Nauvoo spring we had been experiencing.  Temple visits are always a great experience and with the family(grandkids)  it is the best.  This is probably the best point to discuss driving in Dallas. We had been used to the less traveled roads of Iowa and Illinois.  We were now in the midst of heavy traffic and had to learn to dodge and weave with the best of them.             The freeways are a little bit....different than what I have been used to and they are also a little bit confusing to the GPS system since there are roads built over roads.  We managed with a couple of strange turns to find the Gibson's house in Carrollton but it was such and adventure we decided in the future to hire a chauffer, who strangely enough was named Christi. Ok....it was Christi but we relied on her and she rose to the task as we maneuvered around the Dallas roads.



    

   

    
     Next stop was "The Galleria".  For a moment I was believing it was an indoor amusement center like we had in Utah.  Well, in a way it was.   Turns out I was duped as  it was a super large indoor shopping mall complete with and indoor ice skating rink. We meandered around looking a some of the specialty stores while Christi and Eden took to the skating rink.  Watching them was entertaining and the both used their skills to navigate through others on the ice.  It was comical to watch the woefully inexperienced take unique falls with several doing a full back flop and conking their heads.



    

     Topping off the day was a trip to Rudy's in order to experience real life Texas Bar B Que.  Even though it was housed in the carcass of an old gas station/convenience store we were assured by Eric that it was one of "the best".  It's the first place I ever ate where everything was sold by the pound...except the bread....it was free.  Forget plates....you dish it up on a waxed paper with plastic ware.  Fingers are fine but utensils are soon found to be helpful.
    We found a large table in the back of the restaurant and proceeded to feast away.  If you look closely at the picture you will see that Kimball is either looking at the ceiling or showing off his perfect chin which, at the end of the evening, was not so perfect. 
    

    
     While we were preparing to leave he did some sort of acrobatic move that landed his chin on a chair or the floor but the result was a trip to  (well actually several) urgent care facilities in order to get the stiches needed to put him back together.  Once patched up you would think nothing had happened as he posed with all those in the household that had similar injuries.  Christi was the grand champion with the most stiches...I remember it well.




         

     Sunday was our chance to be shown off at church as we met with the members of the ward.  Christi had stayed overnight so as to spend as much time with us as possible.  Kristin, as always, prepared a spectacular Sunday dinner which we all enjoyed to the max.  That evening we all took a walk around the nearby lake.  It was the perfect time since the temperature was in the 70's and there were no bugs out....yet....to pester the walkers.  There are a bunch of annoying geese and ducks that are more than willing to attack the passerby's unless you stand your ground and stare them down.

    





     We "enjoyed" our final night on the futon and early the next morning we packed up, said our goodbyes, and headed west on the last leg of our homeward journey.  It was bittersweet as we will miss them but also we look forward to returning in July when Easton returns home from his sion.


     

Pioneer Courage....

                        ...It's The Best

      In the middle of Omaha is a park dedicated to the pioneer spirit that built the west.  It seems that sometimes get caught up in our own ancestral heritage to the point we do not recognize that there were far more than "pioneers and immigrants" who made their way across the plains in hopes of a better life for themselves.  Their efforts and sacrifices, while for different reasons, are remembered in several sites in Omaha in beautiful bronze sculptures.  The largest assemblage is in Pioneer Courage Park.  The concept and funding for this massive project was a brain child of First National Bank and created by Blair Buswell of Highland , UT and Ed Fraughton of South Jordan, UT.  

     Had we known, we would have planned to see all the sculptures in their various venues.  They are truly well done and as you look into the eyes and hearts of those sculptures you feel a depth of love for the lives and souls who were pioneers forging their way across the nation in search of something that was meaningful to them that they were willing to pay any price to get it.  Whether it was freedom of religion, as was our case, or the promise of the quick riches of gold, or even the enduring riches of land and farming...It was the search for freedom and opportunity.  It was a time that was fraught with physical peril and uncertainty.  With courage and high expectations they  engaged wholeheartedly in the task.  Hats off to those who rode the trails west!!

It's South Across Iowa and to Missouri...

                                         ....On to Far West

    

     The next leg of our journey took us across Iowa and into Missouri to visit the Far West Temple site.  Some might say there is nothing there except the four cornerstones of the temple the Saints were trying to build as they were driven out of Missouri in the dead of winter and forced to flee to the banks of the Mississippi River to be miraculously rescued by the good people of Quincy, Illinois.

     It's not the stones....it's the feeling that catches my attention.  It may be the quietness of the openness that surrounds the temple site...or it may be something a lot more than that.  We stayed at the sight for about an hour, taking in the moment and enjoying the experinece.  Then it was off to Richmond, Missouri for the night.

Richmond, Mo.   
      One Man Stands Tall.....
                A Monument to Three Witness's
    

     Richmond and Lexington are not necessarily a "must see" stop on most folks list of LDS Church sites.  It was an absolute must on mine.  It was here that my ancestors, John and Janet  Farrell lived for their first years in America, after immigrating from Scotland.  John had become impatient while waiting in Iowa City for his handcart company to depart so he split the couples wealth, 50 cents, left a pregnant wife and took to the trail to find work where he could.  He found it first in Carbon Cliff, Ill.  as a miner.  Later they moved to Richmond, Mo.  Here they lived for some time and their son Malcom died and was buried here.
     While there wasn't much of their time there to see there was two things of importance in regards to church history.  First was a monument to General Alexander Doniphan in front of the Fayette County courthouse.  He was instrumental in preserving the Prophet Joseph Smith's life when he was tried before a "kangaroo" military court instigated by a General Lucas.  It was illegal for military courts to try civilians but that didn't stop General Lucas.  After a guilty verdict for treason was reached it was ordered that Joseph Smith and others be executed before a firing squad.  General Doniphan was given the order.  He not only refused to carry our a direct order (a courts martial offense), he stood firm in his resolve to Lucas that the tribunal was illegal he swore if it were carried out by another officer  he would have all those involved charged with murder.  Lucas capitulated under pressure.  There was still a long trail ahead for the Prophet before he would again be re-united with the Saints in Quincy, Ill., however.  General Doniphan continued to be a friend of the Saints and also defended many other Saints including Porter Rockwell when he was charged for the assassination of Governor Boggs.  He was treated to a hero's welcome many years later when he visited Salt Lake City.
    

 

    David Wittmer, one of the Three Witness's is also buried in the Richmond Cemetery so we visited his grave site. We also spent and extraordinary amount of time searching for a monument to the Three Witness's.  Turns our it was in a "pioneer"  cemetery which we later visited.  It gave us time to reflect on their testimonies and their lives, and wonder if this might have been the resting place of young Malcom Farrell.
     The Prophet Joseph Smith was brought to Richmond and imprisoned here with Parley P. Pratt and others.  During a night of their incarceration the guards became intoxicated as they liquored themselves up and began spewing out stories of the atrocities they had perpetrated on Saints as they destroyed their farms and houses, killed their animals and some men, and boasted of raping some of the women.  After listening to this for some time, Joseph had reached a point that he could no longer stand it.  Rising to his feet, in chains,  he stood tall as he rebuked the guards in no uncertain terms; "Cease such talk...Either you or I die...this instant."  The guards were so stunned they apologized and remained quiet the rest of the night.  This incident is sometimes mistakenly attributed to their time in Liberty Jail.

Re-Living Family History....
                                 ....In Lexington
   

     Nine miles to the south of Richmond is Lexington.  After the arrival of John and Janet's families   in America they were reunited in Richmond.  Sometime later John and Janet went to Lexington where John continued to be employed as a miner.  As far as church history, there is little of great importance but the story of John and Janet is the stuff that makes great novels or movies.  (You know.....it's that line in movie that says "Based on a true story").
     While they were in Lexington John and Janet ran a boarding house and one of her frequent guests was Jesse James.  She told of the other guests, while accommodating, often buried their money on the grounds so they wouldn't be robbed. They also made sure no one knew they were Mormon.   As they continued to make a life here they found themselves in the middle of the Battle of Lexington at the beginning of the Civil War. Janet was enlisted to help cook for the soldiers and when the battle ensued the Farrell's took cover in a mine and watched as the battle raged nearby.
 

     So for me visiting Visitor's Center that told of the battle was a highlight.  It was like being in Nauvoo....knowing I was standing where it really took place.  I talked with the hostess and told her a little about the Farrell's and their part in the battle.  She didn't seem to know about any mine.  As I continued to tour she again approached me and said she had talked to the director and he indeed knew of the mine that was down by the river.  I think I would have had to be here to get the full scope and intensity of the battle that ensued as the Southern troops fought  for three days to take College Hill from the Northern Troops.    Even though the South was disadvantaged they attacked high ground held by the North using large bales of hemp for cover they slowly, but methodically pushed them up the hill providing great cover and thus overwhelmed the  North and ultimately forced them to surrender.

Liberty...... Independence.....
                          and on to Texas!!
    

     Our next stop was Liberty as we headed west across Missiouri.  Our GPS system had worked flawlessly until it took us south to Missouri City before we could set it straight and head for Liberty.
    It apparently took us the shortest (not the fastest) way as we made our way on small country roads before miraculously appearing in front of Liberty Jail.  Again, with our missionary attire and badges we received a "special tour" and  enjoyed our time listening to the history and visiting the mock-up of the jail that had been built on the lower level.  Unfortunately they were doing some repairs and we couldn't get the full picture but we did feel the spirit of testimony that dwelt there.

    

 

  A few miles south of Liberty is the Independence Visitors Center.  We are getting to be road warriors (not) by this time and Texas and the family is looming large on the horizon....hours away but on the horizon.  The Independence Visitors Center is devoted to depecting the experiences of Mormon's in Missouri from 1831-1839.  We took the tour, finally given by a Sister missionary....Probably because I mentioned to the director who greeted us that our badges seem to draw lengthy tours by directors of the visitors center's and we were in a hurry to get on the road to see our children and grandchildren.
     He was kind enough to take a picture of us standing in front of the Christus.  It may be just me, but for some reason I seem to feel the Savior's love in this picture more than any other we have taken along our journey.