A Trip to Canada {FINALLY}

It had been an ETIRE YEAR since we had been up to Canada because of the border closure!  And even when we went a year ago, it was just for a couple days...and it was my Dad's funeral...and we were supposed to quarantine the entire time we were there.  Needless to say, we were eager to get up there!

So, after negative covid tests, filling out our travel plans on our Arrive Canada app, and ANOTHER covid test at the border (and another to take on day 8 for Summer-geez), we finally made it!

I spent some time looking at old photos...some I had never seen before.  We also unboxed the movie projector but couldn't get it to work.  I took all the home movies home with me so I can digitize them, so hopefully we can watch them next time.

I have wanted to visit Dad's grave for a year.  I thought it might be therapeutic to be there.  It was sad.  But, I do take solace in the realization that this year was easier than it was last year.  I really just still miss my dad so much.

Still waiting for the headstone.  Covid has slowed everything down.

Its always good to see Peeta!  He had a wound that had formed an abscess, so I helped my mom take him to the vet.  Unfortunately, he had to wear a cone the rest of the time we were there.  Poor guy.

Finally, Birchwood Dairy!!!

Summer claimed Sheri as her new BFF

DRAGON FORT--MY FAVORITE

Sheri's new kitty

Walks around Mill Lake always remind me of my Grandma Winters

It was wonderful to be home.  Hopefully we won't have to wait a year before we get up there again!

Girls Camp in McCall, Idaho

Back in April, our Stake consolidated from 8 wards down to 6.  With that change came a lot of new people, and a lot of rearranging of callings.  I went from teaching youth Sunday School twice a month to...a week long trip to Idaho?!  That's right, I was called as a councilor to the new Young Women's president, which includes; weekly Tuesday night activities, lessons twice a month, BYD's, and ward girls camp every other year.  This year girls camp was at Paige Deru's (our yw president) family cabin in McCall, Idaho.

What a great group of girls

We made it to the lake after a long, hard hike

This hike was a tough one for me.  Part of it was I had no idea how long or steep it was (I like to mentally prepare myself), part was I was out of shape (although Mike and I do hike quite often), part was the elevation (sea level is what I'm used to) and part was it was STEEP...right off the bat.  But mostly it was the air.  I would take just a few steps and couldn't catch my breath.  It was crazy, nothing like I had ever felt before.  I even had a thought that maybe I wouldn't be able to make it and would have to turn back.  It was not a great feeling.  Lucky for me though, there were a bunch of other girls experiencing the same thing I was.  So we stuck together and made it through.  I am also so grateful for a husband who constantly reassured me that I wasn't a loser, and I would make it just fine (which is ironic, because I am usually harassing him for going too slow when we hike--never again)

Ice Cream Alley after hiking was wonderful

Night swimming and star gazing.  We saw so many shooting stars!

Mike's attempt at wake boarding was just a little embarrassing:)

Kya on the other hand showed off her skills (wake surfing and wake boarding)

Nightly devotionals

We have some brave girls in young women, Kya being one of the bravest.  They hiked up some crazy rocks a did some cliff jumping (10, 20, and 30 feet jumps).  Kya came home saying she wanted to try something higher next time.  Crazy.  

The girls had a blast...and I guess I can't complain about hanging out with some great girls (yw and leaders) and my hubby (yes, Bishop came along too) at the lake for 4 days!  Although, I could have done without the steep hike and long drive:)

The Borensteins

I've written about this before...our quest to find answers about my dad's biological father.  What a roller coaster it has been...and continues to be, as we find ourselves without a definite answer.

Rita and Ariel (Salomon Borenstein's children) received their DNA results and shocked us all when they showed up to NOT have enough DNA in common to be my dad's half siblings.  We were sure Salomon was my dad's father.  Here's what "evidence" we had: Salomon looked so much like Dad (there are some pictures that have such unbelievable resemblance, even after the DNA test, it's still hard to believe), we knew Salomon had had a Finnish girl who he had been in love with but his father forbade him to marry because she wasn't Jewish, we knew our Grandma had worked at his suit shop (Ariel even found evidence of this with a signature of Grandma's on a work document), we had seen a picture of Salomon with a girl who looked like it could have been our Grandma, and we thought Salomon had been home from the war just a couple months before my Grandpa (the window where Grandma must have got pregnant).  We also had met Rita and Ariel online and loved them!  We couldn't have asked for more kind, helpful and loving people to be related to.  We were (I'd say 99%) convinced this was the answer we had been seeking. 

This is one of the pictures of Salomon that looks the most like Dad to me.  His mouth, chin, nose, forehead...seriously this could be my dad!

Another one that looks like my dad...outside working in the yard.  My dad would wear that too, well minus the hat and boots haha.

Ariel and Rita.  They are relatives...just probably cousins of my dad rather than siblings.

This revelation left me feeling disappointed, sad, empty and discouraged.  I lost interest in searching any further.  If Salomon wasn't the father, we were at a DNA dead end.  Salomon's other brothers (Ben Zion and Samuel {Ezra was already married and moved away when Dad was conceived}) didn't marry or have any children so there was no DNA to test...no new relatives to unearth.

Here are the 4 Borenstein brothers

L-R Salmon, Ezra, Ben Zion, Samuel  

We abandoned the search for a few months.  Then we hesitantly arranged a zoom call with Rita, Ariel and Peter (Ezra's son).  We had a wonderful chat.  We were able to tell them more about Dad and learn more about Ben (who we deemed most likely to be Dad's father).  They are wonderful people.  I look forward to getting to know them better and maybe even meeting them in person one day.

I still find myself longing for a concrete answer about my dad's paternity.  I just want to know for sure.  I know it doesn't really matter, and that the answer won't change anything.  But I just want to know...for my dad.  So the search will continue...

Here is the entire Borenstein Family...one of those boys should be Dad's biological father

And here's my dad's family.  Who does he look most like?  

Tyson takes on Trek & High Adventure

 Tyson got to do two church youth trips this summer; Trek and High Adventure.  

He came home with a stronger testimony, increased confidence that he can do hard things, new and closer friendships, and wonderful cherished memories. As a parent, you can't ask for more than that! 

Tyson looked like he aged 5 years from when I dropped him off to when I picked him up from Trek 

(oh and Summer caught a frog while waiting for Tyson's bus to arrive)

High Adventure this year was a bike ride around the San Juan Islands.  The highlight for Tyson was managing to ride up Mount Constitution (the highest point in the San Juan Islands)...and it was fun to have his Dad on the trip too:)

Two A D'em

 I don't know why I ever agreed to two cats {SMH}...I regret it almost everyday.  They are not friends (no matter how many times Mike says "they are just playing").  Callie hates Stormi and Stormi is obsessed with Callie.  But for some reason, it is funny having "two a d'em"(as the little boy Jordan babysits, Cole, puts it) following you or looking at you or doing pretty much anything at the same time.  I just keep hoping that one day they will be friends, because they both are really such sweet adorable kitties...and we really don't want to have to give one to Grandma haha. 

Mariners Fans

I'm not really a fan of baseball.  It's actually probably my least favorite sport...BUT watching baseball live is one of my favorite things:)  And when you have great seats, it's even better!

Mariners shirts were a must haha.  I forgot to get Mike one--oops.

My Unimpressive Bucket List

 Jordan and Kya were reading off their lengthy Bucket Lists...and I realized I don't really have one.  So, I decided I better start!  After working on my list for a day or two, I really hadn't made much progress, but the girls wanted me to show them.  Jordan's response:  "Mom, you could do all that in one day", haha.  So I decided I better check off one or two this year.   

My first Bucket List item:  Go to the top of the Space Needle CHECK

So strange to stand on the glass (rotating!!)floor and look down--yikes! 

Next up...either get acrylic nails or a facial...I know, pretty adventurous:)