Pageant 2009

I am going to keep the next few blogs brief and to the point. No time for wit, I just need to record this before my life becomes insane again. Speaking of which, I am headed back to Nepal on Saturday. This was just decided yesterday and I have 3 days to prepare. I am DYING to see Axel. I am not excited about the travel but I am soooo excited about the arrival!

When I left for the Tour de North America I was mostly excited about going to Pageant. It is awesome to see the Book of Mormon come alive and see that many crazy Mormons all in one spot. I was especially excited because two of my bestest friends from Delaware were there with their kids. I must say that it was one of the highlights of my entire trip.


Hanging out at the famous highway stop. Eat egg salad. Grandma found black raspberries, the perfect dessert!

Sedona found a sticker on our luggage and declared it was her tika. You can take the girl out of Nepal but you can't take the Nepal out of the girl!

Chill'n on the '70s blanket. How can something so ugly be so comfy?


And yet, the love is the same since the '70s. It's the magic Pageant blanket

The Stoklosas, Neidermans, and Bromleys. Since we have seen each other we have multiplied a few times. Getting a table at Denny's with this many kids was not. going. to. happen. The next morning we opted for doughnuts at the park. Thank goodness.

5 adults, 12 kids all under 9 years old.


Heavah and Megan. Adults aren't the only people who can pick up friendships where they left off. Friends for life. Heavah slept at Megan's hotel and hid in their van when it was time to leave. So happy they have a renewed memory of each other.


Heavah and Kim. Instant love. Kim always gives candy and presents, mom doesn't.

Checking out all the sites
Sedona with the Palmyra Temple in the distance
Heavah at Joseph Smith's home


Look at the cuteness!

Shelly's beautiful girls

Shelly and I - My smocking twin

Check out the drama! Oh the stories...

The calmest Xavier was the entire trip! He was so in love with Paul and Cole and their cool boyness he collapsed when we drove home.

I was so hard to say goodbye. I have never really missed anywhere I have ever lived as much as Delaware. It has a special place in my heart, mainly because of the relationships I gained while I lived there. Good thing friendships last forever.

Buddha's Birthplace

After Chitwan we made the long haul to Buddha's birthplace, Lumbini (also known as 'the lovely' in Sanskrit). It took a while, but we figured it was the one and only time we could do it. You have to do it once in your lifetime, but I don't feel the need to do it ever again. It was about 4 hours out of the way and least to say, it wasn't a smooth ride.

Lumbini sits only 10 miles away from the Indian/Nepal border and it is a very underrated area. It is becoming more popular but the infrastructure deters most Buddhist from visiting. Now I can see why.

Taking the rickshaw into the sacred garden

It was interesting to see how everyone living in Lumbini, Nepal looked very Indian, not Nepali.

The exact place where Buddha was born. Don't ask me how they actually know this, but according to sacred documents, they have surmised that this is the place where Buddha was born.

We couldn't leave without getting tika'ed from my didis. There is always a reason for a tika.

Behind us is the stone where Queen Mayadevi gave birth to Siddhartha (Buddha). Tell me, if you are a queen, would you choose to give birth on a stone? Surely there were better places to have a baby. Even this pool of nasty Nepali water would have been a better choice.

Doing a puja at the Nepali monastery. There are monasteries from Vietnam, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Korea, etc. but I believe the Nepali Monastery was the coolest one. It had a little Las Vegas Buddhist-style feel to it.

The lights on top of Buddha's head would rotate and blink like a casino slot machine when you win twenty bucks. Loved it.

Feel'n the Buddha love, or just a wrestle with your sister in the name of a hug.

Muslim women shopping at the Buddhist shops. Ironically, the area of Lumbini is predominantly Muslim.

Xavier trying to haggle. Like father, like son.

The Many

Faces

of Dona.

At Axel's feet you will see a Buddhist carved mask. Axel 'found' this mask in Lumbini and it was about to be thrown out. Sweet souvenir.

Buddhist words to live by

We went, we saw, we conquered.

A Saree Day

Today we wore our sarees ALL day. It was baptism by fire for my mom. It isn't easy for us Westerners to manage in a saree. But, mom did great. She also bought her saree in India when we went there on vacation. At the time, I am certain she didn't think she would ever wear it. However, today was the day! We had a wedding to attend and then we were off to a Woman's Conference at the branch. It was a long day, but loads of fun.

Getting a tika before the groom went to the wedding ceremony

The groom before he left to meet the bride

The ring ceremony

Washing of the bride's feet

The end of Women's Conference with all the women in their sarees

I'm too tired to mention all the other things we did today. Wearing a saree is hard work.