I ask myself why I get up at 5 a.m. every time I do a triathlon. I think that the answer is different every time but usually along the lines of ... Because I Can! Ben signed us up for the Echo tri last month after the Salem bike was cancelled. So I did it this morning and it was really good weather finally. I think I got faster than last year, I can't remember what my time was for sure. I will have to go look it up, but this year it was 1:25 and some seconds. I wasn't very focused on the race and haven't been sleeping well at all, but that is nothing new. (In fact I was awake before the alarm went off at 5.) So it is what it is, I guess. I had a huge drink of lake water and lost sight of the last buoy in the water, my swim may not be as fast but I think I did okay on everything else. I ended up 2nd for my age group, but the three girls that ran past me on the run where in a younger age group. I was trying so hard to keep up with them, but if you don't have it, then you just ain't getting it.
I have been thinking a lot about my pioneer ancestors this week, since I saw Emma on Tuesday night with my friend Sharon for her birthday. She really identifies with Emma Smith I think since she has lost two of her babies in the past couple of years, as Emma lost so many of hers. A couple other friends came from our ward as well and we were all really sad afterwards. Except for Sharon, it almost cheered her up, I am not sure how, but whatever. It was a really depressing movie and made me so sad to think about all the trials that our ancestors went through. My Grandma Josephine's (Jo, is what I always called her) grandfather was the only one in his family to survive winter quarters, his mother, father and siblings all died there. His name was Moroni Fuller and I emailed my Uncle Skip the other day to get some more information on this side of my family. Maybe I will create a blog about my family history sometime, if I can find enough information. I find it fascinating, all the stories, photos, etc. of the trials and successes in life. I think that is why I like scrap booking and writing in my journal so much (now I just blog). I wish that my grandma Jo had kept a journal of the stories that her Grandpa Moroni had told her. That would be so amazing to read of the experiences he had in winter quarters and crossing the plains, maybe even meeting Emma Smith or Joseph. Who knows who they could have been friends with, I have no idea how many people died at winter quarters. I visited there once a while ago when Ben's brother got married in the winter quarters temple. It was a very quiet cemetery and I felt so sad thinking about that whole family buried there, except for one young boy who survived. If he hadn't would I be here today? Maybe, but it makes me think about the fact that one person can make such a difference in the world.
"My heart is full of love towards my ancestors and I look back upon their journeys, trials and hardships w/ awe and wonder at what they were able to accomplish. I also recognize the Hand of God in their lives and know he has a purpose for all of us."
