America250

 

 The abode of a Constitutional Scholar fairly hums with activity during the month celebrating the independence of the nation which that Constitution formed. Consequently, after delivering the Heatheridge Stake Fireside the evening of June 21st, he followed up with a fireside at George Washington's Mount Vernon on June 28th, an op-ed on Abraham Lincoln and persuasion in the Deseret News, a piece on Lincoln's views on the Declaration of Independence in the Deseret Magazine, and another op-ed in the Deseret News with the Honorable Tom Griffith and Josh Topham on President Oaks' teachings about peace-making. June 28th being Julia's 22nd birthday, and she already being in D.C. for an American Enterprise Institute week-long seminar taught by Merl Solovechik, Justin invited Lia to accompany him for the fireside and a quick visit to the heart of all things America250. As the day approached, though, Lia became more and more unsettled at the thought of the children fending for themselves for three and a half days, ultimately awaking in the wee hours Monday morning with a strong feeling that she shouldn't go. Justin accordingly drove to campus with the chief to-do item of canceling Lia's ticket and hopefully securing a refund. 

Around the time she should have been receiving a report on the status of the ticket, Lia instead received a dreaded phone call: "I was in a car accident." Luckily neither Justin nor the jetlagged person who ran her redlight were injured, but Justin's truck is in the shop until the end of July to repair significant damage. The other driver's car was totaled. 

Tuesday, Lia returned from a 10 am doctor's appointment to find Miriam huddled and whimpering on the couch next to Gwyndelin, unable to lift her right arm. Three hours later at instacare we were informed she was actually only unwilling: she had a buckle fracture on her wrist for which she was provided a Tiny Titan arm brace. She was very brave enduring the x-rays all by herself, and it only took two hospital attendants to hold her down. 

Things were quiet for the next few days, but Lia was very happy not to accompany Justin on his Breeze flight out of Provo Saturday morning. She was also happy to be driving two hours to Logan beginning at 5 am to pick up Abdiel and the neighbors from FSY. Had she gone to D.C. with Justin, Katharine would have made the four-hour, roundtrip drive through the rain in order to pick them up. She was even more happy Katharine was not the one manning the fort alone when they returned to find all the power in their sector of Orem out.

Sunday the brakes on Abdiel's scooter went out as he drove home from the snack'n'stroll, so he spent the evening nursing wounds on his back and elbow (luckily not his helmetless head!). Tuesday around 11 am, the time Justin was scheduled to be picked up in Provo, he instead phoned home to say that their plane had had mechanical difficulties, and after circling for several hours in order to burn enough fuel to land, he was right back where he had started in D.C. Lia and some of the kids ended up picking him up around 6:30 pm that evening, all VERY grateful for warning whisperings of the Holy Spirit!

Instead of stressing, Lia and the kids spent the weekend park hopping, eating at Pizza Pie Cafe, watching movies, going swimming, attending the snack n stroll, playing at Grandma's, having a game night FHE, doing crafts, eating sugar cereal and a gourmet waffle bar, and generally having a grand old time.

Thursday night Katharine was rewarded for all the help she had afforded while Justin was away by being allowed to third-wheel her parents' date. At least they felt that a cellist of her caliber had more right to watch the Utah Symphony perform their free America250 concert in Hobble Creek Canyon than they probably did, so they invited her along. Katharine had no idea how wild and crazy her parents get on those rare occasions when they find themselves sans children; after numerous false starts through the woods, they finally located the concert after a short hop, skip, and jump across slippery stones through a small creek. She was doubly rewarded by a piping hot cup of chocolate to try to stave off the canyon chill, and triply rewarded getting to hear Julia's high school friend's older sister, Aubree Oliverson, solo on incredibly difficult and gorgeous pieces. It was a magical evening.

Friday was Elinor's birthday party at the Scera Pool. The Colonial Fest happening at the Scera Park greatly complicated matters, but a fun time was had by all, and Elinor greatly appreciated the Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream cake that turned out looking almost exactly like the model picture. 

The model was a 6" cake and ours was 8", so it was a little shorter, but just as stunning and delicious. We tried to maximize time with cousins for the birthday girl by attending the Colonial Fest ourselves once the other guests had left and then getting some more ice cream at Founding Flavors. 

We hit the sack early in order to be ready for the Freedom Run 1 Mile early the next morning. The entire family ran (Miriam pushed by Justin in the jogging stroller), with special mentions going to Abdiel who finished 26th overall; Gwyn who ran it in a Colonial dress; Lia who ran 5 months pregnant; Gabriel who was the youngest Collings ever to run a mile race; Katharine and Julia, who stuck stolidly by their diminutive racing partners; Elinor, who came dragging over the finish line; and Justin, who made passed all but Abdiel with a maniacal laugh and thundered to the finish line just behind Miriam, who stopped her crying for the race itself. All the whines and cries from before the race were silenced by the end, and everyone even happily walked probably more than a mile to the parade route. A very kind older couple gave up a huge space to us just when we had given up hope of finding a seat because her own family had decided not to come. So we were in second row seating in the shade at the beginning of the parade. Happy Birthday, Elinor!

After the parade we had red, white, and blue waffles, then some took naps and some watched a movie before prepping an all-American hot dog dinner and then parting ways as some went to Stadium of Fire, some watched another movie. Some found the next morning's alarm VERY early. But not Elinor! Whose 8th birthday proper it finally was! Sunday birthdays are often a disappointment, but since we had organized the Horseshoe Plus edition of the America250 Potluck, Elinor felt very celebrated. We had over a hundred people turn out with amazing food, tasteful and thoughtful activities for the children, and a fun sing along. 

Happy Birthday, Elinor! And America! We love you both!