Beneath the Wraps

                 During the course of our blogs, my brother and I have both mentioned how our growing up years may have seemed idealistic – how our share of problems pale in comparison to countless others.  I don’t relate to dysfunctional families and am highly grateful for that.  As I looked around the room during Relief Society yesterday I noticed each one of the sisters (or most of them) had been a part of a dysfunctional family either in childhood or parenthood – sometimes both I felt a sense of sadness.  I don’t/didn’t wish to appear like I was boasting with my “unexpected answer to prayer” example compared to great struggles and hardships of others.          I am GRATEFUL to be an oddball.   The closest I have come to experiencing the dysfunctional thing has been on the outside seeing a glimpse of Biff’s challenges and his in-laws.   I hadn’t thought of them as dysfunctional but there ...

             Our family vacationed every year.   Often we went to either Disneyland or Yellowstone National Park, but there were also times when we did something different.   One of those vacations was sponsored through then Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho.   I don’t remember where exactly the “Outdoor Family Program” – took place.  I'm guessing somewhere in Idaho.             I think Kayla was five at the time.   I don’t remember how many families were involved – though I can remember six.   We were all put in cabins which surrounded the shower area and bathrooms with flushable toilets.   There were portapotties available, but they needed to be moved as they were pretty full to almost overflowing.   It was disgusting.   The cabin we were in was pretty much wall to wall bed.   There were five of them fit together like a U shape (if I remem...