back in Harrisonburg

I'm not altogether surprised that I haven't touched this blog since I started it up back in April. But I promised myself that I would at least use this space to document my study abroad that begins next week!! So, in keeping with this resolution, I will recount the last week or so to get myself started.

Well, my third sister, Katherine, starts at BYU over summer term, so she, my mom, and the next sister, Miriam, brought her out for the start of term. It's a drive of about 32 hours or so and isn't something to be made lightly. If at all. It was fun having them visit for a week or so and to see people and whatnot, but the term ended quickly and finals, projects, and so forth kept us busy. They arrived Monday and we (me, Miriam, and Mom) left Friday to bring me home before leaving for Ireland on 29 June.

We drove basically straight from Provo back to Virginia, and it was rather torturous as always. We had talked as well about stopping in Independence, Missouri, to visit some Church sites, and had a good time doing so. We saw the RLDS buildings, visited the Church's visitors' center, and also went by Liberty Jail. It was a great experience and I'm really glad we stopped. It was hideously humid.

Around 6:30 Sunday morning we made it back into Harrisonburg. Dad and Stephen were leaving as we turned onto our street for the chapel--they were hosting a Scouts/Fathers' Day breakfast before sacrament meeting and had to get there early. We hurried to shower and dress before getting the younger girls and heading to the chapel ourselves. Stephen was also speaking in Church, which was fun. I dozed through most of the meeting and so Mom and Miriam and I went home afterward. I slept until about 4 pm.

Monday, Stephen and I helped Dad put in a new flowerbed, which took most of the day and gave me a killer sunburn on my neck and arms. The new trees we put in look great, though.

The photo is of Miriam touching the top of the RLDS (Community of Christ) temple in Independence, Missouri. It turned out pretty well.