Nauvoo

With Marlee's wedding behind us, we were settling in for a quiet and boring summer when Kristen saved the day with an announcement.  "I'm getting married!.....in August!!.......in Nauvoo!!!!

Wow!

I wasn't sure if all the family could swing another big trip so soon but I needn't have worried.  No one was going to miss this wonderful event.....so the plans were made, the announcements created, the tickets booked. the lodgings arranged and finally the day!

So that all the younger kids could come, we decided to drive and we decided that a 24 hour marathon drive-a-rama would be the best way to do it.
 Washington
                     Idaho
                                Montana (every bit of it)
                                                                      South Dakota (all)
                                                                                            Iowa...and finally
                                                                                                                        Illinois

                 We had our first look at the mighty Mississippi!  And within just a few minutes....

We were completely taken aback by the size and beauty of the Nauvoo Temple.  We couldn't wait to get out of the car and start exploring this "City Beautiful" that was such a significant part of our history.  We were also anxious to connect with Marlee and Luke who we knew were in town.  And they had Mikelle and Abbie with them!

  We found them at the visitor's center and just in time for the last wagon ride of the day.

Our family managed to fill up a whole wagon--and it wasn't even half of us.

Our guide showed us where the saints had crossed the Mississippi when they were forced to leave Nauvoo.  And we saw the homes of Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, John Taylor and our own ancestor  Nathaniel Ashby.

The most poignant moment was when we paused on the road that led out of Nauvoo and looked back over our shoulder at the beautiful temple on the distant hill.  With the Mississippi before us and the temple behind us, we felt a portion of the sorrow and loss the early saints must have felt as they left this peaceful, orderly little city they had created.

After our wagon ride, we performed a time honored ritual.  It seems that the early pioneers were so grateful for their oxen and the good service they gave, that they always brushed them and fed them and gave them a kiss at the end of the day.  OK, so oxen hadn't actually pulled our wagon but we appreciated them just the same.