The Supreme Court of the United States

This past week has been a very discouraging and disappointing week for our country.  In a 6-3 decision Obamacare was upheld and essentially became the law of the land...unless congress ever has the intestinal fortitude to do what it was elected to do, and overturns it.  More than 30 states had objected to the use of federal governmental subsidies to people in the states that elected to not set up exchanges.  Obamacare had been written to exclude the subsidies as a way to "blackmail" the states into setting up the exchanges.   However, they had been given the subsidies anyway and when the states objected the suit made it all the way to the court.  For the second time the Federal Government lied about the bill in oral arguments and you would have thought that would have counted...but it counted for naught.  I can only conclude that Obama has "something" on Chief Justice Roberts or he really is a wolf in sheeps' clothing.  The  2010 and 2014 elections were both landslide elections putting Republicans in the House and Senate with a  mandate to overturn Obamacare, but, as yet, the Republicans are worse than the Democrats.  The Democrats enacted the awful piece of legislation without a single vote from any Republican, changed the rules of the Senate to do it, and against the will of a majority of the people...and twice the Republicans have ignored their mandate and cowered in their halls, fearing that the Democrats and press will label them bigots or hate mongers...or they too are wolves in sheep clothing!  I am so saddened by this decision and what it means for my children and grandchildren.  My father used to warn that our freedoms are being eroded every single day and I used to just smirk and think it was an over-exaggeration...but as I have gotten older I see ever more clearly what he meant and I realize it is happening much faster than when he was worried about it!  Free markets could have addressed all of the concerns regarding our health care system, but the truth is, the Democrats have been trying for a single payer health care system for decades and with Obama they got it!  It is nothing more that socialism but our electorate and youth are so ignorant about what socialism is that they cannot even see the dangers.  It's kind of like we, as a nation, are the frog swimming in the pan of water on the stove...slowly we will be boiled to death and we will have been oblivious to the dangers that lurked just below our pan.

As discouraging and disappointing as the decision on Obamacare is, the 5-4 decision on gay marriage literally changes America in an instant.  Our culture has been rapidly changing and in many ways this was predictable.  Sadly, there was a time in our history when our institutions actually aided the Lord, the Churches, and the righteous in creating a culture, laws, and environment that supported right, morality, goodness, and the Lord.  And, truth be told, this has been eroding for a long time but the momentum has gathered such speed that I doubt we, as a nation, will ever be able to return to the Lord, except for when He returns.  Perhaps this is the hastening that has been foretold.   I  don't know how things will go in the interim...I just know how it ends!  The sadness I feel is deep.  To the bone.  The fear I feel for us as a people is equally deep.  And the worry...oh it is sooooooo much easier to be young and oblivious and inexperienced and idealistic...unable to see the danger.  The trouble is that being young, oblivious, inexperienced, idealistic, and so trusting just makes one all the more vulnerable to the wiles of Satan and his minions because the dangers are so cleverly disguised, so unseen, so hidden, so lied about, so dangerous, so devastating...and so difficult to come back from.

It is fitting that this decision happened 20 years after 15 prophets had issued "The Family - A Proclamation to the World" with this,

"WE WARN that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.

WE CALL UPON responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society."

I have often wondered and pondered how Noah must have felt as he heard the rain descend and what must have been wails of regret and sorrow from those who chose to not heed his prophetic warnings...or Abraham and Lott when Sodom and Gomorrah was destroyed and Lott's wife was turned to salt.  And more importantly how must our loving Father in Heaven felt?  I think an incorrect understanding of our Heavenly Father and the Savior is becoming a real detriment us.  Often one hears that the Lord is all about love, as if there are no consequences for choices that are contrary to his divine laws.  It seems that those who wish to believe that God is all about love somehow believe that we can do whatever we want with impunity and cry foul when we suffer the results.  We are like petulent children, throwing awful temper tantrums, wanting what we want but not wanting to experience the bad results, then blaming the Lord for the injustice of it all!  LOL!   Or, as if because we think something else is a better idea or that there is a big enough group who concur with us, then we can change the Lord's mnd orr declare thhat somehow the results wont happen!  Oh our hubris!

Today I spent most of the day at the sewing machine.  I got a lace band made, the hem of the skirt done, and the lace and tuck strip for the yoke.  Tomorrow I will construct the bodice (back and front), the placket, and put sleeves in.  That should leave me with the tuck bands for the skirt and probably a couple of lace insertions, then buttons and the dress will be done.  I still have the slip and bonnet to do...but so far so good.  This has been easier than Heidi's and I don't really know why, unless it is because I wanted something unique for Heidi and I had already done a dress for Abby and Ellie so I didn't want it to resemble either of theirs.

I've been singing,
       "There was a little house in the middle of the woods.
         A little old man by the window stood.
         Saw a rabbit hopping by,
         Knocking at the door.

         "Help me! Help me! Help me!" He cried
         Or the hunter will shoot me dead
         "Come little rabbit, come with me!
         "Happy we will be!"

Noah loves it and tries to do the actions with me.  He loves it so much that whenever I sing it to him he begs for the "bunny song" again and again.  I bet I could sing it 30 times in a row and he'd still ask for it! Lol!

I started blogging a few nights ago and fell asleep in the middle.  Rich saved it, I think, but don't know how to find it....I really wish I was more tech savvy!!!  I guess I'll just have to put the last few days in tonight's post and hope Rich knows what he did, which I'm sure he probably does.

Friday morning we drove down to Salt Lake City with the express desire to go to the aquarium, zoo, and catch some time with my brothers.  Rich had booked a hotel room at the old Hawthorne Inn, now La Quinta, so that we could make wise use of time.  I had called Brittany to see if she was interested in going to the zoo with us but she suggested the aquarium as temps were expected to be near 100.

The kids traveled really well.  It wasn't until the last half hour that Noah started to get restless.  We stopped in Evanston for some lunch and then headed on in to Brittany's.  Noah was glad to be out of the car and to meet Leah, Eli, and James.  He was especially glad to meet their dog! Lol!

We got to the aquarium and really enjoyed their exhibits and the air conditioning!

We met Derk, Julia, Brad, Alexis, and Erika for dinner at the chuck-a-Rama and enjoyed catching up on everyone.  Mike and his brood were at Lake Powell, Jim was in Idaho of course, and Chad and Ronnie had another activity planned.  It would have been nice to see them all but on short notice, it was great!


After dinner we checked into the hotel and Brittany and the kids, and Derk and Julia came over - Brittany and the kids went swimming with Tom and Noah and Rich and I spent the time chatting.

The next morning we tried to get to the zoo but by the time we got there (just 1/2 hr after opening) the line was huge and the temps were already soaring.  We decided to go across the street to "This is the Place" and we rode their train, visited Brigham Young's home, and Noah rode a pony.    We then headed to Costco for gas and a bite to eat at their eatery.   Then drove out to the distribution center and spent a couple of hours...nothing we do is done quickly! Lol!  Since we hadn't seen Brad and Alexis  at the hotel the night before, we stopped in to say good bye and finally headed home.  All in all it was a lovely trip and I was glad to have seen family too.

Yesterday was Father's Day.  It was a lovely day at church, the speakers were great, the lessons were good, and it was nice to commemorate our Fathers.  I find these holidays bitter-sweet in some ways.  I miss my own father and am sad I don't have him here.  And I love the fathers in my life - our sons and son-in-laws, my brothers, and especially Rich.  I don't have words to describe my great love and appreciation for them...they are truly my super heroes.   How richly blessed I have been to have them in my life.  And I can't even begin to describe my love and appreciation for my Heavenly Father and the savior.

Yesterday we talked about trying to go down to Salt Lake today.  We thought about the zoo and a few other things we might be interested in, including having dinner with any of my brothers and their families, if they were available.  I called my brothers and made arrangements with Derk and Brad for dinner. Chad already had plans since we were just then connecting.  And I suspect Mike and his brood are headed to Lake Powell.  I also called Brittany to see if she might be able to join us at the zoo.  She said she'd be delighted but suggested the aquarium as temps were expected to be near 100 degrees.

So - with those plans made we got up this morning, finished some last minute packing, and we're out the door by late morning.  Noah was asleep within 1/2 hour and he slept all the way to Evanston, where we stopped for lunch at a "Subway".  We got to Brittany's by about 2, relaxed a little and then headed to the aquarium.  It was so much fun to

Today we ventured northwest of here, through Green River and then due north, to the Seedskidee National Wildlife Refuge.  It was ok but nothing to get all that excited about.  It was about a 45 minute drive through pretty country and the road crossed the Mormon, Oregon, and California Trails several times.  In fact, for the Church's 150th birthday they built a replica of the ferry that Brigham Young and company had built to ferry the pioneers over the Green River.  It was still on the property and there were benches that lined the path to the ferry that had been donated by descendants of the pioneers.

We had seen that the refuge was supposed to have deer, moose, elk, etc. and we were hoping to see at least "de moose" as Noah calls them.  We did see some prang deer and a bald eagles nest with a couple of eaglets...but sadly...no moose.

On our return we stopped at McDonald's in Green River for a late lunch.  Everyone was very hungry and thirsty.  Noah played a bit and then we headed home via a car wash.

This evening Noah threw up...the second time in three days.  My guess is that he has some kind of bug and the candy he had tonight just didn't settle well.

I'm in the midst of reading a book by a dr from John Hopkins about gut flora.  It's pretty interesting.  I think I'd like to try some of his suggestions.  There is sound research to his protocol and I'm wondering if it would benefit both Rich and me.  However...I'm just starting it so I need to read more.

Today I worked on Georgia's dress for most of the afternoon and early evening.  I wish I knew what I was going to do....  Decisions! Decisions! Decisions!

So far Georgia seems very mellow.  She and Heidi could be twins in that arena!  I think Felicia is bracing for a change as she nears the two week mark.  It remains to be seen what she'll be like.  I don't know either but I can certainly understand her anxiety as Noah changed substantially about that time but they moved then too!

While Felicia and Tom took Noah and Georgia out to the park to fly kites this afternoon, Rich and I watched a movie, Against the Sun, the true story of three navy guys who are adrift at sea for over a month during WWII.  It was good and I was glad to be able to watch it while I sewed.

I guess I need some tech lessons, especially if this is going to become a habit😉!  I think a pic here or there would be nice.

Today Felicia and Tom took Georgia in for her check up.  Things are looking good and the Venus issue isn't getting any worse.  That's good news, although they will be keeping an eye on her for a few months.

I worked some on Georgia's blessing dress.  I love to create as I go along but sometimes I wish I knew what I was doing before I did it.  I need to get hopping on it as it will takes some time, regardless what I do.

We had major thunder storms today...and will again tonight.

Poor Noah threw all his dinner up just a few minutes ago...Tom was the perfect target...and so was the bed.  It may be a long night.