Today is Adam's birthday and he is all by himself--sniff, sniff. However, what fun it is to wish him a very 'Happy Birthday' via the blog world. Everyone in our family loves this man who stole Bri's heart!
Nice try Grandpa--but it was not to be!
Only Adam could steal the heart of Bri!
He is kindhearted, hardworking and blessed with a delightful wit which keeps us continually smiling or laughing! He passed the Emma, Ellie and Ryan test very early on during his courtship of Bri--and when Erin and Kara quickly approved there were smiles all around! Oh, I should also mention he sings like star and has strong family values! He loves his family and has come to love ours as well--Whew!
(He plays the guitar too!)
(He plays the guitar too!)
So on this very special day...Know that we are thinking of you and wishing you a year full of many wonderful blessings!
(It really is just the two of them so far... that little guy belongs to Brett & Julianne)
This is how missionaries in Mongolia dress for their everyday tracting!.jpg)
And this is what a cloak room looks like when missionaries have removed their winter coats in preparation for a meeting!
While there, the temperature was a wee bit chilly...with averages in the minus 20's and 30's. You can feel the cold on your face, (face ache) and in your lungs when you breathe...(lung ache). However, being a former Canadian gal with deep roots in this kind of weather, it was nothing I couldn't handle--at least for 60 seconds or so! It is so cold there, that even the animals must have some winter clothing! 
We visited with two families in their Gers (tent homes). What a lovely experience it was! A Ger, if you remember, is a tent like structure that is completely movable. It is toasty warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The first Ger we visited belonged to this young couple.
When we stepped into the Ger, the parents turned off their television, much to the dismay of their little boy. (Mind you, the television was not playing anything that would interest a child...he just liked having it on!) Ger's come in many sizes...but the ones we visited were 9-10 feet in diameter. The furniture hugs the perimeter, leaving the center open for the stove and a table with chairs. This young mother loves bright colors. Look how cute her cupboards and washstand are!
Their beds are put away during the day, to give them more room to work and play. 
The second Ger belongs to this woman. She was born in this very same Ger and raised her own family here as well. (she is one year younger than me). This picture reveals the strength of her testimony. She is holding her temple sealing certificate. Look at the bookshelf behind her. It contains her most prized possessions!
Here she is showing us how she puts the wood in her stove. This stove is not very large, but performs many duties besides cooking and baking. It is used for heating water for personal use, washing clothes and taking baths. Can you imagine how much effort that must take? 
This stove is so hot, I can only imagine the challenge it must be to keep little children from getting burned. Her table was filled with refreshments that she had made especially for us. It is amazing to me how much time and effort she must have gone through accomplished this beautiful table! (FYI: We were so relieved when we found out that we were not being served warmed fermented mare's milk--just good old cow's milk! )
She shared with us her testimony and how much joy the gospel has brought to her life and the lives of her children. One of her greatest joys was being sealed to her husband and children in the Hong Kong Temple a couple of years ago. I am so grateful to have experienced this.
AND what Latter-day gospel event does this remind you of?
Now you cannot go to Mongolia without sensing the powerful influence of Genghis Khan. Look at this amazing monument built to him in that resides in the middle of nowhere! It is HUGE! 
We walked all the way up to the horse's head to get this view of a Ger camp! I shot this picture using my zoom setting. Can you get a sense of how high up we were?
On our last night there, we had a member missionary meeting. We were expecting around 800 saints. We ended up with 1400 in attendance. This is a picture of the choir! They were spectacular! The more I visited this beautiful country, the more I love it's people and history. I am grateful that the gospel is in Mongolia!
This picture was taken in honor of Erin and Kara--as one of their favorite stores in Hong Kong. What is a visit to Hong Kong without a sneak peak inside Shanghai Tang? However, there were no wallets being opened here!
With a little monkeying around, we were able to snap Bri in the moment! 
Of course, not to be left out, Adam insisted on wearing outlandish earmuffs while gazing at the jelly fish! 
A funny thing happened while viewing the jelly fish...some were hot!
While some were not! (This was totally an Adam and Bri phenomena. I was just an interested observer!)
Now in this shot, I tried to tell them that they really were not that high in the sky...but they simply wouldn't believe me!
Like her big sister Kara, Bri fell in love with the pandas. THIS was the main reason why we went to Ocean Park. For some strange reason, she was hugging every panda within sight!
Adam discovered if you can't beat'em, join'em! (my first cliche in sooo long!)
Bri talked about their walking up the many, many steps to the Big Buddah! This picture validates their claim!
Now they are off! Where am I you ask? Well, there are only so many times you can climb this monument before it starts to lose it's charm. How many times would that be you ask? Hmmm...one? Besides, look at the photo opportunities that would have been lost...
