Autumn Colors and Family Updates

 Autumn officially began on September 22 in 2020.  We always enjoy driving in the canyons to see the foliage colors, which were nice this year even though not as vibrant as last year. 

 

September 24th, Sam and I enjoyed seeing the autumn colors.

 

 

We went with our good friends, Hal and Christy Smith.

 

A couple of days earlier, Sam had taken a friend, Kim Berrett, on a drive
to see the fall colors.  Sam has had some other nice sightseeing drives with our friend Kim who has finally been able to be at home after his fall from a scaffolding last February. 
In mid-July, Kim was released from the hospital where he had been since his accident;
and during most of that time, he had been in isolation due to the Covid pandemic.

 

Sam took Kim's picture on their trip to Promontory Summit where the 

First Transcontinental Railroad was officially completed in northern Utah.

They enjoyed the lecture at Promontory Summit.

The transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869 when the presidents of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads met in Promontory, Utah, and drove a ceremonial last spike into a rail line that connected their railroads.  

This made transcontinental railroad travel possible for the first time in U.S. history.

 

     The Brigham City Temple was on their route.

 

Here are some autumn pictures taken on these recent sightseeing drives:

 

 

 

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We appreciated Jeff, Kate, and Miles coming for a visit on their return home to Arkansas after taking Zack and a friend to BYU-Idaho in Rexburg;
and we were pleased to have members of our family living nearby
come to enjoy a pleasant evening at our home while Jeff's family was here.
Ryan and Tani came from Eagle Mountain
and Beth and Todd's family were here.

 

Part of our family group left before I remembered to take a picture,
but the children had been enjoying time in the pool while
the rest of us had a good visit.
Beth and Todd had brought food for us to enjoy earlier in the evening.
(back: Jeff, Brynlee, Shannon, and Doug;
front:  Miles, Rebecca, Kate, Mason, Corban, Jacob, and Isaac)

 

We were pleased to have a visit from our nephew Trevor and Megan and their darling children Sadie and James, who were here from Arizona where Trevor is doing his internship.  Our visit was in our backyard as we try to respect the Covid restrictions. 

 

Paul, Trevor holding James, Megan, Haley, and Sarah

 

Trevor and James Curtis Smith (born 9/10/2019) 

 

Paul, Anna, Max, Sadie, and Rebecca

Megan and Trevor with James and Sadie

 

Beth took this photo before we had to say our goodbyes to Trevor and his family.
Trevor and Megan with Sadie and James;
Sarah with Max, Paul, and Anna (in the purple shirt);
Rebecca, Haley, Grampa and Gramma 

 

* * * * * * * * * * * *

We now have the locks added to our marriage tree for our granddaughters, Megan and Amanda, who were married this summer.  We missed getting the photos taken on their wedding days, so I appreciate their coming this month to take each other's photos
as each sister and husband added their lock.

 

 

 Amanda and Alex, married August 8, 2020

Megan and Gabe, married June 6, 2020

 

Grateful for Angel Blessings

All family members are keeping our granddaughter Shannon and seven-year-old Ryland in our thoughts and prayers following the injuries they received at Stewart Falls in Utah on May 25th.  Updates have been eagerly watched for on our "Ireland Family" site as well as from phone calls, and we appreciate the inspirational updates from Ryland's mother. 

Shannon was released yesterday evening (May 28) from the hospital and is staying with us in our downstairs along with her parents and Jenna.  Scott has been doing his work online and by phone, but he will fly back to Denver Sunday evening and come back here the following Friday.  

 Shannon in the hospital,

May 26, 2020. 

Here is a copy from what Scott shared on our Ireland Family site regarding Shannon's fall:

"Shannon’s hip is fractured in 4 places, she has a broken arm, elbow, and rib, and the orbital bone around her eye is fractured. Her hip injury will make her pretty immobile for the next 6 weeks, and then she will have about 6 weeks of therapy ahead of her after that. She is expected, however, to make a full recovery; and hopefully by the time that fall semester starts back up, she'll be pretty much back to normal.
 

"The news articles on the web all imply that there were 3 separate accidents that day at Stewart Falls, with Shannon and a small boy (Ryland) both separately falling from 40 feet above the falls down the shear cliff face to the base of the falls. As Shannon was unconscious and Jenna didn't see the accident, we assumed that the published reports were correct. However, late last night we learned the real truth. Only Shannon tripped and fell 40 ft. Ryland was down below and was badly injured when Shannon landed on him. He was the angel that cushioned Shannon's fall and saved her life. We are extremely grateful that Shannon survived this traumatic fall (that has killed others in the past), but feel terrible that it came at such a great cost to Ryland and his family. Ryland had emergency brain surgery yesterday and is in critical condition. We have been fasting and praying for him all day. Please continue to keep both Ryland and Shannon in your prayers."

Kristine posted a link to Ryland's Gofundme page for those interested in helping that way; and she also shared the option to contribue toward Ryland's family's expenses through Venmo, so the funds go directly to them.  

 

Ryland with his family

and standing in front of his mother,

who has shared daily inspirational updates.

In addition to Shannon surviving the fall,
there were other miracles that happened at Steward Falls.

About 30 minutes before Shannon fell,

another female hiker had broken her ankle;

so paramedics were already there at the spot and at the time 
of Shannon's fall onto Ryland

and were quickly able to attend to him.  
Because of the nature of his injury, the paramedics realized 
the need to intubate Ryland with a breathing tube.

Just at this critical moment, another hiker

who was a pediatric anesthesiologist showed up and could help
precisely when this was needed.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

In 2014, Sam and I hiked to Stewart Falls with Ethan and Scott and Shannon.  
We did not go up above the falls and had a safe time, 
although it was very hot and standing by the falls felt good.  
Shannon and Ethan opted to get wet going behind the falls.  
Here are photos from that day:

Ethan, Gramma Narene, Shannon, and Grampa Sam

at Stewart Falls in Utah, 2014.

If you look closely, you can see at least two hikers above the lower falls.

Shannon's fall was from about 40 feet down to the bottom

where we are standing in the preceding photo.

We are extremely grateful Shannon is here and can be in our home

healing and getting better each day. 

We appreciate the fasting and prayers for Shannon and for Ryland

and grateful for the miracles that accompanied this accident.

Beginning a New Decade

As we begin 2020, we have much to be grateful for and look forward to making more happy memories with family and friends.

Family members got together at our home on Sunday, January 26, for an evening of enjoying good food and visiting while Jeff and Austin were here.  They had flown to Utah from their home in Arkansas to go snowboarding with Doug's family, arriving Thursday and spending Friday and Saturday on the slopes.  Austin's final time down the mountain ended with his breaking his arm above the elbow.  Here are some photos from the mountain.

Jacob, Austin, Doug, Brynlee, and Isaac

Brynlee, Jacob, Jeff, Austin, and Isaac

 
The ski patrol medics preparing to take Austin
to the ski lodge clinic
where the x-ray revealed the break.


 
The ride to the ski lodge clinic.
After the x-ray and medical help given,
Austin was taken to the hospital in Ogden.



 Austin with the separated bones in his arm 
realigned and stabilized.
Casting will wait to be done in Arkansas
after the swelling has gone down.
January 25

 Here is the x-ray of the break.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Shannon and Beth
in the kitchen helping to get food ready.

Visiting and sharing stories
(Jacob, Jeff, Derek, and Doug) 

 Gramma with two good-looking guys
before they left to go home to Arkansas.
(Narene, Austin, and Jeff)

Scott and Kristine brought Jenna to BYU
and stayed with us.
They left on January 3rd to visit
Kristine's parents in Salt Lake City on their way home to Denver.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Paul and Ginnie Snyder hosted our Empty Nesters
at their home on January 13th.

 We were invited to go with Beth and Todd
to the BYU vs. San Diego Toreros basketball game
and had these front and center seats,
so I got a close-up picture of the BYU Cougarettes.
January 16
BYU won 93 - 70.

The BYU Cougarettes performing.

Cosmo visiting with fans in the seat ahead of us.

Heidi Tucker was the guest speaker from Arizona
at our January 22nd ward Relief Society activity.
Her topic was Finding Hope Through Spiritual Goals.
I bought two of her books and have enjoyed them.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

When we went with Sam to Provo
to get his routine shot in the eye for his wet macular degeneration
on January 20th,
this balloon was just descending.
His eye once again had shown a little improvement,
and his next appointment will be in 6 weeks.

We have season's tickets to the Hale Theater
with Hal and Christy Smith.
This is the play we saw on January 29th:
The Man with the Pointed Toes. 

Tried to take a "selfie" with my phone
with Christy before the play started.

 We are studying the "Book of Mormon" on Thursday evenings at 7:00
in Spanish Fork at the YSA Stake Center.
Carl Bowcut is our excellent instructor.
His presentations add to our discussions in our classes at church
the following Sundays.