OK. I am still alive! Sorry it's been a while. I'll finish up our Nauvoo trip and then get on with our life!

Our first evening there Bryan stayed behind to study (the studious boy that he is....) One of our first stops was the Mississippi River. I cannot believe how big it is! To think that so many people walked across it on the ice just astounds me. That took guts. (and a lot of faith)

Of course the little boys much preferred to throw rocks into the river, I kept having to tell Daniel to get smaller rocks, one time He grabbed a huge stick (more like a tree limb) that must have been 7 feet long and tried to throw it in. It didn't go very far, but it was sure funny to watch my little man try. Check out the rock in his hand, he's in heaven.

I loved this statue they have next to the river, it's of Joseph Smith pointing the way the to Brigham Young. Behind the statue is a building with a memorial wall with the names of all the saints that left Nauvoo but never made it to Salt Lake City. I was pretty sad to see how many people died on the way. One of my ancestors was on the wall (Jeremiah Leavitt) and it just reminded me of, not only how much he sacrificed, but how hard it must have been for his wife to press on with 13 children to care for herself.

(This photo is of my sister and her family, and a cute little Daniel for good measure.)

The temple is by far the most beautiful part of it all. It is on top of the hill and surrounded by green. I just love that the church has been able to restore what the pioneers had worked so hard for and lost.

I don't know why I like this photo, I just do, it's of my sister trying to figure out how to use my tripod for the first time. We were photography nerds together, until I broke her brand new camera that is. Really? You say. Yep. Brand spankin' new camera that I destroyed. Tell you about it later. (got to stay in chronological order so I don't confuse my overtaxed mind. The other day I turned and asked Bryan, "What state is Michigan in?" Yeah. I'm that special)