The rest of the story...

In an effort to finally get our trip to Nauvoo finished, blogged about and documented, I am going to do a HUGE post, full of pictures, and then be done with it!  I have much more to blog about that has happened since our Nauvoo trip, so I gotta get this done!

 Here is David and I under the bridge that was one of the original drainage sources that helped drain the swamp land of Nauvoo.

 At the end of Parley Street on the banks of the Mississippi River.  The raft behind us is what many of the saints put their wagons across the river on.

 I got to be the helper at the JK Browning gun shop.  This was by far one of my favorite places in Nauvoo. 

 Going on the oxen ride.  We also got to visit a lot with the Don and Karen Parker, who are also serving in Nauvoo on their mission.  They are a wonderful couple that are in our ward from Snowflake.  Elder Parker actually was part of the team that led the oxen for our little ride.  He and David go way back.  Elder Parker was also his drafting teacher in high school.

 Standing in front of the mansion house.  We didn't have the opportunity to go inside, but we wandered around the area and also saw the Red Brick Store, and the grave sites of Joseph, Hyrum and Emma. 

 Me and my parents at the Old Nauvoo Cemetery.  So many old headstones, and so many unmarked graves of faithful saints who died while in Nauvoo.

 At the Family Living Center.  My dad gave us a demo on making rope, barrels and showed us how they made rugs at a loom.  My mom gave us a presentation on how to make cloth, and bread in the bustle ovens.

 This is a self-taken picture of us outside the Nauvoo temple after our session.  No one around, so David got to strech his arm out good.

 We got to go to the play Rendezvous and watch my parents act.  It was WONDERFUL!  My dad is a natural, and my mom sings like an angel.  So fun to see them in action!

We bid a fond farewell to Nauvoo and headed toward the airport to go home on Friday morning.  We made a detour to Springfield, IL where we took some tours around many Abraham Lincoln sites.  We saw his tomb, old house, the courthouse, his law firm, and went to the amazing large museum all about him and his time as president, his assassination, and his family history.

No more pictures, but we flew home out of Peoria, IL to Mesa, AZ.  We finally landed and got into Mesa over 4 hours late {LONG STORY!!} and slept well at my sister Heidi's house.  The next morning my wonderful sisters all took me out to breakfast for my birthday.  We went to Crackers and enjoyed a quick meal.  David and I then headed northeast toward home, and our five little kiddos.  We were really starting to miss them and it was wonderful to get home and have them back in my arms. 

So there you have.  The very shortened, very condensed finale of our trip to Nauvoo.  And for next time, all the weeks and activities of the rest of September up til now...