Glorious Summer!

  I have been far too focused on myself this summer but it feels wonderful.  I have given myself permission to finish only one or two items from my "to do" list each day.  Monte and I drove to Texas together for Marshall and Andrea Oelkers' wedding reception.  I enjoyed the drive but Monte does not like to let me drive so I don't think he had much fun.  It tended to hurt my feelings but then as previously noted I recognize that I have been far too sensitive lately so I choose not to feel that way about it.  I enjoyed it. I came home with a sore throat that developed into a doozy of a chest cold and I have been trying to hack up a lung all week.  I was really cranky with my sweet mother in law when she came to my house to try to help with our 4th of July party.  All I could think was how much I didn't want her to get sick and how the assignments for food had been made so people would have whatever they had.  In the end, her help was wonderful, as always, and made the day a nicer day for everyone.  I was too sick to participate in the party so I laid in bed listening to the party taking place outside.  A couple of people took their chances and came in to give me a hug but I still felt pretty sorry for myself.
  I'm getting ready now for my Family History Trek!  I bought a portable scanner and have been scanning lots of pics so that I won't waste time getting something I already had in a box.  I've booked rooms and read some of the histories I've already collected but put off reading.  One note to myself and any of my children who might decide to read this.  I have the life history written by James Monsen who is my Grandmother Anna's grandfather.  It is a little scattered to read but it is awesome in the history that is recorded in those pages.  I'm loving it - I am planning to blog about the stories he has recorded.  You, reader, can find those entries in my "Tell Me a Smith Family Story" blog.  I also have been reading the LeCheminant book that contains memories recorded from the LeCheminant descendants.  Info from those sketches will be in the "Tell Me a Jensen Family Story" blog.  I'll note that I don't intend to scan and paste the pages of these histories into a blog.  I will be posting pics and documents to FamilySearch.org but I want to record the histories from my own perspective and emotional connection.  Anyway, the long awaited trip is getting closer and I'm really excited.