Nebraska Reunion

If it involves quirky games, Runzas, explosions, parks, visits to urgent care, cheese puffs, hot humid weather, cute little kids, and food-lots of food; then it must be the Smith Family Reunion II!

Yup, this year we brought it all to the heartland, Lincoln Nebraska- home of cornhuskers and huskerettes.  We figured this was as close to the middle of the country we could get.  There were 10 kids under 10, supervised by 9 adults (well at times some adults could be included in the kids catagory) all neatly tucked into Kevin and Nicole’s gracious living arrangements. For a week we shared rides, food, fun, conversation, counsel, and viruses. 

It had been so long since Jordan from Wilmington Delaware had seen and tasted a maple bar that we took, not one, but two trips to The Donut Hole downtown. These weren’t just maple bars, but bars with meat- strips of bacon curled on top of a bed of frosting and fried dough. Their other donuts weren’t bad either.  It was amazing to me how far those donuts went. Cut into fourths we sampled everything and the grandkids energy exploded while the adult’s metabolisms caused our bodies to slough onto the couches. 

We visited several stores-  Rocket Fizz where they had a store filled with candy brands that covered a generation and soda pop that ranged from flavors like Banana Nut, Cotton Candy, Bacon with Chocolate, and of course, Sweet Corn. We enjoyed it so much we went back a second time before we left.  We also went to Licorice International where they sell, you guessed it, Licorice! Had some great samples of licorice from all over the world.  We also had some great ice cream from Ivanna Cone. They hand make their ice cream right on site and the flavors vary each day. My Cream de Menthe was smooth, creamy and refreshing.

We finally made the trip to the world famous Omaha Zoo, recently voted the best zoo in the world.  At the Omaha Zoo we go into the animal’s world to see them-such as desert domes, underground caves, into darkness for the nocturns, tropics and savannahs. We were there for hours and probably still only covered half the exhibits. But with tired, wilty kids and grandpas we needed to leave.

In that same Omaha visit we visited the Winter Quarters visitor’s center where some of our pioneer ancestors camped before crossing the plains to Utah. There the kids, and a few adults, dressed up in pioneer garb, posed while pushing a hand cart, and learned about what it took to get ready for the several thousand mile journey across the wilderness in the mid 1800’s. With several photos taken in front of the Omaha Temple we were reminded of our quest to be an eternal family.

Some of us made the trip to the University of Nebraska campus where we wandered through the bookstore, bought Nebraska gear, wore obnoxious looking corn cobs on our heads, and paid a visit to the most sacred shrine in Lincoln- Memorial Stadium where the Cornhuskers play a few football games each year. They even have a gate worshippers could go through that gets you into a part of the stadium overlooking the field. We also went into their training facility and a hall where all their Bowl game trophies and photos and gear from some of Nebraska’s football folk heroes. I even told a receptionist there that I had taken off my Oregon Ducks cap while walking through the hall. She appreciated the respect.   She didn’t see the “GO DUCKS AND BYU COUGARS” graffiti I penned in some very obscure places.  Just kidding. I didn’t really do that. Well, just under the drinking fountain maybe…

We also took a walk from campus to the state capital building. The capital tower rises over 300 feet and visitors can take an elevator almost to the top and walk around the observation deck. This gives a great view of the surrounding Lincoln area. The noon sun was hot and the humidity made us feel as if we were still in the tropical exhibit at the zoo. When we finally arrived to the capital we noticed Jan was pale and sweating. We had her sit for awhile but then a tour guide burst into the room telling us that if we wanted to tour the building we best be getting over there. We stayed to be polite but we really only wanted to learn how to go up into the tower. We learned a few things though. 

Over the 4^th of July we learned that Nebraskans are firework freaks. All fireworks are legal and people begin the afternoon of the 3^rd to launch their explosive devices. I’d noticed on an earlier visit that Nebraskans use their garages and driveways for tailgate parties before football games. Any football games. They do the same for the firework displays. They pull out the chairs, the grill, the cooler, grandma and their individual treasure trove of fireworks and spend the 3^rd and 4^th of July just talking and eating. Then there’s lots of screaming, running, ducking, dodging, and hiding from the chaos caused by errant explosives. Such fun!

And finally, where there are Smith’s gathered, there are Smith Olympics! Started many years ago as a Family Home Evening activity we’ve kept this multi- event game competition alive each time we get together. There are no prizes, just winner’s pride-for about a minute. Each family had one or two events we competed in. There was plastic cup stacking, water balloon tossing, hula hoop body weaving and blowing cups across the table with balloon air etc… However, I have to say, my favorite was one I didn’t even participate in. Because it was my game. We teamed up and one team member put on a shower cap which we then sprayed with shaving cream. The other team member stood about five feet away with a bowl of Cheetos Puffs. One by one they tossed the puff and tried to land it on the head of the other team member. It was not an easy task and a few of the children were horrified that we were ruining cheese puffs but it was lots of fun. The boys with Cheetos sticking out of their heads looked like they were at a Little Orphan Annie audition. That was so much fun that Jan and I now spread dip on our shower capped heads with chips poking out. This keeps our hands free to carry our plate or drink around. 

We loved being with everyone. But the times I cherished most were actually the quieter moments, talking one on one, playing a few board games, watching World Cup Soccer on TV, and everyone randomly joining in singing  a rather raucous version of “Let it Go” as we watched the movie Frozen. Oh, and the urgent care visit was for Noah who caught a slip n slide in his eye and required a few stitches. At least, for a few days, Lincoln, Nebraska was “the greatest place on earth.”

A Tender Plant

I was given the assignment- well our High Priest’s Quorum was actually given the assignment- but I took it upon myself to come up with a gift for the women of our Ward on Mother’s Day.  Maybe I figured that if they loved the gift I could take the credit, if they hated it I’d spread the blame to the other men.  I’ve also  made a lot of jokes about getting the “tribute” or paying “ransom” as applied toward getting this gift. I’m sure I even used the words “bribe” and “pay-off”once or twice. 
 

Last time I did this I bought Harry & David Chocolate Truffles. We put three in a little plastic see thru bag tied a ribbon around it and attached a saying from our prophet about the goodness of women in the world. A couple of High Priests stood by the back doors after sacrament meeting and handed the little bags to each woman as she left. I heard it was well received.

I thought I’d do the same thing this year but then I heard the Relief Society was going to pass out truffles- homemade truffles- to the women. The year before the women received live Basil plants. That made sense to pass out something that would be useful. Being the uncreative gift giver that I am I resorted to giving out flowers.  I didn’t know much about flowers so I felt impressed to talk to Larry Carpenter, who’s a hobby farmer, and knows a lot about flora. As we talked he mentioned he had some little plastic pots I could transfer the plants into. Since I had a budget I needed to keep under my first impression was to buy these four packs of pansies, separate them out and put one flower in a container. This would keep me well under budget. So I stopped off at Home Depot and, after surveying the flower racks, picked out some pansies, violas and a few marigolds. 

It had been raining all week but every morning I would take the flowers out of the garage and put them in the back yard so they could be exposed to whatever sunshine that poked through. I watered them if it didn’t rain enough that day then in the evening I’d carry the trays back into the garage.

Saturday morning I spent several hours in the rain washing out the plastic pots and transferring the flowers from the four packs. I had determined earlier that one flower didn’t seem to be enough which caused a second trip to Home Depot.  I decided to put two in each of the small pots. Some went in easily but others, like the pansies, had large root systems and it took some effort to separate them out of their original pot then twist, turn and pack the two flowers into their new container. I  watered each again and left them outside that afternoon.

I just prayed that they would still be alive  Sunday morning. Frankly, my feeling was these flowers only needed to stay green and healthy looking until 4:00 Sunday afternoon. After that they were out of my hands and it would no longer be my responsibility. 

Sunday morning, Mother’s Day, I got up at sunrise, dressed in my walking sweats and went outside. It was a beautiful morning, not a cloud to block the warm sun’s rays. I quickly moved the flowers out of the garage and put them in our driveway so they could soak up as much sunlight as possible before locking them in the trunk to take them to church.

The viola’s were looking  droopy, the pansies’s flowers were folded and bent but the marigolds stood straight and tall. I wished I’d just bought all marigolds. I shifted the plants in the trays then looked at the sun’s position, estimated what area of the driveway would be sunniest longest then moved the trays accordingly. A couple of the trays had three rows of flowers. I was concerned the flowers in the middle row wouldn’t receive as much sun so I pulled each of these out and placed them individually on the cement.

As I began to pull these small plastic pots out I noticed how dirty the outside of each pot had gotten. Repotting the flowers hadn’t been easy and with the cold and rain I’d been in a hurry to get the job done. Now, as I looked upon the gold, orange, yellow, violet blue flowers spaced randomly on the driveway, basking in the sun,  I thought about the women who would be receiving the flowers today  and reflected that none would want to have to carry a dirty pot around. I then went back into the garage and picked up one of our old spare towels we use as rags, took it into the kitchen and placed it in the sink and soaked it with hot water. I rang out the excess water then went back to the flowers.

Picking the first pot up I carefully wiped the dirt from each side and the bottom. It brought back some memories of wiping the faces of my children with a wash rag after they had eaten.  I smiled and paused for a moment, basking in the reflection.  Then, looking closer at each plant more closely,  I noticed a few yellowing or bug bitten leaves which I pulled from the stems. I went through this same process for each potted flower, picking it up and gently wiping the dirt, pulling any yellowing leaves or dead flowers, and making each one as presentable as I could. 

As I did so I began to think of the significance of giving a flower on Mother’s Day. A flower or plant doesn’t need constant watching over and care but it does need help in order to survive. It needs planted in good fertilized soil, in an area that will receive the amount of sunlight and water it needs to survive. It occasionally will need dead flowers and leaves plucked and weeded.

Strangely, as I worked, I became filled with compassion, not only toward the care of these flowers but also to the women who would be receiving them. I didn’t want any woman in the Ward to feel they received an inferior plant. The flowers are different, some in full bloom, some need some time and patience for the plant to come to full flower. They are different colors and have varied needs.  Some have lots of room for roots to take hold while others in the smaller pots are in an area that seems limiting. I even changed one of the pots I noticed had a crack. I didn’t want a sister in the ward to feel they were undeserving or had to settle for an inferior gift. 

I was pleased the flowers were still alive and looking good after the day some were repotted, even though I’d been a little rough on some of them. I remembered that today, I am alive and looking pretty good, even after life had been a little rough lately.  Today, I learned from a flower, about Heavenly Fathers tenderness and compassion for each of us, especially His daughters.  I think these flowers might just be a great tribute.