Wednesday, June 4, 2014

June 4, 2014

June 4, 2014

I'm sorry that I didn't post anything last week. That's because we were not here, but home. We went home for a week to help Jami and her family through their family "emergency." She gave birth to their little Zack Jerry Lucas on Tuesday, May 27th.

As some of you know, he had to have surgery right after he was born to add a valve and some "tube" to his little heart so that it could supply needed blood to the various parts of his body. So on Friday he had open-heart surgery, which seems to have gone very well. Our latest report from Jami is that much of the swelling has gone down and several of the monitors that were connected to him have been removed. He seems to be progressing very well. Thank you, everyone, for remembering him in your prayers. There really were some little miracles that happened for him--and for Jami!

Anyhow, here are some pictures we took while we were there with him.

As soon as little Zack arrived, he was wisked away to the NICU, even before Jami 
got a chance to hold him.   :-(

The next day, Jami was finally able to hold her new little guy.

As was Grandma . . . 

. . . and Grandpa. (You may have noticed the smile: like grandpa like grandson!)


While we were home last week, Makell, Jenny and Mike's oldest daughter was set apart for her missionary service to the Washington Vancouver Mission.

Makell and her sister, Monica, her brother, Jayce, and her parents.

Makell and a of couple drifters.


On son Jeff and his wife, Ashley, decided to build a house in Vernal this summer, so Ashley and their children are staying in our house for the summer. Well, their being there attracts a few more grandkids, so they all told me it was absolutely necessary that I put up the trampoline for the summer. And they all helped, as you can see.




Now, back to our mission! 

I thought you might enjoy seeing what we teamsters have been watching develop over the past several days. We have been following these little robins since the first day Mother Robin laid the eggs in this nest in the window of our carriage depot. The little fellers finally hatched and are evidently hungry!




On one day the week before we went back to Utah, I was assigned to work with our oxen. We have two teams of oxen, one of which is this new team of "youngsters" that we're training to put the ox wagon. The kids who come for oxen wagon rides love to pet them as part of their "experience."



In addition to taking guests on wagon and carriage tours with the horses, I occasionally get to drive the Nauvoo Brass Band wagon around Old Nauvoo. They provide a very festive atmosphere, as you might imagine.





Often along the way, we stop the wagon so the band members can get off and march around with the crowds who have gathered to here them. Someone has to "tend" the horses while we're stopped. Guess who drew the "short stick" this time!



At one stop, some of the Young Performing Missionaries, who are here just for a couple of months during the summer, invite guests and senior missionaries, who've come out of the site buildings, to dance along with them. (If you look closely, you'll notice that the lady in red dancing up a storm near the end is Jan, a.k.a. Sister Larson!)



Some of the YPMs who have come to liven things up a bit around here.


Just this last week, we began performances of our "other" show, Sunset by the Mississippi, that we participate in two nights per week during the summer (in addition to the Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo, which we also do two other nights).  At the beginning of the production, the young kids in the audience are invited come up and make themselves a hat and march with the band in a brief children's parade. It's a lot of fun for them.




Tender Mercies
I'd be remiss if I didn't take a minute to thank Heavenly Father for the "tender mercies"--some call them miracles--that He has showered down on our family this past couple of weeks. From helping little Zack turn from his former breech position just before Jami went in to deliver him cesarean to the miracles of technology that allowed Jami's doctors to know before Zack was born that he needed a heart repair and then to be able to perform that procedure. If these are the blessings that come from serving a mission, it's already been more than worth it.


2 comments:

  1. I love the pictures of the little guy (Zach). Jami was sure lucky to have you guys there with her.

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  2. I don't know what photo I like better--the one of you and Zack, or the one of Mom dancing in the street. What a vixen she is!

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