La Gran Aventura Day 85: Jonesville to Paris

Monday, March 4, 2024

Here we are. On the plane, flying to Paris. Things have gone really well so far. The kids have had really great attitudes about things, and Betty seems calm. Packing this morning was a dream. The kids had everything ready. I was able to get the car washed, and Chris Condon took us to the airport. I wish she could come with us. I could use her calm.

With France and England mostly planned, it’s really time to turn my attention to the rest of the trip. Holland. Germany. Italy. Switzerland. It’s all going to go really fast I’m sure. I’ve been in contact this afternoon with Veroniek in Holland, and Cinthia in Germany, and Lisa in Italy. And Anna Vincenzi has procured a place for us to stay at a parish in the heart of Rome. I think it will be really cool. What an experience!

On the flight to DC from Detroit I spent a bunch of time writing, and I’m nearly completely caught up. That feels good.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/J9i18rLEqBd7YibU9

La Gran Aventura Day 84: Fast Sunday

Sunday, March 3, 2024

Today is Sunday. It should be a day of rest, and I’d love for us to treat it like that. I’m not sure any of us have a really great idea of what kind of challenge we have before us. I just keep reminding myself that the challenge is an opportunity to grow. Everyone in our family has so much room for that -- myself included. I like to think that I’m a super-experienced traveler, but today I feel like a total novice. I’m not sure anything could adequately prepare us for what we are about to do. We just have to keep moving forward. That will be my greatest challenge. I can’t afford to get paralyzed.

This morning I read this scripture from 2 Nephi 18:18:

> Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of Hosts, which dwelleth in Mount Zion.

It really struck me. I want to be able to show how God works through us to help people orient towards Him.

Our testimony meeting was really great. I was able to share some thoughts I’ve had recently -- especially related to consecration. I am coming to realize more and more what it means and how it governs everything for us. We also had just excellent testimonies from Alicia, Anahi, Loretta Baker -- who said that God and the bishopric are her buddies -- and others.

In the afternoon we had dinner at the Kremin’s house. They and the Bells are such dear friends for us.

And then the evening was spent packing and taking care of last-minute details. Tomorrow morning the kids have seminary, and then we will be off to the airport.

I can’t believe it’s here.

La Gran Aventura Day 83: Final Preparations

Saturday, March 2, 2024

Today we got an early start again. I think Betty isn’t sleeping well.

Today was a pretty intense preparation day. I went back over everyone’s packing list with them. The kids are light years ahead of where they were three months ago. They know how and what to pack. The system we have with Reminders is still working great.

Even with all that, it’s still just a process.

Oh, and the kids were gone at friends’ houses most of the day. In the afternoon we went over to the White’s house. Jared made some delicious armadillo eggs. It was good to just visit with them.

In the evening Betty ran up to Jackson, and I stayed and the kids and I did a cleanup of the house. The kids did a great job, and we are pretty nearly ready to hit the road on Monday.

In the later night, we watched BYU play TCU in basketball. We started really poorly, and found ourselves with a huge halftime deficit. But the guys just kept playing hard, came back, and eventually won big. It was amazing. I’ve seen BYU play really well at times in my life, but I’ve never seen a team quite like this one.

And after that we finished the 11th season of The Great British Baking Show. We were all so happy to see Matty, a guy who always jokes about how he has no idea what he is doing, win the whole thing. It was a testament to grit and determination and just throwing caution to the wind.

I feel like it’s the right message for us now.

La Gran Aventura Day 82: Pizza night with the Condon’s

Friday, March 1, 2024

I spent most of the morning trying to figure out how our Eurail passes will work. Unfortunately, there are some extra reservation fees that we have to pay each time we travel between countries, but we are in this thing now.

Betty went to the temple this morning with Chris Condon and Crystal Bahr. It is just what she needs: some time with friends and with the Lord in His house. She also had lunch with Gabby Moss.

While I was working on my laptop, River wanted to do yoga. She is the cutest.

Also while I was working it dawned on me that our Sapphire Preferred credit cards -- which have no overseas transaction fees -- will expire while we are gone. Chase will overnight them to us. I also realized that I can’t find my Chase debit card. That is a huge problem. Hopefully Betty knows where they are.

At lunchtime I took the kids to the college for LDSSA lunch. We saw Roger Butters there. He said we will never regret the money spent on this trip. It’s worth mortgaging the house for. We might have to do it.

In the afternoon Betty and I met up at Aaa in Jackson to get our international drivers licenses. Now we can borrow or rent and have a little extra protection.

Tonight we had dinner with the Condon’s. We love our pizza nights with them. It’s as comfortable and uplifting as dinner can ever be with friends. We have missed them dearly, and we will miss them on the next leg of this journey.

We finished the day watching a few more minutes of The Longest Day. The kids seem to enjoy it, but it makes everyone really sleepy. I just want them to appreciate Normandy as much as possible.

La Gran Aventura Day 81: Planning

Thursday, February 29, 2024

Today I spent a bunch of time on itinerary plans. It feels like two steps forward and one step back. Plans are made and unmade as fast as I can get them.

In the day I went to the office and had lunch with Josh Burnett. He’s such a good kid. I love working with him.

I was also able finally just sit and blog, and I got myself caught up a bunch of the way. I’m so grateful.

But I was able to help things to calm down, and we had a nice evening. We actually finished it up by watching the first 20 min or so of The Longest Day -- in preparation for our trip to Omaha Beach.

I’m stressing a bit about the train situation in Europe. It’s not a very straightforward process to get everything going.

Oh, and one more thing. Anna Vincenzi has got a lead on some lodging in Rome. With a priest. That could be really cool I think.

La Gran Aventura Day 80: Tough nights

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

Today was a good day. I did some work in the morning, and then Betty and I went to Ann Arbor. REI has been our salvation, but it also feels like it will be the death of me. Then we came back and had dinner with the Bahr’s and then it was off to church activities. And then we finished things off with a long talk with a frustrated Alicia. It feels like this happens pretty much every night now. Alicia gets upset about something, and we have to just work through it. But I’m learning that if we just take the time to work through things, we can always find peace again. I’m not afraid of it anymore. It just takes some effort.

La Gran Aventura Day 79: BYU beats Kansas

Tuesday, February 27, 2024

Today I woke up determined to get everyone’s packs squared away. I’m certainly being a bit obsessive about this, but with weight and space being such a priority, I really think it’s worth it. I’m also becoming a world-class labeler of stuff. It makes everything so much easier when things are labeled.

That project ended up taking up nearly the entire day. But I’m feeling quite good about where we stand right now.

I’ve had to do some rearranging of our itinerary because the Rome temple is going to close for the second half of the month, and the Netherlands temple is closed in the first half. So we will still go Paris to London, but from there we will likely head down to Italy for at least a few days to make it for our temple appointment there.

This whole thing is crazy.

Tonight the kids and I watched BYU beat Kansas in Lawrence in one of the craziest games I’ve ever seen. This team is so fun to watch. It was a really magical night.

La Gran Aventura Day 78: One week to Paris

Monday, February 26, 2024

This morning I woke up and realized that in one week we will be on a plane to France. There is still so much to do.

I was feeling really desperate because we still hadn’t secured lodging in Paris, but then David Sluss, a friend of the Aburto’s, contacted me and said we can stay with them. I was so grateful I nearly cried. We got all the kids together and said a prayer of gratitude. His wife Dinah is from Mexico, and she and Betty have connected. That has helped Betty feel more calm. It’s all coming together, and my heart is full.

We also packed Betty’s backpack today. We got it down under 20 pounds, and I think it’s in pretty good shape. Now we’ve just got River to do tomorrow. She should be the easiest.

This afternoon I had a department meeting in which we discussed the schedule for next semester. It went really smoothly, and things are ready to go there.

The day ended up with the Bells. Matt made his famous pizzas. They are such good friends, and we all get along so well. We have missed them, and we will miss them again.

Now it’s time for bed. I’m tired, and I’ve just got a massive amount of work to do tomorrow.