Nauvoo Week 27 (13 - 19 June 2016)

Nauvoo Week 27 (13 – 19 June 2016)

Wow what a fun exciting week we have had! 

Monday for home evening we went to a place called Montrose, IA with our Preparation day group.  This was the place where many of the Saints crossed over the Mississippi River to Iowa to get away from the mobs and to go west to Utah.  We had a picnic and enjoyed the scenery of the Nauvoo Temple on the other side. We also shared the evening with the bugs and insects that live here!  We also went to Triangle Park in Keokuk, another place that the some pioneers camped in as they left. 

Tuesday, we worked our afternoon shift at the Temple in the Baptistry.  When we finished and walked out of the Temple a big surprise! 

Paul and his family were waiting on the steps of the Temple for us!  We knew they were coming but we didn’t know they would be right outside the Temple.  So great to see them all again. 

We worked at the Temple Wednesday evening and the kids went to a few of the sights and to the play “Rendezvous” that evening. They went on the wagon ride which takes you all around the grounds.  Also, on we found out that they were going to start Malia at 5:00 A.M. on Thursday, which was four weeks early as her fluid was so low.

Thursday, we worked the morning shift, until 1:00pm.  I had asked Scott to text me every hour to give us an update.  So I had my phone in the locker room and was able to check every hour.  She was going to have her naturally, but after six hours of back labor she opted to have the epidural.  That was around 1:00pm.   She was having contractions every 2 minutes but nothing was happening.  Finally around 5:00 she began to push.  Ruby Rae Shaw was born at 6:00pm, weighing 5 lbs. 11 ozs and 19 inches long. 

She has tons of black hair and she is so cute and sweet.  She is healthy and has not had any complications.  They are home now and hopefully Malia is being able to get more rest, as that didn’t happen in the hospital.  I will have the opportunity to go and spend a week with them.  I am so excited I can’t wait.

When we got home from the Temple we went to some of the sights with Paul’s family and then we saw the play “The Promise.”  The young performing missionaries are something else.  They had to try out to be here and they are all so talented.  They do these little side shows and they also perform in “Sunset on the Mississippi,” which the kids really liked.  The older sight missionaries also perform in Sunset and they do a good job. 

When pageant comes in July I think they are all involved in those as well.  The kids have been eating lunch and dinner here at our place which is good so they don’t have to go back and forth to Keokuk where their hotel is.  We played baseball with the kids most everyday out in the heat.

The kids went to a puppet show put on by the young performing missionaries, they seemed to enjoy that.  On Friday we went to a place where they had some pioneer outdoor games.  The kids had a lot of fun there.  They also went on an Oxen ride.  They road in the pioneer wagon as the oxen pulled us.  They love the horses and the oxen a lot and they were able to pet and touch them. 

We attended the “BYU Folk Dancers,” a show they loved a lot.  They have a band in it and they loved the songs and the young missionaries. 

On Saturday they went to see the gun shop and the school house.  Dad and Paul and Kellie went to the Mansion House of Joseph Smith, and his homestead, their graves and the Red Brick store that Joseph ran for a time.  These are owned by the Community of Christ Church.  Just not the same having them give the tours instead of our church members.  I watched the kids while they went.  Then Tom, Paul, and Kellie went to the Temple on the 6:00 evening session. 

I tended once again and I took the kids to the “Sunset by the Mississippi” again.  Now they know a lot of the songs and a few parts. 

Sunday, we went to church in the Nauvoo Stake center.  It was filled to capacity, just like having a Stake Conference. 

We went to the Carthage Jail, where Joseph and Hyrum were shot and killed by the mob.  I love going there it is a sacred place.  We saw a short little play called “Be Still” which is about the martyrdom and was held in the visitor center. 

After dinner we went up by the Temple to take some pictures and to see the sunset.  We also rode down the trail of hope which is on Parley’s street and is the same street that the saints went down to the Mississippi to cross over and leave Nauvoo.

It was a hot week but also a special week to spend time with Paul, Kellie, Hallie, Maddie, Bryant, and Kenzie.  We miss you already and pray that the Lord will bless you as you drive home.  We love the spirit here and we love sharing it with our family and friends.  We hope all of the Fathers in our family had a happy Father’s day. 

We love you all and look forward to Jeff’s and Kristy’s family in July.

Love,

Nana & Papa/Mom & Dad/Elder & Sister Shaw