I have been teaching early morning seminary since December and loving it.  The kids are great and having something to do was just what I needed.  The President and the FM office got dad  working on missionary trailers and he has fixed a lot of problems.  The Polacca trailer, we have spent months on, but each time we think we are about done something else breaks.  Today we found two more leaks in some copper pipe that runs the hot water underneath the trailer.  I thought when we got the new hot water heater in and the new faucet in the kitchen and the new hoses in the laundry room that maybe we could say we are done. But….NO, we have to go to Gallup again and buy more parts to fix the lastest two leaks. 

Staying busy with our assignments, volunteering at the senior center in Rough Rock and attending meetings in Many Farms and Lukachukia is time consuming.  But very enjoyable.  We still have two pages of things people want done before we leave, which should keep us busy right up to the end.

Our replacements for seminary arrived today.  A wonderful couple from Laverkin, Utah came to Chinle, on a CES mission.  They will teach seminary and do whatever President Gill asks them to do.  They are here for one year. 

 This is rambling, but I did want to note that we are excited to go home to see our children and grandchildren, work the ranch, and get some organization in our life.

Spring finally came to the rez and the sisters down the way have tulips up, they are beautiful.  I’m hoping mine will wait til I get home to show their faces.  I love spring when everything comes alive.  It is such a beautiful exciting time of year.

He called Melvin in Austin and sent him the one remaining earring and asked him to match it and return them. I had hoped to have them by the wedding in August. NOPE. After the wedding I didn’t much think about the earring as life went on as usual on the ranch.

We left for the second leg of our mission in October and I just didn’t wear earrings anymore in my ears. On our anniversary dad had made arrangments with Melvin to not only replace my earring but he also bought be a beautiful diamond necklace for our 39th anniversary. Wow was I surprised. It is so nice to have my diamonds back in my ears, I’m trying not to sound vain, but now I have this beautiful necklace to boot.

Dad surprised me the first time with diamonds and then completely surprised me again with more. What more can be said…..diamonds, from my best friend!

I didn’t realize we were low in gas. Dad said we could go to Granada and back and I just thought thats good as I knew the story would be over by then. But we turned and headed towards Pinon and then after traveling until the road got bad we decided to turn right onto a road that looked great. Paved with asphault and wide. Well that ended after a short time and we were committed as dad put it because we didn’t have the gas to back track. Neither of us knew exactly where we were or where this road was going and it was beginning to get dark. Not good.

The road got narrower and then we began to go through ditches and gulleys and through slush and frozen stuff and lots of snow and most of the time in four wheel drive to just make it through. I was scared stiff. My mind kept working on the fact that if something happened to dad and we had no phone signal and I didn’t know where we were really and we hadn’t even seen a hogan in forever what would I do. I was still in my church clothes and had only taken a coat because dad told me I couldn’t get into the car without one.

I finally got out the GPS and tried to see if it would tell us where we were in ralationship to where I would really like to be. Dad just kept going and Charlee could feel the tension I was exuding and he was restless. We lost daylight and still had no idea where we were. The reading on the GPS said we were close to a road that would link us back to 191. But not matter how long we drove, now on a two rut road and larger ditches and steep drop offs we didn’t seem to get any closer to that road we needed to get us back to where we knew our way around.

Finally we saw light and headed in that direction. Then the road posted a sign saying it was a deadend. Dad kept going and found a house with cars and he walked around until he found some warm bodies. They told him to back track until we saw a wind mill and then turn right. Think cow trails not normal roads and dark, cold, and lots of snow and ice.

We back tracked and headed in the direction dad was told and finally found the wind mill. We took the right fork in the road. We couldn’t see much in any direction and just hoped that what we were doing was the way to go. The GPS arrow didn’t stay on course and it never got close to the little road to take us back to 191 for ions of time. Next thing we knew were were on top of the mountains literally and began to desend. We were over 7,000 feet and I kept hoping we wouldn’t run out of gas. I hate to have less than a half tank of gas, as dad is known far and wide for running out.

We drove and drove and drove and finally saw some lights. As we desended from the tops of the mountains we wondered if we had gone around the mountains and was coming out at Many Farms. NOPE. When we finally got to the bottom of the mountain on a road a little better than the tracks, two cars could pass each other, dad says wow I know where we are. I looked around in the darkness and thought I’ve been here before. We were in Rough Rock by the trading post. We wound around back past the senior center where we go each Wednesday to volunteer and finally the GPS said we were on the road that linked us to the highway 191. We knew it would be quite a drive to just make it back to Many Farms and the light was on saying the gas was low. When we got to Many Farms I asked dad to get gas and he said we would be okay. The bain of my life. We drove the fifteen miles more to home, Chinle, and parked in front of the trailer.

Dad said wasn’t that fun! Now we need to look on a map and see where we went. This is like three hours later. I didn’t think it was fun. I couldn’t see anything to say it was beautiful, and the four wheeling through deep gullys was anything but fun. I was just grateful we were not in the Jetta and that the four wheel drive worked. Anyone who has driven on the reservation in the daytime knows how remote it is, little lone in the dark.

When we hit the pavement Charlee layed down on my lap and took a nap.

We got to Manti, checked into a motel bought pizza and fell into bed. We got up and dressed and went to the temple. It is always fun for me to see family and friends. Having lived my whole life away from family has been hard, but when we can see each other for whatever the reason its always good.

Whitney and Chris were sealed by his grandfather and it was a very special event.

We drove to Provo to collect things on our shopping lists, living on the rez you make lots of lists for the time when you might hit a city that actually has stores in it. We attended the brunch held at Noah’s near the point of the mountain. It was nice.

We delivered Rebecca’s gifts to James, he had mentioned he might come to the rez, but didn’t so we delivered to him. We picked up a manual to teach Family relations class in Many Farms in the new year and headed back to Noah’s for the reception.

Kimberly and John and Erin met us there. We got to visit and enjoy their company. It is always nice to hear how my children are doing and actually see that what they are telling me is basically true. I always worry about everyone, whether or not they need me to. Its just part of my job as mother, and it never ends no matter how old they get.

We drove to Moab after bidding our children good bye and spent the night and then got up the next morning and came back to the rez to return to our assignments.

Rebecca and Keith came with their two boys all the way from Mississippi to be here for Christmas. They got here on Saturday, after taking an extra three hours to check out the rez without realizing what they were doing. Its actuallya straight shot from Gallup to here, but Rebecca decided to take the straight line approach and went through Saw Mill which we haven’t even gone to or through. It is one of the coldest spots on the rez. I think they got to see lots of snow and not to good of roads. Which really means, instead of taking the main road which is paved, they took a dirt road which isn’t even graveled. But they got here. The cousins were so happy to see and play with each other, bringing much joy to their Grammie.

We drove to the south rim of the canyon to look over the side into the deep canyon. It was a cold day so we decided it wouldn’t be the best idea to hike into the canyon at this time. Keith and Reb rode with Jared and Emily and we had the three oldest cousins in our car, it was the best. To hear them laugh and talk to each other was such pleasure for me.

Saturday night was cold and no one except Dad and Rebecca and the three oldest grandchildren wanted to brave the parade. I would have gone but I was making a lemon chiffon pie for us to eat and I was sure the parade would only last ten minutes. When two hours went by and they hadn’t returned, Jared made the comment that he was sure that the indians had talked dad into being in the parade and put lights on his car. Well, it wasn’t exactly like that, but close. Dad and Rebecca were asked to judge the floats. Being outsiders, they wouldn’t be swayed. There was $1500.00 in prize money to be won and so the people organizing the parade didn’t want members of the same clans judging. They watched the parade, it was ten minutes long. They took the kids and walked around the floats, the kids about froze to death, they put the kids into the car and walked around the floats again with the women in charge and then finally made their decissions. They said they departed soon after as they didn’t want to be acosted for their choices. Jared was almost right.

Jared and Emily and the girls decided to leave on Sunday so Jared could make it to a doctors appointment without traveling Christmas eve or day. The little cousins traded Christmas presents and had fun playing with their new treasures. Before Jared and Emily left with the girls, we made a large breakfast and enjoyed just being together. While Jared packed his car and got it warm for their trip, Cadence began to feel puny and act a little puny. Jared got double wal-mart bags and put them by her car seat just in case. Jared later said that the way dad sent them home took three extra hours. He already told me he wouldn’t be coming back to the rez ever. Then to take an extra three hours to get home only added to his commitment. Cadence was sick all the way home. She ruined all her clothes, all her dads shirts and finally they had to find a store to buy her something to put on so she could make it the rest of the way home. Even if the trip was trying to the parents seeing my darling little granddaughters was heavenly for me.

We took Reb and her family to church with us, or I should say we took the Elders in our car and they followed in their car to Lukachukai. I’m sure it was an interesting event in their lives. Indians don’t always start their meetings on time and sunday was no exception. RS and Priesthood was held together because there were no teachers. After the meetings we handed out goodie bags to all the families and those that stayed for another hour heard dad read the “Real Story of Christmas” a tradition for us. I had made english triffle and served everyone. Keith chased Craig outside in the snow and Wesley slept through the whole thing.

Monday we drove to the south rim of the Canyon De Chelly and walked down to the white house ruin. We bundled up thinking it would be cold, but ended up carrying our coats, hats, gloves because it was so warm. The little boys walked the whole way without to much complaining and Craig beat his mother to the top and won a root beer float at the A & W.

We fondued on Christmas Eve and just enjoyed ourselves. The Bardo family was so beat they were all in bed by 8:00 p.m. and sawing logs. The senior missionaries, came by about nine to hear the Christmas story read by dad and I served New Mexican hot chocolate. We enjoyed their company and I enjoyed hearing the story again. Forty years of hearing it never seems to much.

We woke up later than usual, the boys were dancing around by 7:30 a.m. That’s late for us. Usually our children would be up by three or four in the morning. The trick of taking the long walk was the best. It took most of the day to open packages and eat and open some more. It was delightful to watch the boys. We had a wonderful Christmas. We spoke to most of our children and grandchildren and it was such a pleasant time for me. I couldn’t have asked for a better present than having Jared and Rebecca’s familys here. Thanks guys.

To volunteer at one of the senior centers we had to get a Navajo food handlers permit. That meant, find a chapter house giving the course and sign up for it and then show up. We sat through the four hours of lecture and took the test and now have our permits. Without a permit we are not allowed to even wipe off tables. Even with the permit we still get to unload trucks and sort and put away food. Its work and its fun.

We have had two dinner appointments since we got here. Both belagona’s (white) but it was nice to be invited and the food was great.

Jack turned 67 and we celebrated our 39th anniversary attending a zone meeting. It has been fun and we have really enjoyed ourselves. Jack went to Round Rock to help Brother O’Daniel strip logs to make a hogan. Charlee went with him and came back looking like a bottle of red hair dye and been poured over him. He looked terrible. Bad dye job.

President Gill called and told us the senior couple coming to take over our place here in Chinle and teach seminary had flunked their physicals so we were to stay in this trailer and now I get to teach seminary once again. This is such a neat blessing in my life. Jack is my helper and support. He does a great job. Jack was assigned along with all the other things we have gotten ourselves into to fix things that have broken down for the FM office. Yesterday we went to Crystal to see about fixing the heater in the missionary couples trailer. Dad likes to be busy and so do I.

Monday we started seminary with eight students and today we had ten.

We showered and dressed and drove to Rough Rock. Wednesday is our assigned day to help out at the senior center. It was one of those days that you just know things aren’t going to go the way you planned. We got to the senior center and was told come back next week, the helpers were heading into Chinle to a dinner. I helped one of the ladies load drinks into her car and dad delivered the job listings to the chapter house.

We drove to Many Farms to just LOOK at the trailer. I got sicker just looking at it. (Think of going over the border into Mexico and you will begin to get an idea of what this trailer looks like.) We were told earlier this week we would be moving into the comdemned trailer, it gives me the chills just to think about it. I told dad to go walk around it and see what he could see. It didn’t get any better. Dad took out his tape measure as someone had built new steps up to the poarch. Not one of the steps was the same distance apart (7 1/4 8 1/2 8).

We drove out to the lake at Many Farms, it was interesting. Years ago BYU went down to that area and helped set up a watering systems, put in cement ditches, and sprinkler systems, hense the name Many Farms. Still many farms, they just don’t grow anything. The lake has water in it, but the residents are not using it at least not this time of year. We just continue to see tons of money put into the rez and no returns on it. Some one said that “someone” got the great idea to drain the lake and no one has used the irrigation water since. We came home and I made two pies, one apple and one pumpkin. Made cranberry sauce with fresh cranberries, and the family favorite yams southern style. I cooked chilie for us to eat and after we ate the chilie and I cleaned up the mess for the umteenth time I made cookies for dad. He has felt neglected of late. I did make him an apple pie earlier in the week. How neglected can one feel knowing that?

I got dad going through the pictures that I went through and organized last year and he re-organized them. It is for our album of the ranch history. Maybe tomorrow we can get them into the book. That would be a mile stone.We are to have dinner with the Missionary Senior Sisters, family and others. Don’t know what time haven’t been told yet. All is good. Turkey day means its almost time to get out the Christmas stuff. Yay!

I had made and decorated an 8 inch chocolate chip cookie we delivered to the Sjostroms who work out of the St. Michaels office for the Church employment. This is there last week on the rez they are heading home.

Charlee didn’t seem to mind to much not getting to take the walk into the canyon, he voiced his opinion I’m sure to everyone who passed our car. But he did get to walk everywhere else we went.

I would highly recommend this hike to everyone. Hope the weather holds out so we can get in the north rim lookouts. To go into the canyon other than the hike we took you have to pay a navajo guide. Permits and guides are the only ones allowed into the floor of the canyon, except for the families that still live there.

We arrived at the chapter house a little after ten and didn’t get on the docket until after 2:30 p.m. We listened to a lot of Navajo gibberish before Bishop Deswood was allowed to come forward and give his speel. He did good. He gave the floor to an old navajo woman she spoke for the church and one old man spoke against it or at least wanted to see just what the community was getting if they let two acres of grazing land go the the Church. Trying to follow what was being said was pretty hard, except when Bishop Deswood smiled I knew it was good. He is the type of person who smiles a lot. When the counsel found out that if the Church disolves and gives up the land, buildings etc. it would go back to the family giving them permission to use it. And the people wanted to know how much they charged for funerals, weddings, and other uses. When they found out it was nothing the vote became very positive. The boy scouts, from mini type cub to giant size all in uniform served the turkey dinner provided for those in attendance everyone was very impressed. One of the counselman was very positive about the scouts and what they could do for the community. After all was said and done and more time spent on the debate it was put to a vote and it was passed.

Now I wonder how long it will take to get a building?

I told dad I wasn’t going to another chapter meeting as long as I lived. He reminded me that with that said I would probably find myself at another one very shortly. My lifes story, I make bold statements then I get to eat them.