JYLLAND AT LAST

I had a great Mother's Day chatting with children flung far and wide.  It is hard to squeeze everyone in before too late here, and too early there.   Anissa was on the mother-end of a call from Elder Long, and I can't help but remember those long-awaited chats with our missionary boys.  Except, we were all fighting for the phone.  Skype is so wonderful. 

We were lucky to be on the other side of the "Missionary Calling Home To Mom" Sunday,  since we had 2 Elders with us to Skype with families.  One has been out a year, and one just 4 months.  They were so excited.  They laughed , talked, cried and you could feel  warm hugs across the miles.  President  asked them to all bear testimony during the call, and they did just that.  Touching, powerful testimonies.

We  had the opportunity to travel to Jylland (east side of Denmark) a few weeks ago.  The mission is looking for a couple of new apartments and we volunteered to meet with a realtor.  No one had to twist our arms.  The weather was cold and rainy, but we bucked up and went anyway.  We crossed a thoroughly modern bridge (The Great Belt), sweeping across the water  from Sjælland to Funen and then across The Little Belt to Ribe, the oldest city in Denmark and home of some of my ancestors.

 We stayed outside Ribe in an old converted farmhouse with a big cobbled yard, whitewashed buildings and manicured grounds.  The owners bought the old buildings and nearly tore them down, but decided to remodel and turn the farm into a bed and breakfast.  The whole top floor belongs to guests and has a sitting room, gabled bedrooms, and fluffy comforters.  The very Danish breakfast was beautifully presented in the dining room downstairs.  They are artists with food.  Let's just say that there was even a parsley garnish in the butter dish. Nice, nice couple. 

We made our way into Ribe and saundered  around.  The old part of town has narrow little alleys with cottage doors opening right onto the cobbled road.  The half-timbered houses line the streets with peeling paint, low doorways and an occasional sleepy cat looking for sun in the window.

The wind was brisk and we didn't linger except to sneak into the local domkirke made of tufa rock, with lofty vaulted ceilings and a 13th century doorway.  Lion door knocker.   This one had a massive candelabra.  I never tire of looking in the churches.

Ribe goes back to viking times, so a must-see is the Viking Museum.  Astounding amounts of information in well-planned rooms full of artifacts, weapons, drawings and pictures.  Even a re-created viking village center.  The Danish vikings were feared and roamed about looking for plunder. Viking ships entering your sleepy harbor would be a cause for great alarm in the 700's.

After meeting with a realtor in Horsens, we stopped in  Aarhus (Denmark's second largest city) to deliver supplies and visit with the Larsens, the YSA couple there.  They fed us lunch with the Turpins and Blackhams (other couples on Jylland), and then the Larsens took us to their favorite genbrug (junk shop really - like a glorified DI/antique shop.)  Aisles of STUFF.  I bought an old sampler and a small oil painting.  And a silver serving spoon.  Saw some fabulous hand-made copper kettles.  Now if I could figure out a way to get one home...........  To end the day, we took the ferry home.  Drive in, leave your car and go sit and eat at the cafe.  Easy.  About an hour ride.

  No idea.  Looks like blu-cheese buildings. View from the ferry leaving Aarhus harbor. 

We are so excited for Courtney, Jackson, Anissa and McKenzie to come.  They have been gathering odds and ends for us for weeks, it seems.  Patient people.  Daily Messenger text is  "Can you look for......?" followed by a reply with a picture to confirm.   Gathering new purchases, clothing and items that we can't do without, buried in the house in storage.   We've had pictures of cold medicine, Vitamin C drinks, T-shirts, jackets and aspirin texted across the miles.    Here's my favorite text to Courtney.....  Me:  "I have one more thing to have you dig out.  In the closet in the sewing room, I have a goofy one-piece, green fleece pajama thing with feet. I know!  Could you throw that in while keeping a straight face?"  Courtney: " Grandma, I don't even need to send you a picture to confirm that I have the right thing."  (emoticon laughing and crying.)  Me:  "Wait until  you are old and cold and facing another  Danish winter. Fashion is not even an issue.  Not even."
Love these people.  Can't wait to see them.