Our trip to Aruba was amazing. Everyone on the island was so happy, I saw the catchphrase "One Happy Island" and I wasn't really sure that could be true of any place, that everyone would be happy but it really was. Every person we met was nice and happy, and they were always so willing to help.
I was so happy that we were able to spend so much time with the girls from Aruba assembly. They were so sweet and welcoming and I am positive that we will stay in contact with them. First a large group of them met us for dinner at Hard Rock Cafe Wednesday night, which was a complete blast. During our dinner the Venezuela v. Paraguay soccer game was playing with a spanish announcer and it was quite entertaining for all of us and caused a lot of laughs. Then on Thursday night, the girls have a tradition of going to a restaurant called Mulligans for Karaoke and they let us join them which was SO much fun, we absolutely loved it. On Saturday it was their installation. Sueli picked a musical theme of "Rainbow Girls Rock" which was really fun and keeping with the theme during their banquet there was more Karaoke which was great and just as much fun. I love seeing the younger girls start to break out of their shells and sing a little bit which was awesome. Then Saturday night some of the girls joined us again for a movie (Monte Carlo) which was fun and just as hilarious.
Beyond hanging out with the girls we were able to go on a couple of different tours and learn so much about the island and its history, we also had some fun doing beach activities. Wednesday we went on the Semi-Submarine tour, which was amazing we saw turtles, fish and the "Antilla" Shipwreck. Thursday was an individual day for shopping and activities and so we took that time to ride something we fondly refer to as "Bubba" it was basically an inflatable couch that fit four people so Mrs. Smith, Julie Birmingham, Casi and I held on tight and got pulled around by a boat which was crazy fun for us but was a bit intense for Mrs. Smith and Julie. Then Casi and I had the amazing opportunity to go Parasailing thanks to our wonderful mothers. We spent all day Friday on an amazing Jeep tour with a hilarious, knowledgeable tour guide who picked some crazy roads (or non-roads) to drive on. Saturday was all about Rainbow and then Sunday we came home.
It really was just the best trip!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
Washington/Idaho Grand Assembly
Well, part of the reason this isn't a video blog is because my voice sounds awful and I would probably cough through most of it. I got a cold during WA/ID and so I was coughing my way through sessions and blowing my nose so much that it hurt but even with all of that it was still an absolutely amazing trip.
It is silly, I know, but I really can't describe the feeling that comes over you when you see your Grand Officers in their traveling dresses for the first time. When you pick out the fabric there is a lot of imagining it in your mind, trying to make sure you will like it when you are staring across a room at 28 people with Hot Air Balloon dresses because you must ask yourself "Will it be too busy?", "Will the girls like it?", "Will the adults like it?", "Does it go well enough with the theme?", "Will I get sick of it after wearing it all year" Then you see them, you see them standing together, you see them afterwards in pictures and your heart just sort of feels happy because they are so beautiful and they look better than any picture in your imagination ever had.
Back on track now. One of the reasons I love Washington/Idaho Grand Assembly is because they are such a large jurisdiction that there is so much that they can do and they really go out and do it. I love Oregon because we are smaller and so it really makes us like a gigantic family because everyone knows everyone and I wouldn't trade my membership here for anything in the world. I just like to smile as I watch the presentation of everything Idaho/Washington has worked for this year throughout all of their sessions.
Now this is the paragraph where I fawn over the beautiful Kristina Knutson for a while. She presided like a Goddess. She has so much composure and grace, but she also commands authority and knows exactly what to do with that authority. Even if you did not know Kristina at all or didn't know her previous involvement with WA/ID Rainbow, simply from Grand Assembly and her interactions with her Grand Officers it would be easy to tell that she is a Grand Worthy Advisor beyond measure and is dearly loved by everyone in that jurisdiction.
Finally, lets talk about next year. I have two names for you: Becky LaMastus and Shannon Rust. I can already tell that I (and all of Oregon that wants to) is going to be great friends with these ladies. Becky is the newly elected Grand Worthy Advisor and she seems sweet with just a hint of silly and she also seems excited to bring our states together, which is something I am extremely passionate about. Shannon Rust is the new Grand Representative of Oregon and she is amazing. She is so much fun and I really think she is fun and a great person to be around and she will fit in with our Jurisdiction extremely well.
I can't wait for all of Oregon Rainbow to get to know our sisters to the north, they are wonderful and you will love them, I just know it.
It is silly, I know, but I really can't describe the feeling that comes over you when you see your Grand Officers in their traveling dresses for the first time. When you pick out the fabric there is a lot of imagining it in your mind, trying to make sure you will like it when you are staring across a room at 28 people with Hot Air Balloon dresses because you must ask yourself "Will it be too busy?", "Will the girls like it?", "Will the adults like it?", "Does it go well enough with the theme?", "Will I get sick of it after wearing it all year" Then you see them, you see them standing together, you see them afterwards in pictures and your heart just sort of feels happy because they are so beautiful and they look better than any picture in your imagination ever had.
Back on track now. One of the reasons I love Washington/Idaho Grand Assembly is because they are such a large jurisdiction that there is so much that they can do and they really go out and do it. I love Oregon because we are smaller and so it really makes us like a gigantic family because everyone knows everyone and I wouldn't trade my membership here for anything in the world. I just like to smile as I watch the presentation of everything Idaho/Washington has worked for this year throughout all of their sessions.
Now this is the paragraph where I fawn over the beautiful Kristina Knutson for a while. She presided like a Goddess. She has so much composure and grace, but she also commands authority and knows exactly what to do with that authority. Even if you did not know Kristina at all or didn't know her previous involvement with WA/ID Rainbow, simply from Grand Assembly and her interactions with her Grand Officers it would be easy to tell that she is a Grand Worthy Advisor beyond measure and is dearly loved by everyone in that jurisdiction.
Finally, lets talk about next year. I have two names for you: Becky LaMastus and Shannon Rust. I can already tell that I (and all of Oregon that wants to) is going to be great friends with these ladies. Becky is the newly elected Grand Worthy Advisor and she seems sweet with just a hint of silly and she also seems excited to bring our states together, which is something I am extremely passionate about. Shannon Rust is the new Grand Representative of Oregon and she is amazing. She is so much fun and I really think she is fun and a great person to be around and she will fit in with our Jurisdiction extremely well.
I can't wait for all of Oregon Rainbow to get to know our sisters to the north, they are wonderful and you will love them, I just know it.
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