Parisian Pics

Monday was a Banner Day for the Rowley's. After only 7 months of waiting, we received two memory cards from Brian... filled with about 700 photos and a few precious movies. It was wonderful to see that he looks as happy as he sounds. He is certainly having many grand adventures.

Chinese New Year... in Paris

Chinese New Year Dinner Celebration...

apparently every dinner was like this for about a week. Back at the Eiffel Tower

A frozen fountain

Versailles

Note the performance art that the Elders are displaying in front of the priceless art work at Versailles. Can you say, "ugly Americans"?

At least there is one American that the Europeans can appreciate...

Yet another Cultural Experience for Elder Rowley

I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go... Especially if it's Trondheim

Alicia arrived in Norway last week. Here is a photo of the town where she is serving. Wow. I want to go on a mission. Now.

Nights in Rodanthe? What a Crock!

Picture this: A Rainy Thursday evening in Kirkland. I'm waiting for a break in the raindrops (this proved futile) to go get some exercise. While I'm waiting, I figure I'd better keep up my energy. Solution? Frozen chocolate chip cookies in outdoor freezer. (it only takes one). I head out the backdoor onto the rain-soaked deck.

Note: rain-soaked deck = ice rink.

I go flying up into the air and then crashing down onto hands, elbows, thighs, knees. This was not pretty. But because I am a goal-oriented person, I persevere and fight my way to the outdoor freezer. Frozen chocolate chip cookies are a great pain-reliever (it takes several). I head back in after getting out frozen ground beef, turkey breast and everything else I will ever need (cookies tucked nicely in hand), because I am NEVER going out on that deck again.

At this point my mood shifts from one of motivated exercise junky to old woman who was lucky not to have broken a hip. I crank up the fireplace to about 80 degrees, grab old quilt and hunker down with the remote. I decide to treat myself to a chick flick, because 1) Steve is working late, 2) I've almost broken a hip, as you'll recall and 3) I am going to the temple tomorrow so my spirituality is obviously in great shape. (and yes, this was the actual response in my head in answer to my question if I really deserved this luxury).

So I flip through my On Demand choices, with one thought in mind: finding a film that Steve will never want to watch. After flipping through several options, I see Nights in Rodanthe and figure why not? While Richard Gere is my sister's Anne thing and not mine, I know I'll never get to see this in Steve's presence... so I give it a try. I should have known as soon as I saw "based on a novel by Nicholas Sparks" (my gag reflexes unaccountably kicked in at this point). But I've paid my $5.99... yes, I had sprung for the HD version, because I don't know if I've mentioned it, but I'd taken a fall so I deserved it.

I spent a good deal of the movie rolling my eyes and it wasn't until I heard Steve roll into the driveway an hour and a half after the movie was over, that I realized why. I'm sick to death of Hollywood discounting long-term relationships in favor of "the love of one's life" because they spent a weekend together once.

My husband is the love of my life, not because of flowery speeches or sexy love letters. It's because he comes home to me every night. And typically, he seems genuinely happy to be there. Even after 26 years of the place. Because of the Little Things. Like, sometimes after I've gone to bed if he sees my cell phone isn't in the charger, he'll hunt around for it, so my cell doesn't run out of batteries the next day. Or, because he says that he'd rather ski with me than anyone. And he says it in a way that makes me believe it, even though it defies all logic. And because, he'd rather watch American Idol with me than on his own. This isn't meant to be a love-letter to my husband, although, he certainly deserves one.

It's a love letter to life-long commitment. Through it all. Through 5:00 am alarm clocks, bill paying, weight gain, and the tedium of hearing each other's rants too many times. I could write a sonnet about Steve's reaction to someone cutting him off in traffic and he could write one about mine when I've made dinner and people don't rush to the table when it's ready to be served. We've heard it all before and we still keep coming home to each other. So, please don't tell me that I gave up all my dreams because I chose to be married young. Don't tell me that I can't or didn't "fulfill" myself because I "settled" for a life as a wife and mother. Don't tell me that this weekend that Richard Gere and Diane Lane share has more meaning than a life time of love being tested by... life.

Because that is what it is about. The weekends away are fabulous! But it's the day-to-day, year-in and year-out grind that tests, proves and refines True Love.

I will give the movie one star. For Richard Gere who is looking great! He appears to be botox and laser-surgery free and looks more handsome than he did when he was An Officer and A Gentleman.

Anne, I finally get the appeal!

The 2nd Best Email EVERRRRR!

We were so thrilled to receive the sweet email and picture from Zina in Rochester a couple weeks back. Today, we received another one from one of the Sister Missionaries who is teaching Zina in New York. It is truly a privilege to have Brian be a part of such an incredible group of young people who are serving through out the world.

Here is the email:

Hey All
My name is Sister Burns, and I'm serving in the New York Rochester Mission. If Rochester sounds familiar its because you should have recieve an email from Zina Scoirtino with a picture of her and your children in Versaille.
I was one of the Sisters teaching her in Rochester. We were so nervous for Zina to go to France and not have contact with us for almost 2 weeks. But low and behold the Lord works in wonderous ways and our Zina ran into your Missionaries. What an answer to our prayers on the other side of the world. We were so excited to here that she had had missionary contact. Hopefully she saw that as some type of sign. She also finally admitted that she was investigating, which is a huge step for her. I wanted you to know of the influence your children have had on me and on missionary work in Rochester. I think that it is amazing how things work. I know your children probably have no idea of the fruits of there labors, so I wanted you to pass a long to them, that one of there fruits is in Rochester. We work together in this and theres no stopping the gospel. There are people out there being prepared to hear and learn the Gospel and when they have been fully prepared there is no getting away from it, even on the other side of the world. I'm so thankful that Zina was able to feel the spirit that your missionaries carry with them. The Gospel is True, this work is real and moving forward. And I will forever remember the six missionaries that our crazy investigator Zina ran into while she was in France.
Thank you and God Bless
Sister Laura Burns

Heartbreak at Raptor Ridge

Steve and I had such a great weekend. After a morning temple session, I wanted to take a hike and Steve wanted to see the ocean. We compromised and did a hike up along Chuckanut Drive, just south of Bellingham. [Editors Note: It is important for Seattleites to go to Chuckanut after a long rainy winter to remind themselves why we live here. When you see that view, you realize that it is worth a lot of short days and a lot of rain puddles to live in the most amazing place on earth.]

By the time we'd run errands, (because everybody knows that you need Trader Joe's trail mix before you can hike), it was 3 pm before we arrived at the trailhead. We'd never done any hiking in the area, so it was all unchartered territory. We decided that we'd do a nice short hike up to a place called Huckleberry Point. We arrived in good time and while the view from there was very pretty, we decided there was more to see, and headed on to Raptor Ridge.

There is one other tidbit that is essential to understand to appreciate the Rowley hiking experience: Steve is a total athlete who can wipe me out in just about any sport known to man. BUT there is one place where I have him. I can out-hike him. While I am by no means a backpacking savant, I can certainly out-hike Steve. I love day hikes and nothing makes me happier, so I usually hike up ahead and then stop and wait for him, then we visit for a while as we walk together before I can't stand it and then head up again and go on ahead... This works fine for Steve who has never been in a hurry to get anywhere (except the ski slopes or a baseball game).

We both were having a great time visiting and just enjoying the sites and mostly the peace and quiet. Once we left the main trail, we saw only three other hikers the rest of the trip. It was great!

This leads me to the heartbreak: After this wonderful hike together, where I patiently waited for Steve throughout, all of the sudden I see him sprinting toward me. I'm so happy to see him, and thrilled to see him moving so quickly! I said, "you're here! awesome!" Well, I don't know how that snake did it, but somehow he sensed when we were literally 40 feet from the summit. He flies past me and rushes ahead of me so he can beat me to the summit at Raptor Ridge. He rushed up so quickly he disturbed some huge bird from its perch that could have been a beautiful sight, but no, Steve must conquer!

Well, I'm sure those who know me would agree how mature I am. So I am relatively unbothered by this infantile display of machismo. . . Until my dear sweet husband spends the next fifteen minutes telling me things like, "you mustn't feel badly honey, because you've done your best." And, "coming in second is nothing to be ashamed of." If I hadn't been laughing so hard I would have thrown the man off the cliff!

Since I decided not to kill him, it ended up being a great day together! He is so much fun and really makes me laugh. After taking some time to enjoy the gorgeous view, we headed back down. We returned to the car by about 6:30, having hiked about 8 1/2 miles. It was a wonderful way to spend a spring afternoon. We spent the drive back planning our retirement on Chuckanut Drive. No one should take this retirement plan too seriously, as we also have plans to retire on Maui, in Idaho, and the Virgin Islands. We're going to be some really busy old folks.

Here is evidence that I was ahead of Steve....

You'll note that this photo was taken from up above him!!!!

This is BEFORE he made his move!

Views from the Summit

Sunset fromChuckanut Drive

The Best Email EVERRRRR!

Brian mentioned in his last email that he would be going to Versailles yesterday on a District Outing. I was thrilled to hear he'd have the opportunity. I was happier still when I received the above picture and following email this afternoon. It was especially precious because 1) yesterday was Brian's 6-month anniversary of entering the MTC, and 2) he hasn't sent us any pics since the first package when he was in the MTC. God Bless Zina!

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dear parents and families,

my name is zina and i am from rochester ny. i have been in paris for a few days and found myself in Versailles on tuesday, 3/17/09 and met your children in the main square of Versailles. The elders and sisters are doing well....they look healthy and happy. they were eager to speak english and i know a little bit about LDS as i currently am investigating myself with sisters from the rochester area.

they all send their love and miss everyone. please be at ease that they are well and doing the Lord's work. they are full of love and laughter....

a special hello to CJ Bruegge's mom....i lived in montrose, california and my favorite restaurant is the Star Cafe with coffee at Mad Cow. your son was so happy to talk about la crescenta and wanted me to share that.

Attached is pic of all of us in Versailles. A piece of them is now with you. God Bless all of you and especially, your children.

Zina

Made for Walkin'?

I am forty-five year old woman who, just this week, broke new ground.  I purchased the first pair of boots I've ever owned.  

See above, only think ' black'.  Because I'm edgy.

Be afraid.  These boots will bring about a whole new attitude.  Steve is quaking in his... well, you know.