Sunday, September 14, 2008

Having fun exploring Monument Valley





Dear Family and Friends,

 

Yesterday Diana and I went on the most fun hike.  We both decided it was the most fun we had ever had on a date.  We drove up Horse canyon and ended up near the teardrop behind our apartments.  I had heard from students that there were some ancient Anasazi ruins on the other side of the big rock from the Teardrop.  We hiked over there and sure enough, there was an ancient ruin.  It is in really amazing condition.  It sits about 15 feet off of the canyon floor in an alcove in the sandstone.  There is a little window and everything.  We hiked a little further and found a way back in.  We had to hunker down through one natural arch on the way into the ruin.  After that arch, the path opened up into a little flat area.  Next we had to belly crawl through another arch and got right in next to the ruin.  It was really amazing and fun.

 

After that we were hiking back to the car, and I was checking for a way up to the top of the rocks, because it looked like there were some other likely spots to find ruins up above the one we found.  As we walked along, we came to a little chimney up the face of the rock and I saw handholds and footholds carved into the rock.  It was an ancient sandstone ladder.  If was maybe ten feet high, and not vertical, but it would have been very hard to ascend there without the ladder.  We climbed up and got on top and saw some really cool views and some deep sinkholes right tin the middle of the sandstone.  We really had a blast.

 

On a more serious note, we got a visit today from the stake presidency.  They drove all the way down here from Blanding.  They asked me to be the first counselor in the Mexican Hat Branch to President Jim Dandy.  I told them yes, of course.  They will be reorganizing the branch presidency next week. 

 

Today at lunch Mahrin prayed and said “Thank thee that I can eat lunch with my parents…my mom and my dad.”  I thought that was cute. 

 

The other day Diana was watching Spencer, a one-and-a-half year old boy, for the neighbors.  After dinner Diana gave Lara a choice of watching Spencer or clearing the table, her normal job.  She chose Spencer, with the stipulation that she keep a good eye on him.  Pretty soon Diana heard Lara say to Spencer, “No Spencer!  Don’t put that in your mouth!”  Then, after a couple of minutes, Diana heard Lara say, “No Spencer!  Don’t put your foot in the toilet!”  In just a little while, Lara came to Diana with an exasperated expression on her face, and said, “I choose the table.”

 

Sadie is improving in her speech.  She wants a sippy cup at night, and isn’t afraid to let you know about it.  She and Lara do a lot of pretending, and she and Mahrin do a lot of fighting.

 

Adelaide is holding her head up quite a bit.  It is really amazing how fast kids grow up.  Her life so far has gone by in a flash.

 

Things are going really well down here.  We wish you all the best and love you

Lewis, Diana, and the girls