Washington

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Thanksgiving

I know, I know, I have not been keeping this as up todate as I could.  Oh well, things are going very well.  I am enjoying life and have had a great refreshing break.  Just a few more weeks and then I am done and headed back to Utah for graduation, marriage, and happily ever after.
For Thanksgiving Break Anna Badger, Brad Hales, and Jeana Stuart all came to visit for the holiday.  It was great to have them here and I very much enjoyed their presence.  It was quite the adventure.  They arrived on last Friday and I took all of them back to the airport today for them to fly out.  I assume they made their flights and are all safely at home now.  With most of which I write, there will be photos to go along in the Thanksgiving Gallery.
In preparation for their coming, Genny in the office got them tours at the White House, Capitol, Library of Congress, National Cathedral, and the Bureau of Printing and Engraving.  They went and saw several other museums and various other things around Washington DC.  Last Friday night we went on a midnight visit of some of the monuments.  We went to the Jefferson, Lincoln, Washington, FDR, and other things around Washington.  I showed them the main buildings and gave them a sort of feel for the overall layout of the area.
Saturday we went to the Washington DC temple.  We also paid a little visit to Georgetown and went to Arlington National Cemetery.  Sunday we went to church and the Washington Memorial Masonic Lodge.  Monday through Wednesday they went on their tours.  Monday afternoon I met them at the Library of Congress and went on that tour with them.  It was amazing.  I really appreciated the beauty and time that obviously went into the building.  Very impressive building.  I took them back through the tunnels to Russell from the Library of Congress.  That was quite a bit of a walk through the house buildings, Capitol and back.  They enjoyed it.  Tuesday I gave them their tour of the Capitol and tried to sneak in some extra perks for them, however, with another couple on the tour we did not get to show as much as I could have.  Wednesday I got off work at noon and went and met them at the Museum of American History.  I enjoyed that.  I could have spent quite a bit more time there.  I enjoyed the science aspect, nuclear, transportation, First Lady, and Presidential exhibits.  I could have spent a few more hours in the building.  I will have to pay them another visit.  There are a few museums I still have not seen.  I want to see the Native American, Modern Art, Printing and Engraving, and spy museum.  Sometime I will have to pay them a visit.  I suppose there is always a time in the future.
Thanksgiving was great.  We enjoyed a trip to Mt. Vernon and had a great time.  You can see the pictures from that adventure.  Yesterday we trekked to Monticello and Montpelier, but due to circumstances and preference, we did not get into either.  At one it was “too cold” and the other we were “too late” so what was to be done.  However, I stumbled on another little town I would love to move to some day and spend the rest of my life.  Orange, Virginia, an amazingly beautiful little town.  There are a few of them in my life.  Ashland, Kansas; Blair, Nebraska; Quray, Colorado; and now Orange, Virginia.  It was amazingly beautiful.  I hope some day I can organized a piece of property into something so magnificent so as to add to the community to which I belong.  We all loved the beautiful well kept estates that lined the roads.  Orange was particularly beautiful.
We all come to understand each other a little more, we come to see and understand our weaknesses and strengths a little more, and hopefully we will have learned from our close interactions.  I sure enjoyed their company and the opportunity to entertain guests.  More importantly, it gave a little more initiative to get out and see some of what I am surrounded by.
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Masons

Well, just a little short entry about a trip on Saturday.  Gwen took me to the Washington-Alexandria Memorial Masonic Temple.  I have seen the building many times before, especially since the Metro goes right past it and it is off the King Street platform.  I remember flying into DC and seeing the temple out the window and thinking it was a county building or a judicial building.  However, it is a Masonic Temple built in memory of George Washington.  George Washington belonged to the Lodge in Alexandria.  It is a fully operational Masonic Temple, but it also doubles as a museum for George Washington.  It was fascinating.  The first time I have been given a tour of a Masonic Temple.  Always had to do my own exploring before.
It was very interesting.  It gave quite a bit of history of Solomon’s Temple and attempted to recreate many scenes within.  If you look at my pictures you will see pictures of some of it.  Big sculptures of Washington dressed as a Mason.  There are many pictures from the temple.  The other pictures of from Mt. Vernon, Washington’s home.  There is a man making his own lace.  How very interesting!  Washington’s carriage and chariot.  There was all kinds of things.  In the temple they had a bunch of crusader things that were the real thing!  No replicas, real armor and sabers from the time period!  It was all very interesting.  Especially in relation to the LDS temple.  Some claim we got our ordinances and material from the Masons.  (If you do your history Joseph knew of the temple things almost 10 years before he joined the Masons)  Anyhow, they have many interesting things.
George Washington is everywhere here.  Rightly so, he was an amazing man.  Anyhow, that is all I have for tonight.
Oh, I saw Rosa Parks today.  That was interesting to see someone lay in state.  Another significant thing for my time in DC.
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Heritage

I am an Idaho boy from the farm land.  Interested in politics and law.  I love to learn the diversity of operations of all aspects of life.  While I am not as aggressive in pursuing that information as I probably should be, I have found great joy in what I have learned.  Coming from a home which is broken, but yet somehow set the stage for a great foundation.  While the parents were not role models, yet they were in so many ways.  My mother just let a few weaknesses, especially that of bitterness and negativity take over her life.  It in the end ruined all she had.  I have a connection with the land and find I can connect with nature.  The desert somehow is where the greatest bond comes.  I find it in the mountains and other places, but the desert speaks to me.  It lives and I feel it move.  I have such a wide variety of interests I wonder where to start.  My hobbies are far and wide, but mostly are connected with history; of any type.  Somehow I find that I cannot comprehend the present without the past.  I struggle with where to hand facts without the branch to which they belong.  Somehow I can deal with branches barely, but trees and forests are much more manageable.  I have a family I admire, but yet provide the greatest learning opportunities.  I have learned from many other people who are continually blessing my life.  I hope that I may be as great a blessing to them as they are to me.  I have a blessed love in my life right now.  She is the best thing that ever happened to me.  We are engaged to be married on the 20th of December.  We are waiting until then for my return from Washington DC.  I will be in DC for 4 months.  I love her more than everything.  Nothing else matters to me anymore.  Besides the Gospel, she is the center of my universe.  I adore and worship her to the extent I am allowed by the Gospel and personal capability.  She is my greatest blessing.  She reminds me so much of the relationship I had with my sweet grandmother.  The relationship was amazing with her.  However this one is far beyond anything I could have ever experienced with her.  The relationship with Alcyone is deeper, more beautiful, magnified, and more expansive.  Plus with the added attributes that accompany physical contact.  A kiss from her is far exceeding anything I could have or should have felt with my Grandma.  Alcyone is so beautiful.  I am amazed at her beauty every time I see her.  She doesn’t believe me, but even after she has awakened in the morning, I find her still stunningly beautiful.  Besides all the physical attraction, there is a bond which runs deep and spiritual.  We understand and think alike, even when we don’t speak.  In fact, we don’t even have to be near each other.  I awake in the night and know of her.  Anyhow, life is wonderful.  I love it.  I am blessed beyond anything I could ever ask for.  Right now life consists of CAFTA, working hard for new contacts for the business I work for, and living to see my love.  Oh, I am doing online courses as well as trying to get my insurance license.  I don’t know what the future holds for me, but I anticipate it with joy.  I am thrilled for the ways my life has been directed.  I hope that I have handled the situations as fully as I could have and Father will continue to bless me.  Well, I will sign off.  I love life, I love the world, I love the Lord, and I hope to gain the most of life.