Grandpa supplies OREO's for a party

Visit to see Kaylee and Friends

Another Evening Trip to Washington DC

The Tale of the RING

Tonight I left at around 5:00 to make the trip up to see Margaret and Rick. I have been contemplating this trip for some time. At least since I made a repair trip to our family cabin about the third week in May. Over the winter the tank on the toilet on the top floor froze up and cracked from top to bottom. I was not able to find a replacement for just the tank. This meant I had to replace the entire toilet. Secured the new toilet after some trips to various stores. All the excitement began the night I went up to the cabin with Mom and Dad. Mom and Dad came up to help me get the cabin ready for some of their neighbors that were going to rent it the second weekend in June. I needed to get the toilet repaired before that time. So I remove all the bolts that held it down. Then I felt like it was glued to the floor. I sat down on the floor and used the cabinet as a brace and pushed hard with both feet. The base of the toilet flipped over on its side on the floor letting all the water in the goose neck spill all over. I think tipping the toilet this way dislodged the item I was soon to find. Next I picked up the toilet and took it out on the front lawn of the cabin. Then to get the remaining water out of the toilet I tipped it forward and then back, flipping in completely over. As I was flipping it backwards I looked down at the ground. There on the ground was a gold diamond ring. I knew immediately whose ring it was.

About 10 years ago the Oxborrow family had been staying up at our cabin. As we were all getting ready to leave my sister in laws wedding ring was missing. We tore the cabin apart. Mom even opened up the vacuum bag to see if it had been made it there. Of course we never found it. I don't know how it made it into the toilet but it seems like something of a miracle that it was found at this point in time. I knew that I would not just run down the mountain that night and call and tell them about the find. I wanted to wait for the right moment to give if back to them. Besides it had been lost for 10 years and being lost for a little longer was not going to hurt any one. I figured they would come out to Utah sometime and I could give it to them then. A short time after the discovery I learn I would have an opportunity to come out to Maryland and I knew that that would be my time to present the ring to her as I would want to do. Last week I emailed Rick to see if I could come and visit them while I was in town. Then I called on Sunday when I arrived in town and set Tuesday night as when I would see them.

So I headed up there tonight. The pictures of the Washington DC temple were taken from the top of my steering wheel as I was driving. This was about the worst time to head up their direction. Rush hour traffic and especially heading out highway 270 from the belt route. It took me 2.5 hours to get there. When I arrived we went out to dinner. We placed our order and then I said I had left something in the car. I went out the car and placed the ring in some flowers I had bought on way. It nestled into the flowers pretty good. See pictures below. Anyway came back in with the bouquet in my hand. I am sure they were all wondering what the heck I was doing. Handed the flowers to Margaret and told her to pay special attention to the flowers. She seemed pretty excited when she saw it. Made me feel pretty darn good to be able to deliver something with so much value and definitely some sentimental value also. Dinner was great and the visit was awesome too. They have some great kids and they are a great family.

Trip back home took about an hour as the traffic was not as heavy as earlier. Arrived at the hotel around 11:15pm. I did stop at Wendy's for a frosty. This was a very nice end to a long day.

Washington DC Temple
(From the 495 Belt Route)

The Flower Bouquet
Can you see the RING?

Close up of the RING

Evening in Washington D.C.

Today after work we drove into Washington D.C. Attempted to goto Mt Vernon but arrived a little after 5pm. Park must close at 5pm. Then drove to back to Alexandria and Crystal City along George Washington Memorial Highway. The highway goes along the banks of the Potomac River. A very wide river at this point. Makes you wonder how strong George Washington must have been to throw a coin across the river. We ate in Crystal City at Don Pablos. It was good but left me feeling way full. After our dinner stop we headed into Washington DC. Across the bridge and onto the mall. We drove past many of the Smithsonian museums. Then we found a place to park as close as we could to the Washington Monument. We walked up to and around the base of the monument and then over to the World War II Monument. It was then back to the car. This turned out to be a nice long walk. I tried to drive around the White House but the streets were barricaded several blocks out on all sides. We were however able to get the best view from the back side. I then drove around the Lincoln Memorial and over the the Jefferson Memorial. Found a place to park and walked to the Memorial. There are some very nice quotes on four of the walls. I remember that there were a bunch more quotes around the top ring. . . . . but could not find them this trip. Still took pictures of those I could find. We walked back to the car and drove out of D.C. This was an enjoyable adventure into the city. I really do need to find a way to get some more of my family back here. I love all the history in this area.

Below are some pictures of my adventure. Sorry these are all of places and things so no people stuff here.

Drive toward Mt Vernon, VA

Washington Monument

Sunset
(with plane landing at Reagan National)

Lincoln Memorial

World War II Monument
(Fountain)

World War II
(Gold Stars)

World War II
(Plaque)

Washington Monument
(From Jefferson Memorial)

Jefferson Memorial

Jefferson Memorial
(Quote 1)

Jefferson Memorial
(Quote 2)

Jefferson Memorial
(Quote 3)

Jefferson Memorial
(Quote 4)

Washington Monument
(from Steps of Jefferson Monument)

Visit to see Kaylee

McKenzie, Sarah, Alexa

McKenzie, Alexa, Sarah, Kaylee

Alexa, Kaylee

Grandpa, Kaylee

Kaylee, McKenzie

Kaylee

Kaylee, Alexa

Sarah, Kaylee

McKenzie

Alexa

The Absolutes of the Gospel

"Hearing the words of the Lord lifts us out of spiritual blindness 'into his marvelous light' (1 Peter 2:9).

". . . Much of that light comes from our discipline, dedication, and consecration to some important absolutes. The foremost of these absolutes is that there is a God who is the Father of our souls to whom we account for our actions. Second, that Jesus is the Christ, our Savior and Redeemer. Third, that the great plan of happiness requires obedience to God's commandments. Fourth, that the greatest gift of God is eternal life (see D&C 14:7)."

Topics: happiness, spirituality, truth

(James E. Faust, "The Light in Their Eyes," Ensign, Nov. 2005, 21)

Sunday night -- Alyssa finally sees Kaylee

Alyssa and Kaylee

Mostly Kaylee

Saturday Night at the Rays

Brighton, Alexa and Kaylee

Brighton and Kaylee

Alexa

McKenzie

Kaylee