Thankful Me

The view from an overlook in Tijuca National Park shows dense jungle in the foreground and the high-rise buildings of Rio de Janeiro near the water and at the base of the mountains in the background My husband recently re-retired, and we are front-loading travel. My #AtoZChallenge posts this year will explore our adventures—some pre-retirement, some post. Today’s location: Tijuca National Park in Brazil.  Tijuca National Park is smack dab in the middle of the bustling city of Rio de Janeiro, yet feels miles away. Entering the park, you leave behind the buildings and crowds and find yourself in the jungle, with its dense canopy of trees and abundant wildlife.  We chose to take a small guided tour, comprised of just our guide, my husband and me, and one other couple. Our guide spends nearly every day inside the park, even on his days off. He told us that the majority of the residents of Rio have never even been inside Tijuca National Park. That is an amazing, yet sad, fact, beca...

The view of the baseball field at Hammond Stadium from the stand behind home plate My husband recently re-retired, and we are front-loading travel. My #AtoZChallenge posts this year will explore our adventures—some pre-retirement, some post. Today’s location: Spring Training. I recognize that “Spring Training” isn’t actually technically a location, but my husband assures me it means one of two places, so it counts. 😊In our case, we went to Fort Myers, Florida, to watch a game between the Minnesota Twins and the Baltimore Orioles.  A whiteboard in the stadium displays the starting lineup Baseball is America’s pastime, and has significance to my family, too. I grew up hearing how my great-grandpa played for a professional ball team, how my grandpa and his brothers were invited to try out for the St. Louis Cardinals during spring training and (although neither my grandpa nor his brothers made the team), my grandpa was catcher during the try-outs when both Paul and Dizzy Dean were hit...

Sunset over Rio de Janeiro. Christ the Redeemer stands on top of the highest mountain peak. My husband recently re-retired, and we are front-loading travel. My #AtoZChallenge posts this year will explore our adventures—some pre-retirement, some post. Today’s location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  Rio de Janeiro has one of the most beautiful physical settings of any city. The sugar loaf mountains rise dramatically from the nearby beaches, and Christ the Redeemer stands, arms outstretched, looking over the entire area.  It is absolutely stunning! A small boat glides through the water as the sun sets behind the mountains of Rio de Janeiro The mountains are called sugar loafs because they resemble the shape of the molded sugar that was traditionally sold in Brazil. Although there are many mountains with that shape, there is one in particular that is known to locals and tourists alike as Sugar Loaf. That one has a tram that can be ridden to the top and offers spectacular views of the c...

  An image portraying an empty tomb, with sunlight streaming into it I've had a busy week, as John and I went with his sister and brother-in-law on a BYU chartered cruise to Mexico. While the cruise was sports-themed, the arts were also well-represented. We had an absolute blast! The Family Feud game with the sports legends had us all laughing so hard, as did some of the panel discussions. Who knew that Jim McMahon, Jason Buck, and Lee Johnson could be so funny? David Osmond and Savannah Stevenson gave a musical performance that was the best I've seen on a cruise ship. We swam with dolphins and had a hands-on stained glass class. We really had a great time.  Arriving home, we were greeted not only by Drexel, our devoted dog, but also by beautiful flowers: on the redbud tree, apple tree, tulips, and forsythia. The lilacs are budding.  Even though the week has been so much fun, and I'm happy to be home, this week's Easter Ten Things of Thankful can be summed up easily: I...

  A pastel image of a lake and the sun shining through the trees with the words, "Be STILL and know that I AM GOD" superimposed on the photo Though the world can be busy, crowded, and noisy, there are still quiet places where it is easier to slow down, take a deep breath, and just be still. For example, though Naples, Italy was frenetically overwhelming to me even in the off-season, Lake Como stood in stark contrast as an achingly-beautiful, calm oasis.  The Swiss Alps in the distance, and Italian villas on the shore of Lake Como Whether traveling, or at home, seeking and finding quiet places is essential for mental health. I have found that peace comes most readily when I take the time to reach out to God, to rely on His strength, and to recognize His mercy and grace in my life. Seeing His beautiful creations is one way to feel that peace.  A frozen waterfall in winter in Utah The view from a cruise ship of the full moon shining down on the ocean A large yellow water lil...

  "Petrified Forest National Park" states the sign in the parking lot of the visitor's center My husband recently re-retired, and we are front-loading travel. My #AtoZChallenge posts this year will explore our adventures--some pre-retirement, some post. Today's location: Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona. The name of Petrified Forest National Park gives away its main attraction: the acres upon acres of fossilized logs, remnants of an ancient forest. From the visitor's center, a short trail leads guests on a path to some of the biggest trees. One of the logs has been named "Old Faithful," because it is to Petrified National Park what the Old Faithful geyser is to Yellowstone National Park. Albert Einstein and his wife had their photo taken in front of the petrified Old Faithful in 1931, and the park encourages visitors now to snap a selfie at the same location. My husband John and I stand in front of the 35-foot-long "Old Faithful," a pe...

  Ferns and tall evergreen trees line a creek in Olympic National Park My husband recently re-retired, and we are front-loading travel. My #AtoZChallenge posts this year will explore our adventures--some pre-retirement, some post. Today's location: Olympic National Park in Washington. Having grown up on the western side of Oregon, lush green moderate climates always make me feel at home, and the damp Olympic National Park is no exception. Although visiting a temperate rain forest sounds exotic, my daughter learned (to her disappointment decades ago) that monkeys and parrots do not make the Olympic National Park their home. However, quite a few Roosevelt elk, North America's largest type of elk, reside in the Olympic National Park. A couple of large Roosevelt elk stand among the ferns and trees Not only are the elk large there, but some of the world's largest trees are found in the Olympic National Park.  My husband stands at the base of the world's largest spruce tree. ...