The laundry could wait

Friday evening I frantically pulled the laundry from the drier as the in-laws rolled into our little cul-de-sac. With hugs and smiles, the basket was dropped at the edge of our bed, forgotten for a whole two days.

We were so happy to have David’s parents in our little humble home and to have them bring the grandparents with them from Utah!

We walked around the beautiful Redlands temple, found the highest point in the city to admire the view of the San Bernardino valley and caught a praying mantis in the act of praying (at the temple no less) only to have him run away.

Mom Glenn and I ohh-ed and ahh-ed as we crushed fresh basil leaves into a homemade pesto for our goat cheese and veggie pizzas while David and his dad worked through a few computer glitches. We talked away the evening around our tiny dining room table.

And that was just Friday night.

Saturday came with a little sleeping in and breakfast of waffles with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. We drove over to the hospital so David’s parents could get a taste of where he spends his days (and nights). After that it was off for a relaxing walk in Prospect Park where David’s mom gave me a crash course on the names of all the beautiful flowers. We pilfered a couple of oranges right off the tree and smiled as their juices got our fingers all sticky.

A tour of Redlands, the Lincoln Shrine, and the “worlds greatest” burgers at a little downtown diner topped off the afternoon.

Saturday evening, we marveled at the huge pile of ribs and perfect roast that uncle Dan and grandpa Glenn had barbecued. After dinner, we discovered our true character traits in a rollicking game of Apples to Apples in the living room.

Sunday was church, a time to relax and enjoy each others company (along with a little football and a movie).

There were no waterfalls to jump from, no castles to explore, no jungles to trek through or world-famous beaches. But in all our adventures, these little trips are the best of all.

They teach me that the laundry can wait. There are more important things to tend to.

“We become so caught up in the busyness of our lives. Were we to step back, however, and take a good look at what we’re doing, we may find that we have immersed ourselves in the “thick of thin things.” In other words, too often we spend most of our time taking care of the things which do not really matter much at all in the grand scheme of things, neglecting those more important causes.”

– President Thomas S. Monson, Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.