Kiana

It's been so long since I've blogged! Well, by the world's standards, I bet my record is still over par for the past two months, but I need to be much better than the world's standards in many ways including this. This post will be two fold encompassing the past and the future. Sounds exciting. Here goes!

THE PAST:
As would seem fit, the past comes first. I will begin by commenting on my cabin. Since retiring from living at my cabin about five weeks ago, I have made 2 trips back. One was ridiculously difficult. The project I was completing needs time to dry and I have to complete entire layers. So in order to progress the next day, I had to finish an entire layer. I began working at 7:30 AM. I had 20 minutes for breakfast and 30 minutes for lunch adding to a combined brake time of under an hour. I completed work this day at 11:47 PM. Making my work day more than 14 hours. You thought your life was tough. And when I mean work, I mean literally non-stop with no breaks. Eat it. The next day was only about 11 hours of work and I had time to take a couple of beautiful pictures of flowers which have bloomed from the summer monsoons. Here they are!


There are thousands of sunflowers that have popped up everywhere!

This wonderful little flowers cover the ground almost everywhere you walk. The brilliant yellow hints at the approach of autumn.

This past weekend, and incredible thing happened. I was introduced to a new friend. A little bird walked up to my friend's mom while in her garage. The bird let her pet it and even hold it. Then, the bird followed her inside! It stayed with the family all day and when I arrived that night, they wanted me to take care of her. So asked my parents and took her the following day, being Sunday. On Monday, I bought her a cage with some toys and food. She is my new best friend. She plays with me no matter how busy she is. She calls me. She kisses me and cuddles with me. She watches movies with me. I hand feed her sometimes. She even showered with me today. We are inseparable. As with the flowers, I will post pictures later. Her name: Kiana. (Kee YAHN Uh). She is a Peach Faced Lovebird. They are a variety of parrot no doubt. Several years ago, a man set loose twenty of them in the valley. They are native to South Africa but they began to thrive in this new area. They have since grown to numbers more than a couple of thousand in the valley, and these beautiful birds can be found eating food all over the Phoenix Valley, and even down to Tuscon. So thrilled I met my new friend. I care for her, feed her, keep her cage clean, and play with her. And she gives me responsibility, joy, love, companionship, an appreciation for God's creations, and even a longing to be a better father. She's the thrill of my life!

This picture does not do her justice. Her plumage is much more brilliant in real life, but the interior lighting is withholding her brilliance.

THE FUTURE:
This part is very short. Just wanted to say that I have the opportunity to go to the Temple today. Yes today because it's past midnight making today Thursday. I have been granted the privilege of receiving my endowment. A gift and covenant from on high. I am so thrilled to be making this step in my life! It almost was scary because of the sacredness of the temple, we don't know much of what happens inside. I have been given comfort from a loving Father who knows of my excitement and nervousness. It is going to be an incredible opportunity.