Temples, Visits, and HOME - Adventures with Lucy Part II

After a wonderful weekend in the Philadelphia area, we headed to Columbus Ohio.  On the way, we stopped for a quick visit and lunch with the Reibers.  I have known Crystal for about 20 years, but this is the first time we actually met!  

Pat, Edy, Larry, Crystal 

 The drive to Ohio was beautiful--this doesn't do it justice!

Tuesday we spent a long day in the car as we drove from Columbus to Nauvoo.  Our reason for going to Nauvoo was to go to the temple; unfortunately, it didn't happen because it was closed for routine cleaning and maintenance.

In front of the temple is a statue of Joseph and Hyrum as they rode to Carthage.

 After having dinner at the only place available, Hotel Nauvoo. . . .

 . . . we drove around to see some of the historic sites.  They were all closed, so we had to settle for a quick drive by and a photo.

William Field's Cabin

Patty Sessions' Cabin

Lyon Drug and Variety Store

Jonathan Browning Gunsmith, Blacksmith, and Ferrier

Joseph Smith Manson House

Vinson Knight Home

Riser Boot and Shoe Shop

Print Shop

John Taylor Home and part of the Post Office

Stoddard Tin Shop

Scoville Bakery

Cultural Hall

Heber C. Kimball Home

Lucy Mack Smith Home

Brigham Young House

Seventies Hall

Sidney and Phoebe Rigdon Home

Blacksmith and Farrier

Wainwright

Red Brick Store

Pendleton Home and School

Brickyard

Wednesday morning we headed for Milan, Illinois, where we were going to stay with Ken and Marilyn Bush, Pat's cousins. On our way, Lucy directed us to get on a highway that was not accessible.  I made a U-Turn, and Lucy told us to take this road--we did!  It was a farm road!

 We saw beautiful fields ready for planing.  There has been so much rain that they can't plant yet.

 Marilyn's sister Rita Ohland came over for lunch.  Here are the three cousins:  Rita, Pat, and Marilyn.

Marilyn is the quintessential farmer's wife:  cooking is her specialty.  She prepared mile-high meatloaf for lunch and served it with green beans, potatoes, and strawberry upside down cake for dessert.  That evening she prepared chicken, asparagus, salad, rolls, and a luscious layered lemon wonder for dessert.  Three of her five children joined us:

Back: Edy, Marty, Julie and Steve, Asmae, Karen and Mark; Front: Pat, Ken, and Marilyn

And here is their beautiful farm house.

 And the sign for their farms:

After a hearty breakfast, we headed for Omaha, Nebraska on Thursday morning.  Pat snapped a few pictures of the farmland we passed.

Our final temple was the Winter Quarter's Temple in Omaha, Nebraska:

Entrance

 When we came back to the hotel, I took a walk around the building and found this: A nice area with lighted trees--and it isn't even Christmas!

 There is a park at the back of the hotel focusing on Nebraska wild animals:  buffalo and Canadian geese:

For all the months we've had Lucy, she will work well and then function like a crackpot.  Well, Friday morning, she was cracked!  Don't know what happened.  I had her in the storage area between the seats. When we went to use her on Friday, she was cracked and refused to work.  She served us well, but no worries, I pulled out my trusty phone.  We traveled across Nebraska (flat comes to mind!) and stayed in Cheyenne.  Now we are only ONE state away from HOME!

And here is a reminder of flat Nebraska:

As we've driven across the country the last few days, I often reflected about the pioneers who left so much behind them and went west.  I've seen the beautiful, lushness of the east and ask myself what they must have thought and felt as they ended up in an uncivilized desert And why did they sacrifice so much? So they could worship as they chose!  A line in a song states, "Blessed, honored pioneers." Yes they are blessed and honored.

We left Cheyenne, Wyoming, early Saturday morning.  As we drove across Wyoming, Pat took some pictures as the terrain began to change from flat to mountainous:

 We saw snow on distant peaks and on the side of the road:

 Our hearts soared when we saw this sign:

 And a few moments later we were in Utah.  Pat loved the rock formations we saw after crossing into Utah:

 And look at the gorgeous sky!

 At 12:44, we rounded the corner and saw our HOME!

We were greeted by these precious little ones and a bouquet of yellow flowers (because yellow is my favorite color.)

Mimi and Sarah - pure joy!

Just after 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 12, 2019, Elder and Sister McGee were officially released as full-time missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

How grateful we are to have been given the opportunity to serve in the Canada Montreal Mission.  We love the Lord; we love His Church; and we love the CMM. A huge thank you to our family and friends who supported us during the last 19 months.