Be where your feet are

Hello followers! ...all three of you. I just returned from an adventure which covered most of the country! Not really. There was a lot of driving though. If you're following this blog, you clearly must know me and my family (why else would you be following it?), so you would most likely know that my sister, Sara, just reported to the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah, on August 1st, 2012 (last week). My family and I had the superb opportunity to drive out there as a family and drop her off at the training center. It took us four days to get to Provo from our home in Florida. Normally, it would take three days, but the extra day was because we stopped to see Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. IT WAS AMAZING! My mom had an anxiety attack (not really...) because the boys were being boys, and not staying on the trails. So that was fun. Then we drove through a butt-load of mountains, which gave my mother another anxiety attack (exaggeration) because she wasn't fond of me nearly driving off cliffs. What a silly woman, right? ;)

Now! I am going to begin at the beginning of the trip, and try to go in chronological order. And I'll be story telling along the way.

On our way into Louisiana, I asked Luke to snap a photo of the "Welcome to Louisiana" sign. He tried...

This was a really nice sink that I saw (and used) in Louisiana. Comforting. Just like home :)

I saw this and just had to snap a picture. It helps explain our driving trip through Louisiana, too! It was "OK"! :)

WECLOME TO TEXAS! (Biggest freaking state in America. I thought I'd never get out!)

The trees on the right are... dead. The trees on the left are... just like Florida trees.

We did catch an intense storm in mid-Texas. It was awesome. We just barely got out before the hail started! Dang it.

Peculiar plant in Texas.

You'd better believe I was watching for them! Heck, I was SEARCHING for them!

The temperature dropped 30 degrees within half an hour. Hello, bipolar Texas!

Ok, but seriously. THE SKY IS HUGE IN TEXAS!

This baby "Buzby" as I named him, stayed on my windshield from somewhere near Amarillo, Texas to the middle of New Mexico. When we finally stopped in NM, he tried to fly off, but he was so buzzed (pun intended) by traveling at 70+ MPH for 5 hours, all the while holding on for dear life. He sort of fell to the ground after taking flight. Not to mention that his wings were jacked up because of all that! What a trooper!

Here is where I let Buzby go. The cutest tiny gas station on Route 66 in New Mexico.

This was the owner's (?) dog at the cute gas station mentioned and showed above. He was so old. I wanted to keep him. I love German Shepherds.

This cactus will be important in a second, just keep scrolling...

Luke "brushed up" against that cactus in New Mexico. He's such a smart kid :)

I love the red rocks in New Mexico!

Prettiest sunset when we were in Arizona. Poor picture, though.

Sooooo... Don't trust Siri. Ever. Especially when you ask her to text your dad. This is HILARIOUS to me. It seriously makes me bust up every time.

THIS place, my friends... is GRAND. Seriously, pictures do not do this place justice. It's so amazing. I only included two of the pictures of the actual canyon, because after trying to decide which ones to use, I realized... they all  look the same. So try and imagine these pictures times 1000. It's amazing.

Grand Canyon National Park - Arizona

This is a squirrel. Or a chipmunk. I'm not sure which. It was eating right above my head though :)

This, good friends, is an Amethyst. This is my birth stone, and it's always been my favorite. Purple is one of my favorite colors :)

Aaaaaand, my wallet. I love this sucker. It makes me feel like a hipster. But I kind of like that feeling, so it's ok.

Yet again, red rocks. Love these things. Thank you, Arizona! :o)

This sight almost brought tears to my eyes. Pathetic, I know. But I love this place.

We stopped for ice cream in Kanab, Utah. This was over their toilet! Adorable :) "Lower the lid, ladies present. A wet behind is most unpleasant!"

I die every time I see these. I miss mountains.

Heck yeah.

THIS is how Utah welcomed me. Freaking cool. To my right were these mountains. The sun was shining DIRECTLY on them.

To my left were these mountains, trying to drown the setting sun.

This is my heart and soul, Ginger. She's seriously the snuggliest ball of fur I've ever snuggled with.

This cup here holds nectar of life. Most people call it Jamba Juice.

AT THE MALL. Seriously?! I almost died of happiness right there. (Note: The middle and bottom pictures on the left side are the Sydney Opera house in Australia, and St. Basil's Cathedral in Russia. Those would have also contributed to my dying.)

PROVO CANYON/BRIDAL VEIL FALLS. One of my favorite places.

I was the only one in flip flops, so my dad told me to get in the water. HOLY MACARONI, it was freezing! I was hooked.

The falls. Bridal Veil Falls. Very appropriate for Utah, I suppose ;)

Sorella (Sara) Willis on a rock at Bridal Veil Falls.

The whole family (sort of) on the rocks at Bridal Veil Falls.

I love mountains, and overgrown Christmas trees!

Kaleb playing in the fountains in the City Creek Center, Salt Lake City. Beautiful :)

The old Tabernacle! :)

The Willis family with the Christus in the Visitor's Center on Temple Square. Front: Me, Kaleb, Luke, Adam, Courtney, mom. Back: Jacob, dad, Sara. Precious :)

The ladies! Me, Caroline, Courtney, and Sara.

Las familias son eternas! Me, Jacob, Luke, mom, Sara, dad, Courtney, Kaleb, and Adam. The family all together (minus one :( ) at the Salt Lake Temple. BEAUTY.

I braided Courtney's hair for her. It's lopsided... I haven't worked on an adult's head in a long time though, so that's my defense.

OH, that hike! We hiked to the Y in Provo. It was that steep. Probably worse. It was awesome! I'd do it again a thousand times over.

The view of Provo from mid-mountain.

The view of Provo from the top of the Y! THAT THING IS HUGE (the actual Y)!

CIAO, SORELLA WILLIS! Kickin' Sara to the curb so she can go be a missionary in Milan, Italy!!

THEN WE WENT PAINTBALLING!!

Courtney and me loading up our guns. I feel like a pansy for wearing that vest. I should have been more of a man!

This is what I did to my dad. My ONLY kill, and it was dad. That was an accomplishment! :)

Then, we left Utah the next day and I was miserable. x(

These windmills were in Wyoming.

Drivers in Wyoming are really smart. Clearly.

Horses... and rainbows? I could die like a princess!! Wait! Princesses don't die... Sorry.

Nebraska.

Nebraska has killer skies!

The Nauvoo, Illinois LDS Temple. BEAUTIFUL!

A statue of the first vision of Joseph Smith :)

The Christus in the Nauvoo Visitor's Center.

The Sun Stone from the original Nauvoo Temple built by the saints in 1846 (I believe).

The Temple, looking at the sunset.

Bagpipe-ers before the pageant in Nauvoo.

Getting ready for the pageant :)

The part of the pageant when the saints completed the Nauvoo Temple :)

The end of the pageant, with the actual temple behind the stage all lit up. That part was magical.

Joseph and Hyrum Smith.
- And it came to pass that the Lord said unto me: If they have not charity it mattereth not unto thee, thou hast been faithful; wherefore, thy garments shall be made clean. And because thou hast seen thy weakness thou shalt be made strong, even unto the sitting down in the place which I have prepared in the mansions of my Father.
- And now I, Moroni, bid farewell unto the Gentiles, yea, and also unto my brethren whom I love, until we shall meet before the judgement-seat of Christ, where all men shall know that my garments are not spotted with your blood.
Ether 12:37-38 (The verses Hyrum read in Carthage Jail only moments before they were killed.)

Nauvoo, Illinois Temple.

That's a horse. If you didn't know.

Luke, Kaleb, and Jacob playing with spinning tops.

Toy horses made of tree branches :)

Lots of pioneer toys.

Jacob attempting to walk on stilts.

That would be a wagon.

Making a horse shoe.

Luke's and my Prarie Diamonds. They're actually just nails ;)

Pretty pottery.

Kaleb, helping make rope! :)

The temple, again :)

Joseph and Hyrum at Carthage.

The outside of Carthage Jail, where Joseph Smith was martyred. He fell through that second story window. It was crazy to be exactly where he must have laid, dying. It's nearly impossible to fathom.

The family with Joseph and Hyrum at Carthage Jail.

Now, in closing of this post, I would like to share something I recalled from Time Out For Women. When I took the picture at the bottom of this post, it reminded me of a talk Laurel Christensen gave at TOFW this year, and it was by far, my favorite one. I often get way ahead of myself. I start planning my future way ahead. I've actually already decided what grades I'm going to get on my last 5 classes in my Associates Degree. A little too far, right? So, the one message that I can easily remember from Sister Christensen's talk is this.

Be where your feet are.

The picture that Laurel Christensen used in her talk was this painting by Cassandra Christensen Barney:

 I'm always daydreaming. On the way home from Utah, I wasn't even really paying attention to what state we were in. I was busy planning out my life once I move to Provo in January. Now, there's nothing wrong with planning. In fact, planning is a good thing! Be prepared! But, my problem is, I'm a daydreamer. I think about everything else, except what I'm doing at that moment. So as I was going through pictures of the trip while in the car on our way home, I saw this picture and remembered Sister Christensen's message. It's now my goal to "be where my feet are." On the way up to Utah, I was so fascinated by the change in environment (mountains, dry air, etc.) that every single state we passed through, I got even more excited. After being in Utah, Utah was the only state I was excited about until we got to Nauvoo (which isn't a state... I'm aware). "Ok, yeah... we're in Wyoming. I'd rather be in Utah."  Every single time we passed a state border, no lie. But I know if I would have "been where my feet are," I would have enjoyed the trip home much more. I don't want to miss out on fun adventures or learning opportunities because I'm busy daydreaming about things I think I want. That would stunt my growth. I want to be constantly progressing. I'm now going to work on where I'm at. Appreciate what I have NOW, instead of long for what I don't.

Anyway, this post is humongous, and I doubt more than two of you will completely read it. It's 12:10 AM, and I have work tomorrow. I'm dumb.

Thanks for stopping by, it makes me feel good :)

Elisa