Mercado Ceres

The market. 

A photographers heaven.  The sights and sounds are so stimulating with color, smell and noise. Foreign to clean packaged supermarkets I am used to.

 

Look closely, those are dead whole chickens. I have never seen the insides of a chicken; I am ready for chicken anatomy 101.  You choose your chicken and they butcher it the way you want right before your eyes.  Quick hacks get rid of toe nails for those who like to eat the feet. 

Today it is full of people making purchases for Christmas.

We buy two gifts for the kids downstairs, some figs and for our present - a mirror.  He walked through the market with this, offering to sell it for more than he bought it for.  No takers...it is ours. 

 

The real tale

This is not a fairy tale.  This is real life. 
There is a big block of time missing from my blog this summer. What was taking my attention? 

3 weeks in Italy with the Delfin's and the Moretti family.  The trip when originally planned was a 6 weeker to see if I could find a job and return in January for a year.  In the midst of preparing to leave, I met someone, Anibal Leoncio Marin Escalante (Leo). He walked up to me outside the doors of the singles ward.  I asked myself for weeks, who was this man?  He came all the way from Sweden and I was the first one he talked to as he confirmed it was the place he was looking for.

The Great Salt Lake

It took another week to hook up and to go on a date.  A spontaneous trip to the Great Salt Lake.  "Oh, you are going to Italy?  Would you consider meeting up in Sweden or Spain?" The possibilities...








Stockholm Temple

One month of quality time later in Salt Lake City, we departed on the trip of a lifetime. I went to Italy, he to Sweden to work and wait for me to join him. I did July 1st.

We spent a week in Stockholm, and two in Spain.  Culminating in getting engaged and buying a ring in Madrid.  Our plan was to go back to the states and marry in October.

Had to have one kissing pic

Torrevieja

Engaged!

European bath- Spain

 

 

 

A couple obstacles stood in the way.  He couldn't get into the country unless we were already married, I couldn't get out of Europe. After 3 attempts for me to fly home standby, we took a minute to think outside of the box.  "Why not just get married here?"  Well, what an option!  Let's pray about that one, right here in the airport. In my minds eye, I saw a big flashing YES, YES, YES sign. We both felt peace and confirmation. Three weeks later, we were married in Stockholm, August 14th.

 

Content in the unknown.  Fine because I have him.  He couldn't get in, I couldn't get out.  What left is there to do?Backtracking forward. 

 

This piece of land is where my fourth great-grandfather lived in Nauvoo Il.  I sat this day in 2003 reading his journal that talked about his desires for his posterity.  His very own journals. This is why I have been inspired to write journal after journal. This blog is calling to me...

Lima, Peru

New husband, family, another country, faith walking...


First meeting

Thanksgiving

Uncle Leoncio's birthday

Cousins

Cousins on Raquel's side

    

 

Faith stepping

I will walk with boldness out into the world - I will get on a plane and go across the world to visit the unknown.  I will put myself out there for the powers of heaven to manifest.  

"and I was led by the spirit not knowing before hand the things I should do"

The buzz of expectancy in every meeting.  To find the future around any corner.  Walk out that front door with a flexible agenda...and watch.   It unfolds in ways you never could imagine.  

"and he went out, not knowing whither he went".  

Offering your desires, giving up your finite ideas to watch connections and links forming into a masterpiece.  Following a bread crumb trail scavenger hunt, a willing mystery.  The excitement of trust.  

"they set forth into the sea, commending themselves unto The Lord their God".  

Take that first step - towards joy.  

"and it came to pass that The Lord God caused..."

The Mountain

Pray through each step.  The storm rages around you. It touches you with stinging force. The waters gathering and rush the trail, covering sure footing. Dark angry clouds flash and boom right here- while you are out in the open.  Uncovered, unprotected from the seemingly unpredictable sparking search for an outlet.  Cold invades your limbs, fingers become numb and painful to the constant opening and closing of fists to ward off hypothermia. 

The storm doesn't stop with our pleadings. The hail continues to humble. Bushes are ill-equipped to shelter.  All we can do is run from it.  The whole mountain to descend.  The rod, a constant prayer out loud:  "please help us, please help us. Help our bodies, help our knees, help our feet, please help us, please help us. Thank you, thank you, thank you for helping us.  Desperate humbling.

Blessed with sturdy feet on the river trail.  A moving target for electricity trying to find the tallest. Strength to run for 3 hours and more miles.  Protection for weak knees to hold out. Mountain held in place from sliding. Extra unseen protection in clothes purposely worn for protecting. He didn't take away the storm, even with our faithful, fervent pleadings. He strengthened us and used our reliance to take each step.

His earth, his children, his power, our experience.  Opportunity to turn to him. How to be grateful?  Whimsy thanks soon to fade with distraction. Life moves forward off the mountain.  Bodies remove the reminders as they miraculously repair and heal. Tender feelings shrink and callous over the urgency of humble dependence. 

We went up to the mountain and found him. 

Stories

Tita Moretti's recollections

We came here to Calco from Milan when the American's were bombing and destroying the houses; there were fires in the town.  I was 6 years old, I remember the fires and how we went undergrown when we heard the alarms at night.  Our whole family came here during those years, aunts, uncles, cousins.

During the war, it was hard to get food, everything was going to soldiers. We made our own butter from our cow, there was pork, we had fruit trees, and a garden.  Difficult to find was butter and milk.  

Then arrived the Americans in 1945 the tanks the 27 of April arrived in the town.  They were handing out  chocolate and caramel candy. Everyone was happy, a liberation from Fascism. I remember they handed out cans of beans that were good.  

Before they arrived, we had many problems for the partisans because the Germans were here.  Mussolini was the king of Italy, the former king left Rome.  The Italian army was without order; some went with Mussolini, some with the partisans to reach freedom from regime of Mussolini.   There was fighting  from partisans and the republic, fighting from the English against the Germans.  The English landed in Sicily and moved north.  They pushed the Germans out.  It was a period of travail.  

I was 9 years old. I remember the aircraft with the guns shooting. We were going to school by bike, and we had to dive in the snow, because the planes were arriving and shooting at the station and at German cars.  But you didn't know where they were shooting so you had to get down. I was the oldest of the group of kids, I was afraid, but interested in the aircraft flying.  In the snow, I looked up at the planes.

Once a bomb fell about 100 meters from us, we heard it in Calco at 8:30 in the morning, we were going to school. I was out looking at the plane, it fell in a field and there was a lot of smoke and noise.  I went back in and everyone was under the table, all the glass was broken, and a lamp fell on my dad’s head when he was shaving.  

Summer 2013

I caught the vision of abundance during my last stay in Italy; why do I have to have "once in a lifetime" experiences only?  I am coming back next summer I pronounced to the world. Why limit myself? 

So I went back. (I am writing this entry a year later).  I pushed the limits even further by going on a side trip all by myself. 

I went to Lake Guarda, the largest lake in Italy.  I stayed 3 days. 

I saw castles, Roman ruins...

I pondered life in an olive grove

 I borrowed a bike and rode around the lake, stopping to swim, eat, take pictures, enjoy

 

On the way back I stopped in Brescia and found a castle!

 

 and gorgeous streets like this one. Of course...I am in Italy!

 

 

 

The Italian wantabe returns to the blog.  Sitting poolside to Tuscany, I see a landscape of fields and hilltop cities.

Not sure if I like this app for Blogger, I can't resize my photos.  Test run#1.

Creating

I have been totally inspired by Emma Lou Thayne's book "A Place of Knowing - A Spiritual Autobiography".  It makes the words just flow...

Where did my dream to live in Italy become?

Under the Tuscan Sun- the love story between a woman and a country-
is where I first felt the desire. 
I imagined it
            settling into the newness
            inserting myself into centuries of lived life
            blending and accustoming.
 

Later, I felt its possibility paling to a sun muted dream

One tucked away into comfortable cells to visit for a fleeting moment. 
One I would just have to store…
Until two Italians pulled up chairs next to me
And breathed expanding air and without effort helped
Those cells express in bright vibrant colors.

With still more to learn and growth to bless (named WNV),
I flow with vibrant swirls of possibility
Now where is that colored dream?

       A black outlined coloring book page waiting for that delight of child to stomach color?

           or a blank page waiting for someone to boldly declare?
                   or a lined pages in this notebook to left brain it out?

I get possibility. 

“…and whatsoever ye shall ask, it shall be given you” Moses 6:52.

_____________________________________________________________

What has happened to me over the 1^st 8 months of last year? 

I have existed on another plane.
I have floated, buoyed up by peaceful heart knowing water wings
that open my spirit mind, the body giving up the wheel, content as a passenger.
Learning to entertain visitors
Each event taking me to a higher high
With no fear of tolerance or need to detox
Not from this substance.

______________________________________________________________

4/7/13

The silence
          of the door opening, the clock ticking
straining to hear movement, voices, a welcoming of love
Just me forever?

My soul expands out beyond the bounds of Signora Drive on a crisp evening of green. 

The excitement of possibility
The anticipation of these days being a fond memory

My voice is coming out-

It stops people like a crossing guard allowing unfettered ideas to lift those I love

The silence of this one moment

I have to myself

My heart bursts from my chest reaching for that unknown person – pulling them towards this vision of wrapped up love. 

Look where I have come from, wondering where I get to go, sitting here grateful in silence

Clock ticking

Door opening

Arlington National Cemetery 2013

The women in my genes

My throat buzzes with energy to be told

The story of my life

That goes back through generations of women who had their chance here

When their world was revolving around them and the thought of not mattering didn’t exist

Here they are just stored in files, names and dates, trees with branches forgotten

They branch from me

So many women going in all directions

Each one with a story;  I was born, I lived, I died.

Their stories never reached paper that I could know their inner workings

 

Come to me women- I will write for you. Mothers and daughters passing down codes of what it is to be a woman.

They watch with eagerness to see me find their names, say them, give them an existence

Abigail, Alice, Ellen, Alice, Margaret, Hanna, Sarah, Agnes, Charlotte, Sarah, Martha, Lina, Mary, Eliza, Martha, Sarah, Mary, Hannah, Hannah, Sarah

Matilda, Mary Ann, Caroline, Elizath, Bonnie, Emily, Anna, Ann, Martha, Mary, Susanna, Charlotte, Jane, Ann, Barbara, Viola

37 is nothing...

WAHOO!!  37th year of life I am ready to make my mark and create a year full of lasting memories. To gain wisdom, more friends, deeper relationships, go to Italy again, become certified in Rapid Eye Technology and start practicing.  I plan to enjoy my life, to keep playing and living in the moment. Whatever comes, I am sticking with the Lord.  That is the most important thing I can do.

Fresh white snow...

no tracks, is what this day lays out for me.  I have been thinking about what to review or plan for.  A big question on my mind, as I drive back from Provo after spending New Years with friends, is how do I come to know all the lyrics to Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice?  I sang the whole thing without skipping a beat, except when I was laughing at myself as the DJ revolved it. 

My intention this year is to live in love, peace, joy and gratitude for where I am.