Our Tirp to Papillion

Our Trip to Papillion and Back

We got back Thursday evening just before 6:00 pm. It was a wonderful trip but so good to get home. We left Wednesday, August 15 just before 7:00 am to catch the shuttle to the SLC Airport. Our neighbor, Michele Hatch took us over then came and got us too. We let them harvest some of our tomatoes while we were gone. Just before we got to Blackfoot I discovered that I had forgotten my wallet with my photo ID in it. I was sick to my stomach. I didn’t know if I would be in Papillion or Idaho Falls that night. I told Karl that he might have to go on without me. He said, “That’s not going to happen.” He suggested at one of our stops on the way down maybe we could call the Idaho MVD and ask them to send a copy of my driver’s license. We later learned that that wasn’t an option because if they could do it others could too and that could lead to ID theft. Anyway, I felt better afterwards and felt like things would work out. When we got to the airport, I told them that I didn’t have in photo ID and we were from Idaho Falls, Idaho. They asked me if I had any ID at all. I had my temple recommend with me (thank goodness) but didn’t feel it was right to use that. And it didn’t have a photo of me on it. When I told them no, they said that’s OK; you’ll just have to go thro’ some extra screening. Since I’m always “wanded” because my total knee always sets off the alarms, that part wasn’t any different. Then they just checked what was in my purse. The digital camera, my pills, my flash drive, beef jerky, string cheese etc. And that was all there was to it. I actually got thro’ security faster than Karl did because they took me one way with fewer people and he went the other way with everyone else. I tho’t that interesting. We had an about two hour wait for the plane to board. We took off about 1:30 pm. We arrived in Phoenix at 2:00 pm. That’s PST instead of MDT when we left. We had 54 minutes to change planes. Since it was the same airline that we had gotten off of (US Airways) I figured the gates would be close together. Boy was I wrong! We deplaned at B12 and had to go around a corner then on four moving sidewalks and around another corner and down a ways to gate A 22. I had to make a pit stop. Karl decided to go on and not wait for me. I couldn’t see him anywhere when I got out. I waited around for a few minutes then headed for gate A 22. I got there and couldn’t see him anywhere. I walked down the middle all the way back to the restroom. There he was! He had gone to B 22 instead of A 22! And had just gotten back from there. I told him that we had 10 minutes to get to our gate. I felt like he was going really slowly which was very frustrating to me. As we turned the last corner, I heard them announce our flight and naming two passengers then Robinson, party of 2. I was walking as fast as I could go pulling Karl’s carry on bag on wheels (his is smaller than mine). I heard them announce again the same thing as before plus this was the last announcement before take off. I got there in time. Karl was two or three minutes behind me. We were the last ones on the plane. My shins ached almost all the way to Omaha. I told Karl that next time he was to wait for me. I had told him before a couple of times what our next gate was but I guess it didn’t register.
We got to Omaha Airport about 7:40 pm. Bryan and Jason were waiting for us at the head of the ramp before you go downstairs after your luggage. We had both made a pit stop. We got down to the carrousel and waited and waited for our luggage. When they stopped the carrousel and we hadn’t gotten our luggage I wondered if it were even on the plane with us. (We had had the experience eleven years ago where our luggage didn’t change planes as we did so had to wait until the next day to get it.) We went to the US Airways office and she scanned the stickers we had and went into the back room and was pulling our two large bags as she came out. She crossly said, “Well, you weren’t there to pick them up so we collected them.” I tho’t she wasn’t very nice but was very glad to have them. We got to Papillion and Bryan & Sandy’s house about 9 30. I was sooo tired. It had been a very long day. The next day we just kind of rested and visited. We didn’t see Chris because he was still in Iowa installing Dish networks. (We didn’t see him until Tuesday morning.) Jason of course was in bed so we didn’t see him until Thursday morning. Boy, he is a big boy. He could easily pass for a 3 to 3 1/2 year old. He is 34 inches tall and weighs 32 #. He is only 16 months old. I had to constantly remind myself that he is still a baby. He doesn’t walk anywhere. He runs everywhere and never seems to hold still. (I was impressed how well he did in church because of that trait. He was very good.) He goes from one thing to the next with “lightening” speed. He in the cupboards, then trying to turn on the DVD player then goes after the dog, then goes back to opening the drawers or cupboard doors in the kitchen. It wore me out to watch him. He does give hugs and kisses but you have to be ready for them or you miss out. They last about two seconds is all then he’s on his way somewhere else. While we were there,

Bryan took us to see the Dead Sea scrolls which were there on exhibit at the Trailways Visitor’s Center there by the temple. We found it very interesting. They have them here at the museum too (they are both duplicates not the real thing) but we would have had to pay $8 a piece to see them and with them there, we didn’t have to pay anything. He also took us Monday to go to the Durham Union Western History Museum. But they were closed on Monday. So he took us over to the mill that the Mormons built while there at winter quarters. But it was closed on Mondays too. It is tho’t to have been built by Karl’s great- great grandfather, Frederick Kesler, Jr. who was a milner. We did get to see the out side and read the plaque. It is now a sort of museum. We went back to the DUWHM on Wednesday. Jessica and Jason were there with us. We found it very interesting. It is the “new” Union Pacific Railroad Station finished in 1937. It has a BIG lobby with people sized statues in it that when you sit down by them or stand by them they tell you their story. That station move over 10,000 people and troops a day during World War II. When it was no longer the mode of travel of choice it closed down in 1971 and was given to the city of Omaha I think in 1976 for a museum. They have actual train cars in there that you can go thro’. They have the history of the city of Omaha. The Mormons were the first white people to go there, except for maybe some explorers (Lewis & Clark etc.) Of course the Indians were there before then. They had the story on Chief Standing Bear who was of a native tribe there who was relocated by the US Government to Oklahoma. He and some others decided they didn’t like it there nor the idleness that was imposed upon them so they walked back to Nebraska, the Omaha area. When they got back they were put in jail. An influential lawyer from the East was there visiting or on business and heard of their plight and decided to represent them against the US Government. And they won!! That was about 1869 if I remember correctly. That was the first time that an Indian or Native American was recognized as a person. I hadn’t tho’t about that before. I wondered why since we have heard so much of Chief Crazy Horse of the Sioux and other famous Indian chiefs why we hadn’t heard Chief Standing Bear’s story. As far as I’m concerned that is more important history than Chief Crazy Horse’s story.

The highlight of the trip was going to the temple Tuesday night with Jessica and Chris for their first time. The Winter Quarters Temple is a beautiful little temple. Where the IF temple can hold 150 per session, the Winter Quarters Temple can only hold about 50 and that’s including the officiators. It was a very special experience for Jess and Chris, Bryan & Sandy and us. I told them that the first time Bryan went thro’ the temple for his own endowments that after we reached the Celestial Room I was standing there thinking, “This is what true joy is all about!” Altho’ it just the beginning of “adult hood” for your child, a parent gets a certain feeling of satisfaction and awe that they have been able to teach that young person from birth to be righteous and follow the path of the Lord. I’ve had that feeling with all five of my children and now three of our grandchildren. It is truly a wonderful feeling.

We left the house about 7:10 Thursday morning. Bryan dropped us off at the airport then went into Omaha for a job interview. As we left last Thursday, he had eight more days to work in the Air Force before he retires. It is now down to six. Three days this week and three days the next. His retirement ceremony will be on September 7. It would have been so nice to have been there for that too. But I’m think we were there at the right time. They will be leaving the next Monday after that to take Jess and Chris to the MTC in Provo. And I’m sure things will be hectic enough and go more smoothly without our being there. Jess and Chris are ready for their missions and are excited to go. I’m so happy for them that they have the opportunity to go. I tho’t it was so nice and tho’tful of the Brethren to let them enter the MTC the same day (September 12) since they have to come from Nebraska. But Sandy told me that it was probably just a coincidence because they had friends that had a son and daughter leaving about the same time only they entered the MTC two weeks apart. They also were from Nebraska. So they visited family and friends in Utah for two weeks.

We flew from Omaha to Denver then on to SLC. We took off from Omaha about 9:40. Again I had to go thro’ the “special” screening but no big deal. We arrived in Denver about 10:15 and left at 11:20 and arrived in SLC at 12:45. We caught the shuttle at 1:30 and arrived in IF at 5:15 or so. We got home about 5:45 or so. It was sooo good to be home. We found everything just fine. My wallet was right where I had left it. I got unpacked and called Michael and Kim to see if they would be able to come to the Robinson family reunion Saturday. I tried to call both Karen and my mother but neither answered. I talked to both of them Friday afternoon.

Friday, we went to the temple sealing of April George and daughter of a good friend of mine. It was very nice. It was about 20-30 minutes late starting because the groom and forgotten the wedding license and his recommend. But everything turned out all right. I’m sure he’ll be razed about that the rest of his life.

Friday afternoon after eating at Olive Garden after the wedding and having a rest….I was still very tired from our trip….I baked a cake, made my mother’s baked beans with sausage, and a chicken salad for the reunion the next day. It was in Grace, Idaho at the park and Karl and I were in charge of it. We left bout 9:00 Saturday morning. I was sooo glad that I had all of the food I was going to take prepared the evening before. We got to Grace about 11:15, stopped at Mom’s house to let her know we were there then headed over to the park to put covers on the tables and get things set up. At first it didn’t look like there would be very many there but there was a good turnout. Mom’s two youngest sons weren’t there but the other four and her daughter was. All of Stan’s family was there except his youngest son who had to work. Karen, Kent, Kylie, Shani and Macie were there from our family. It was so good to see everyone and get to visit with them and find out what they are now doing in life. We got home about 7:15, stopped at a wedding reception for a young man in our ward, Blaine & Kimberly Larsen Ward’s oldest son. They are the same age as our Bryan and Kimberly went all the way thro’ school from first grade on and primary and everything (as she stated) with him. It was very nice. But again it was very good to get home.

We have missed two full weeks at the FHC. We start back Wednesday. It will good to get back. I'd like to be able to put some pictures on this but can't remember how. I will send them out with the e-mails instead.