Aruba...Day 1, 2

Waiting for the airport:

Waiting for the ticket counter to open:

The hot dogs that shocked our system!

We are leaving on a jet plane(sing it!)okay...it's a 747...but close...

Here is the first of many installments chronically logging our last international excursion to the little, yet happy, Caribbean island of Aruba. If the infamous Beach Boy song, which list all the Caribbean get-a-ways, isn't playing in your head, I say let it play...for on this trip we followed the message pretty closely! So our trip begins on Friday night when we decide to stay up all night as a result for the advised three hour arrival before our plane departure at 6:00 a.m. My wonderful little sister Jill has agreed to take us at the dreadfully early hour. I can just say that the minutes before we had to go...there was a lot of silent staring...a lot.
I was nervous that my boarding might turn into a little drama because: I received my passport under my maiden name when I went to Ecuador before my mission. My current ticket has my married name on it. So I copied my married license to show that Wheeler and Romriell are really the same person in hopes that there would be no problems, maybe a slight lecture. WELL...I only had to show the married license ONCE! I love how we have to practically undress ourselves to board the plane, but I can have a Wheeler passport with a Romriell plane ticket-no problem...I guess I should be grateful for the lack of drama...
So we arrived at the airport at 3:00 a.m. (mostly under my coaxing) WELL...did you know that the airport ticket counter never opens before 4:00 in the morning? We learned that the hard way...You were right Nick...
So here comes the day full of planes and phase ten. We leave SLC for Dallas, picked up a hot dog and both reach phase 5 and then flew to Miami picked up more over priced food and reach phase 8. You would be surprised how many friends you make while they cheer you on at phase ten...who knew it was such a international game?
Then we arrived on the 70 square mile island of Aruba at 11:30 p.m. We took a taxi to the hotel (this said taxi also over charged us and stole our traveling pillow-still bitter!)But we where finally at our home away from home. Sleep came quickly that night-to say the least!!!

Life is Funny!

Life is a funny thing. I sit here at the computer, surrounding by sticky notes of "to do", important information, or random stuff that I thought of, but don't want to forget, and I think, "How overwhelming". Just a couple of day ago, when I ran for the HOA board and heard all the complaints, frustration and excitement from my fellow neighbors and I thought, "How intense". Then I think of a week ago when Nick and I traveled all night, through horrid construction and major fatigue, to get to La Grande at 5 in the morning, and I thought, "How rough!" Then I thought of that weekend when my mother was in the hospital, hooked up to IVs and with that glazed look of contentment and confusion that results from a shock to the body's system but a mask of pain killers and I thought, "How tough!" When looking back a full two weeks when the last days of school were crunching down, and I had, what it seemed, a thousand different responsibilities, events and students to organize, and I thought, "How insane!!!" Just looking back over two short weeks, the conflicts, challenges, storms and stress that came our way and now I look at life and think, "How constant". IT never slows down, it's one hill, obstacle, trail or stumbling block after another. I know it is all in how you look at things. Like in the picture above. You can look at this big, fat, man coming at you, scream and think, I am going to be squished! Dreading every bounce made towards you. OR you can laugh right out loud at the fact a big, fat, funny looking man is coming at you. Even if you fall, your fat too and will just bounce right back up again. I think instead of focusing on the scariness of the thing coming at you, one should focus on the strength and power that you possess as well, which is always equal to the task, greater when you lean on the Lord. When you see the full picture-knowing you are just as big and strong, then we can laugh and think, "How funny"! That's right...life is funny.

Pink is a nice color for flowers isn't. IT is almost summer...and I can feel it coming here in this wonderful valley of Utah. It is about time...no more snow please, dear Utah. We are in the second week of June...and often others ask me if I am enjoying my freedom now that school is out and I have my days to myself. All to myself...all alone...by my self...it isn't all it's cracked up to be. To put it plainly I am going insane! I have found that my little feministic independent self doesn't like to be by my self. It's a bit shameful...and pathetic really, but as my husband often says, "It is what it is". And it is not just the fact that I am alone...but I am alone AND with nothing pressing to do. I have lists of things that need to be done around the house, and to update, and organize, but I'll be finished with those in a day. Then what will I do? I need a job...anyone...any ideas?
Speaking of jobs...I have a new responsibility. With a heart felt thank you, I need to thank everyone that came and supported the "cause of change and communication" in voting for me for the HOA board member. And for those that did not vote for me, thank you for coming, voting, and adding your voice. I am a little over whelmed at this opportunity, but I am very excited about the chance to open channels of communication through committees chairs, and the much needed WEBSITE!!! My goal is to have it up and running before the end of the year. I would like it sooner, but with monthly meetings, it's hard to make things happen quickly. We'll see how fast things improve, but I have years to make it happen if there are set backs or not. So I am very excited...so thank you all for all the love, advise and for becoming committee members. So here I am in my home...trying to get motivated to get things done, and enjoying the relaxing time that I have.

This is for Jillian...

Another post is coming at ya! No...really your need to answer your phone! Call us ASAP. Here in La Grande...something has come up. Sure love ya!

Merry Mother's Day-or woman's day in my book

I woke to the sounds of, "Oh no...oh great...what the...it's all over the place!" My husband's normally calm voice, came in frustrated tones from the...kitchen? I got up to investigate. There he was in the middle of waffles, smoothies, and paper towels. My Mr. Man was making me breakfast! I was rushed back to bed, still able to hear the breakfast preparations from our cozy bed. It was like a sitcom but on a radio because I could only listen and guess at the struggles-I enjoyed each minute of it. It was a wonderful meal; blue berry waffles, orange juice smoothies, all topped with cool whip. Then I had all of Sunday morning with him-a rare treat for sure. The whole bishopric spoke as well...inspiring and encouraging talks, filled with the spirit that prompted a desire to change, but also an overwhelming feeling affirmation and love. Just what I needed, plus it is sweet to hear your husband bare his testimony, and praise his wife, his mother AND mother-in-law!! More sweet than the taffy all the women received from the ward-even though I still ate my whole bag...by the end of church...sugar rush would be the understatement here. This gorging was saved by a beautiful Sunday walk with my husband...we even saw a deer! A dinner was cooked together-messy but fun! Then the night ended with tons of dancing. To what you may ask-our wedding soundtrack. Still the best put together love songs CD ever made-even if I do say so myself. What a day...I felt like a Queen! How I love a national holiday that, though commercialize, still allows the celebration of women and their divine and noble calling...their never ending influence, strength and love for all those around them. So to all those women, mothers, aunts, daughters, grandmothers, nieces and granddaughter...keep it up and THANK YOU!!!