Harmonious

Me, I'm still basking in the beautiful wedding celebration last week. Magical.

It was like them:  heartfelt, natural, gorgeous.  There was no wrong note.

And Sundance in autumn splendor was the perfect backdrop, especially since they have memories there.


      Engaged!

     
           

       Wedding

   

The last, beautiful family wedding before this one, was seven years ago -    
                Jamis and Marcie

And before that, there were TWO weddings within just a few days in May:     

                   Steven and Cristie

                  David and Liz

 

And before that, on a sparklingly beautiful winter day in St. George-

                   Chris and Amy

Engaged!

       

Leaving the temple, my face tells my feelings. It was probably just the sun through the stained glass, but to me it honestly looked like the air in the room was hung was sparkling little diamonds, the feeling in the temple was so beautiful and extra special. I felt totally happy and thankful. Happy for this beautiful couple, for their future, and for our family.                                                                 

from left: Karen, Carol's husband, Carol, Jeff, Michaela, Angie, Delpha, David.  Peter and Betty's family were there also, as well as Amy's family and relatives, of course. I don't have pictures of everyone. Sadly, Chris's dad could not be there; not allowed to leave the missionaries.

                                                               


                                                                     **********

And I have to add just one more happy, wedding day photo, because it's a good one - the Provo reception for our dear friend Christian and his bride, Kirsten. In the Eichberg days, Christian was like a brother to our boys, and part of the family.

"Patience"

Today we had the privilege of attending church in Steven and Cristie's ward in Provo.
Steven happened to give a talk in sacrament meeting. It was stellar. The subject was 'patience'. Always needed (the subject as well as the virtue...)

In one part of his talk, he cited some intriguing thoughts from the book, "The Anatomy of Peace", by the Arbinger Institute.
Here is part of the quotes that Steven cited:
"...In the way we regard our children, our spouses, neighbors, colleagues, and strangers, we choose to see others either as people like ourselves or as objects. They either count like we do or they don't. In the former case, since we regard them as we regard ourselves, we say our hearts are at peace towards them. In the latter case, since we systematically see them as inferior, we say our hearts are at war."
"...almost every behavior...can be seen in two different ways: with a heart at peace, where we view others as people with hopes, needs, cares and fears as real to me as my own, or with a heart at war, where we view others as objects, obstacles or irrelevancies."
" ... So if we are going to find lasting solutions to difficult conflicts ... we find ourselves in, ... we first need to find our way out of the internal wars that are poisoning our thoughts, feelings and attitudes towards others. If we can't put an end to the violence within us, there is no hope for putting an end to the violence without."

Note to self: find this book.

"Can't it stay summer forever?"

When we lived in the heart of Europe,. it was relatively easy to drive to the Mediterranean Sea.
We went to Greece, twice.

         and to Spain

Another summer, we went to Hungary with our friends, the wonderful Erlacher family.
Hungary was  amazing! The iron curtain was still up (but not for much longer)  and prices were incredibly low, especially compared to our home in Switzerland.  John noted that our whole family of nine could go out for a delicious dinner, including dessert, for the price of one person's meal  in Switzerland.

And it was the same in Czechoslovakia.
We took an excursion to Prague while we were staying at a family vacation village in northern Austria. We were really close to the border. John would ride his bike up to the warning signs and crossings.
picturess

And of course we took excursions closer to home:

at Insel Mainau, the flower island

Neuschwanstei

                                 Looking at our house and village down in the valley.

3 September

This is the date when I was baptized and became a member of the church, at age nineteen. I had investigated, studied, fasted, prayed and thought about it for a long time, almost two years. It was a very good decision, one I have never regretted. Quite the contrary.
I'll always feel indebted to all the good young missionaries who visited our family, and gave us so much. It was a special time.
When my brother and sister and I first visited the church in Linz on a Sunday morning, we found a small congregation in a humble little building. We were slightly late, and when we walked in the door, they were singing a song, with devotion and a very good feeling:  "Erstaunt und bewundernd"

                                  I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me,
                                  Confused at the grace that so fully He proffers me.
                                  I tremble to know that for me He was crucified,
                                  That for me, a sinner, He suffered, He bled and died.
                                   Oh, it is wonderful, that He should care for me,
                                   Enough to die for me!
                                   Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me.

     Hymns, #  193          

Ride Idaho!

We experienced a beautiful part of Idaho, as well as Montana, when John and Jake took part in Ride Idaho 2013, and I went along as a volunteer/ helper. Gorgeous scenery, kind and interesting people, good food, fresh air, fun times.
It was a week-long ride, and almost 400 bicyclists took part : (Coeur d'Alene) - Sandpoint - Thomposn Falls - Wallace - rest day Wallace - Coeur d'Alene.
John and Jake did it!  A testament to their grit and determination and fitness!

                              For myself, my very favorite part of that week was swimming in this lake:

    On the way home, my favorite was Nauvoo  -       

Waking up to a glorious, fresh morning in Nauvoo.  Love this tent!    (And the fellow in it.)

                                 

Hurray! Hurray!

              Three cheers for Adam and KayAnna! They are engaged, and will be married in October.

              We are delighted with the news, and couldn't be happier.

                       Here, we are celebrating Swiss National Day (August 1) in Provo.