I couldn't see past the top step of the ladders! Who knows what could be lurking in the depths of this pool!! It is actually starting to look much better today and maybe by the end of the week I will feel that it is safe to venture back into its watery depths. We'll see.
I realize that I haven't posted anything since April. But it isn't because I have been laying about doing nothing. So here's a little catch up on what's been going on.
First, I had to travel back to the US (again) for my little sisters wedding! And I found out, at the last minute, that she wanted ME to take the pictures at her wedding!! YIKES
It was a beautiful day though (other than some big wind) for an outdoor wedding. And all in all I think that, I'm not a professional, but I did ok on the pictures.
After I got back from that, I was home for 10 days and we left for our cruise. It was our 10 year anniversary. (Can you believe it!!) So we went on a 12 night cruise to Scotland, Ireland and the port of Paris. Then we spend two extra nights in Amsterdam. It was really nice.
It was a long trip, but if you look through all the photos we really had a good time.
Then when I got back from that trip I was home for just under a month and went back to the US for family reunions. First was the Bennion reunion.
My sister was able to come from Utah for that. She brought her two kids Z and I. We had so much fun spending time with them. And we had a blast at the reunion. I didn't do real well at taking pictures on this trip. I think I was really getting tired by this point and holding up the camera was becoming a huge effort. But I really loved getting to see my family.
Then I flew out to Seattle to go through the temple with my friend Julia. (I miss her terribly.) And she showed me all around Seattle. It was good to see her again. And Washington is beautiful.
Then it was out to Utah for fun with the Pearsons (my cousins), my sister Laura and the Mitchell reunion.
We watched "The Dark Night"... seriously good movie. Ate junk and some seriously tasty breakfast (I made the right decision), stayed up late, laughed till we cried and made me wish I lived closer to my family. Then we camped, had to rescue the dogs, camped a little more and enjoyed the company of family and friends.
By the end of the vacation, I was absolutely exhausted. It was a good trip. And then, there was the trip home...
I was able to arrange my flights so that I went from Las Vegas to Chicago, Chicago to Tulsa, (becuase no airlines go straight from Vegas to Tulsa... sheesh) then was supposed to have a 4 hour layover in Tulsa before heading to Atlanta. This part went quite smoothly. I arrived in Tulsa around 9 am and got some breakfast. I figured I would eat a big breakfast and then eat again when I got to Atlanta around 3. Silly me. I sat waiting in the terminal and watched the time to board the plane come and go, and we were still sitting there. Finally they made the announcement that there was severe weather in Atlanta and everyone was on ground hold till it cleared. That was fine, I had a 2 hour layover in Atlanta, so I should still be able to make my connection. An hour and a half later they finally came back and said that they were still waiting for the weather to clear and the ground hold to be lifted. I knew I was going to miss my connection and that meant I would have to spend the night somewhere, since there is only 1 flight per day to Lagos from Atlanta. So I went up to the desk and let them know that I was going to miss my connection and that I needed to be rescheduled. The poor guy at the ticket counter had to sit on hold with international reservations for almost 30 min. Then he asked me if I wanted to spend the night in Tulsa or go on to Atlanta and spend the night there. (I should have chosen Tulsa!) Thinking that I should get to Atlanta so that there is a less likely chance of missing the flight tomorrow, I said "Atlanta please". DOOMED.... DOOMED I tell you. Finally about a 1/2 hour latter they finally load up the plane and we head out toward Atlanta. We are starting our final descent into the Atlanta area when they close the runways again. More bad weather. They put us in a holding pattern in the air for about a 1/2 hour and then tell us it will be another hour before we can land. Only one problem with that, we will run out of gas before then. So they divert us to Birmingham Alabama. We ended up sitting in the plane on the runway for about 2 hours before we were refueled and allowed to take off again. Then we had to in line to land, and then wait on the runway for an open parking spot. A flight that was only supposed to take and hour and forty minutes took five and a half hours. But we were finally in Atlanta. And as we walked to the baggage claim area, we heard the announcement that the runways were closing AGAIN. Apparently we got there just in time. There were proabably about a thousand people in the baggage claim area trying to figure out what was going on. None of the carousels were moving and no one was getting their luggage. After waiting for an hour and a half and watching my flight show up on the board, dissapear and still no luggage was coming up, I decided to stand in the forever long line and talk to the lost luggage poeple to find out what was going on. They informed me that all luggage was being shipped to it's final destination on the next available flight. Would have been nice to have been told that an hour or so ago. So I went to find the shuttles to the hotels. (I had booked a hotel online in Tulsa when I knew I was going to miss my connection.) It was a madhouse there too. There were so many people stranded in Atlanta. I finally got to my hotel around 11pm. And to my delight found there was an IHOP in the parking lot. (Remeber the big breakfast I ate at 9am.... that was the last thing I had eaten!!) I got checked in found my room and dropped of my caryon bags... since I didn't get my luggage... then went and had breakfast at midnight. It was so tasty, because I was STARVING!! Then went back to the hotel, took everything off and put on just my pajamas (luckily I has them crammed in my carryon because I was just barely over the weight limit on one of my suitcases!) and took all my clothes down to the laundry. Then I went back up to my room, filled the jacuzzi tub (yes I said jacuzzi tub) and took a nice hot lovely bath. By the time my clothes were dry it was almost 2am... but my flight didn't leave the next day until 5pm so I knew I could sleep in. The next morning I got up and checked out around 10:30 and headed back to the airport. When I got there it was once again a mad house. It looked like there had been a lot of people who slept there. REALLY glad I wasn't one of them. I tried to get checked in at the self checkin kiosk, but since my flight wasn't till 5 it said I was too early to check in and I had to come back in about 15 minutes. So I went and found some breakfast. Mmmmm tasty pastries. Sat, ate, relaxed and tried to check in again. This time is said that because I was going to Nigeria I couldn't use the kiosk and they had to check and verify my visa at the ticket counter. BLAH... so I went to the ticket counter... The line was an hour long wait. BLAHHHHHHHH!!! But once I got to the desk, it was a breeze and they assured me that my luggage would be on this flight. (I really didn't believe them... that way I wouldn't be dissapointed when it didn't show up!) I got through security and made my way to my terminal where I found an outlet pulled in my laptop and parked it. It wasn't too bad. Everything from there went very smooth. I got a whole row (3 seats) to myself and was able to lay down and sleep for a good part of the trip to Lagos. And my luggage was some of the first out. The only bad thing was that my luggage got soaked in Atlanta, so most of the stuff inside was wet! Good thing most of my clothes were in space bags to help save room!
Anyway, I haven't been slacking. Just crazy busy.... Oh and to top it all off, about a week after I get home, I get called to be the Relief Society President. PRAY FOR ME.
