A Little Boost from Dr. Seuss

I just got back from Costco.  Food shopping, but I found this little jewel from Dr. Seuss: "Oh, the Places You'll Go!"  For some reason I've never read it.  My brother got a copy as a gift when he graduated from college.

 

Apparently this book is a popular graduation gift.  I thought I heard somewhere that he gave this as a graduation speech once, but I can't find any indication of this.  Instead I found that this is the last book he wrote and was published while he was alive, when he was battling cancer.

Everyone should read it at least once, regardless of where you are in life.  You can start fresh at any point.  But also, this book deals with the dark, lonely times of life as well, which we all pass.  I read this book while in the book section of Costco, and I fought tears as the message touched my soul, finding hope in the message.

So if you're starting a new path, or a little lost on the path you're on, or even if you feel fine in your direction, finding this book to read is always a good idea.  It's a nice reminder.

Also, a little random, did you know the term Nerd is credited to Dr. Seuss?  He wrote the word in the book If I Ran the Zoo.  Though I just finished reading a little debate on where the term Nerd comes from, if it is Dr. Seuss, or simply sprung up around the same time by coincidence.  Geek, originally, was a circus performer who bites off the heads of chickens.  Seriously.  I used to think of myself as more of a geek, but I have a visual thinking memory, and now I just see headless chickens, and it's not a pleasant image.  Though I do like to call my decorating style as "girly geeky chic," because "girly nerdy chic" doesn't sound as good.

Heh, okay, off tangent.

I truly recommend "Oh, The Places You'll Go!" if you haven't read it.  Read it at a book store or library if that's you're option.  This book is really a gem.  And Dr. Seuss is truly a genius.   A creative giant.

Finding Utah in Orvieto Italy

While wandering the beautiful streets of Orvieto I found a travel advertisement for California and Monument Valley in Utah.  Utah!!  Here I was in this charming Italian village on a hill, and they're advertising Utah.  And then I realized how much of my own backyard I haven't ventured.

I've never been to Monument Valley.  Never been to Bryce Canyon or Canyonlands.  It's just one of those realizations of how I'm always dreaming of far off places, while not exploring the magnificent places that are a short drive away.  Well, Monument Valley is about a 6 hour or so drive with stops, but still, that's a days drive.

It was interesting seeing a little piece of home in this little Italian Village.

(Monument Valley is based in Utah, but also spreads into Arizona.)

 Such charming passages and streets. :0)

Visiting the Latter-Day Saints Rome (Roma) Temple Open House in Italy

 

The real reason many of us wanted to visit Italy.  The Rome (Roma) Temple Open House for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  I've blogged in the past about other temple open houses, this is the furthest I've ever traveled to visit one.

That morning our tour group visited the Vatican City.  We saw the Sistine Chapel.  Saw the grandeur.  Marvelous works of art and architecture.  So it seemed visiting the Latter Day Saint temple open house would be a let down, but it wasn't.  This Temple is simple in comparison to that found in Rome and elsewhere, and yet it is elegant, the insides beautiful.  Sun light streamed through the stained glass windows in the most wonderful way while we stood in the Celestial room.  I didn't want to leave this room, looking over my shoulder to catch one last glimpse as I walked through the doors.

 First views of the Temple.

The visitors center.

There's a model of the Temple showing each room in miniature.

Christ and his apostles.

Early missionaries to Italy.

That Sunday we attended a church service in Florence.

There were 5 tour buses in total!  There were over 350 people scattered between the upstairs chapel and the lower rooms.  It took about 30 minutes to serve the sacrament to everyone.  Most of our tour opted to go to the other rooms were there was an English translator.  My Mom, Aunt, and I stayed in the chapel.  I don't understand Italian, but I wanted to hear the sacrament talk, given by one of the sisters in the ward, in the Italian language.  I didn't understand, but I felt what she was saying.  I felt her deep testimony and love for the Savior.  This was a truly beautiful experience.

It was also fun singing in Italian.

Before the meeting started a boy handed out these little papers to the visitors.  He was also waiting outside to say goodbye to everyone leaving.  He was probably 8 or 9 years old, and yet such an exceptional young man.

I really loved this visit.

Snowed In at St. George Utah

 I just got back from St. George Utah.  It was a family trip, one scheduled a while back with a date that couldn't be moved.  As Monday approached it was clear a major snow storm would sweep through the whole western United States.

I went with my Mom, Aunt Tam, and Grandma, and we were supposed to come back Wednesday.  Each day it seemed the upcoming storm was getting worse. 

 The drive between Northern to Southern Utah along I-15 is an interesting one.  There's mountains.  There's some kind of weird car death trap between mile marker 100-150, in which I've been stranded 3 times.  Getting stuck in the middle of Utah during a snow storm sounded less than ideal, so we pushed our trip back to coming home today.  Yesterday may have been fine, but we wanted to be safe, and today the sun was out, the road clear.

 Palm trees covered in snow.

 St. George was covered in snow as I walked to the main hotel building for breakfast Thursday.  Red rocks turned white.  A guy coming out of the building wished me a sarcastic Merry Christmas.  He was none too pleased.  I found the whole experience fascinating.  I've visited St. George so many time, many times during the Winter, and never have I seen it snow.

I have a few friends in Nevada, a couple in Las Vegas, and they were sharing all these photos of it snowing there as well.  And on T.V. I saw a report of it snowing in Bakersfield, an hour from where I grew up, so that was crazy.

Friday morning the storm passed Southern Utah, but was still hitting the central state.

Well, I'm home.  I'm always thankful for a safe trip.

And it's always fun when surprising new things happen.