I really like living in Utah (most of the time).
We have beautiful mountains with lovely canyons just a short drive away. Hiking and skiing are popular attractions.
There are amazing rock formations and other geological features just waiting for your discovery.
Lots of pretty lakes and reservoirs offer swimming, scenic picnics, or boating.
We enjoy all four seasons.
And…
I think a lot of nice people live here.
We don’t have hurricanes. Tornadoes are mostly unheard of here. I’ve never experienced a tsunami. Earthquakes do happen, but we’ve been pretty lucky on that count. (One, two, three, knock on wood!)
Yes, it is a desert, but it is still a good place to live!
This summer we had an early start on the devastating wildfires that plague our state. We had a very mild winter, a dry spring, and a hot summer which made some of the hillsides pure tinder. At least five major fires have been burning somewhere in the state (many human caused). Thousands of acres have burned, homes and cabins have been destroyed, and vegetation is singed and left as stubble and ash. The air quality is even poor right now, affecting people with asthma and other respiratory problems.
The photo below was published in the Salt Lake Tribune (local newspaper).
photo courtesy Carol Gnade The Lost Lake Fire in western Wayne County grew to more than 600 acres Wednesday afternoon and continued to be out of control. The fire is 4 miles southwest of Teasdale and northwest of Capitol Reef National Park.
Governor Herbert has pleaded for people to be careful and to use caution to avoid starting any new fires.
Everyone is praying for some relief.
* * * * * * *
Speaking of prayers, my niece Audrey and her husband Brett just had a cute little baby boy named Hudson.
Hudson had the cord wrapped around his neck when he was born and he wasn’t breathing. He had a rough start, spending several days in the NICU, even being transported to a larger hospital, but he is doing much better now.
He got to come home from the hospital today!
Many family and friends have been praying for him and his family.
I’m a firm believer that prayer blesses and changes lives, and that we need to pray for each other as well as for ourselves.
Miracles really happen!
Get strong, little Hudson!
P.S. I pulled out a lot of ! marks for this post.
(And I could have added a lot more!)
JoAnn
7 comments:
Oh it feels good to comment again...my company has left and now I have time to pull myself together and start filling in the details for the wedding.
I browsed through you last months of blogs...and I love how you write and what you write...it keeps me coming back. I too, am not interested Ina large fan fare as just having people follow who find some similar interest and values in family and faith.
Enjoy your summer and have fun...every day.
I hope that these wild fires abate - they are so very frightening. We have had rain for the past few days, and I am always happy when the woods are damp again.
Our son was born with the chord wrapped around his neck and scored very low on the APGAR test - it didn't factor into his life as he grew up to be an athlete and scholar and a great dad. I pray that wee Hudson will get strong quickly!
There were a lot of !~!!!!!!!
in this post because it is all IMPORTANT and meaningful.
I am here in Utah right now visiting my kids and I can't believe these nasty fires.
At home (for me)..it has been raining non stop.
Crazy weather patterns.
So glad Hudson is home and wrapped in his mom's arms !!
Those fires are so so scary... and they do make for some nasty looking air. As I was driving today, I looked north and saw haze and looked south and saw haze and looked straight up and saw blue blue skies. I wondered if this was just because I was directly below it? Or do we just have better air in our neck of the woods? :)
I am so glad little Hudson is doing so much better. My heart just hurt for their family because I know all to well what it feels like to be in their situation. We love you baby Hudson and can't wait to meet you!!!
Prayers for baby Hudson for continued improvement. He is a beautiful baby boy.
The fires all over the west are terrifying! I have been so worried for my children and grandchildren in Colorado as the fires are so widespread and start so quickly. The Air Force Academy has now been evacuated. Rain is expected so I hope it will be the answers to all our prayers. Hope rain will also come to Utah and all the other western states that need it so much right now.
PS: I am also an exclamation point person ...lol!
Thanks to your friends for their kind comments and prayers about Hudson. Happy to report he is doing well. I think initally I cried enough tears of worry to put out a fire. Now we need to pray for those in harms way.
I'm afraid it's going to be a long hot summer for the fire fighters! I'll throw in a few !! too!!! Prayer is a powerful tool to enrich our lives. Glad Hudson is doing well!! Mimi!!
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