So, I braved the Bundy Reunion alone, and I have been concerned and worried about it for months. I was really worried that the roads would be slick and muddy, and I worried that I would get a flat tire, and I worried that I would get out there and just cry the entire time. I also worried about tents, and bedding, and car trouble. I hated to face it alone, and yet all along, I really felt like he would somehow be home. They would somehow understand, that our whole year and world revolved around that weekend, and that we needed to be out there and together. No such luck.
Anyhow, the kids begged and pleaded, and I knew it was just going to be difficult and sad. I finally decided that we would be sad no matter what, and so I decided to go. With that in mind, I needed a tent. I know that I mentioned all of our tent fiascos over the last few years, and I decided to just buy something nice. That is how Ryan would do it. Anyhow, so I watched expenses and set aside some money. Sags and I went in and bought a really nice canvas tent, that supposedly was not difficult to set up. And, then we went to packing. Thank goodness for Rooshkie. She was really wanting to go, and she packed most of the little kids stuff. Chlo packed her own bag, and that had me concerned. I made a mental note to go through her stuff. Anyhow, with everyone pulling together, we were able to get stuff done. The one hitch was that Sags had a volleyball camp all week, and they needed me to drive to and from St George where the camp was being held the day that we were wanting to leave. So, I told everyone to have everything in a pile. I would drive the girls up and back, and we would have to pack as soon as I returned.
Well, everything went according to plan. We removed the seat as soon as I got back from the volleyball camp, and we went to work packing up the van nice and tight. Rooshkie doubted my abilities, but I learned from Ryan and he is the best packer ever. We finally got out of there around noon. The problem was, there were a few items that I had to stop in St George for, and that is always a downer. Oak had forgotten his coat, and I had no spare tire. I did not dare go out there without a spare. We drove all over St. George and no one wanted to sell me one. Pretty much no one sells used tires any more. I finally had to go to a wrecking yard, and that was five hours later. The kids and I were extremely hot and bothered. We finally hit the dirt road, and it was obvious that the roads were wet. In fact, a rainstorm seemed to follow me all out there. This had me extremely concerned. I knew that the mud would get slick, and I really struggle with that van in the mud. I have no control. But whenever I said my silent prayers, the Lord assured me that I should go, and just have faith in Him. I was way tempted to just go home. Anyhow, the road is pretty gravelly until the flat before the school house, and I was all over the road trying to make it to the building. It was really bad, and yet I didn't want to show my fear to the kids. I was considering just spending the night in the school house in hopes that the roads might dry by the next morning. I could see out across the flat, that it was a total quagmire, and on top it usually gets really bad too. The rain had picked up again, and it did not look like it was going to stop any time soon. Not five minutes passed when Josh Jensen and his brother Seth pulled up in a new looking truck. They offered to drive behind me, or in front of me and give me any help necessary. I gratefully took them up on the offer, but was still nervous. Josh finally just offered to drive the van the rest of the way. Jerusha heaved an obvious sigh of relief. She obviously doubts my abilities. Anyhow, I gratefully accepted, and hopped in with Seth, and a few of the littler kids. I watched Josh...mud up to the axles, and he was swaying all over, but completely in control of the van. What a Bundy he is, and what a huge blessing!! It was definitely no coincidence, and I could not be more grateful for his help that day. I will never forget it.
We got up to the campground and it was just pouring. I kept hoping it would stop for a bit, so that I could get my tent pitched, but Richard and John came up the hill and offered to help me. The rain was obviously not slowing down, and was not going to stop any time soon. We got to work, and they had it figured out pretty quick. Just as they were putting up the poles on the sides, there was this huge flash of light and John got zapped by the wet pole he was holding. Yeah, he kinda freaked out about that for awhile, but it didn't stop him from helping Richard finish putting the tent up.
I almost forgot to mention Chlo's bag...I should have checked it, and gone through it. She had packed a whole bunch of clothes that haven't fit her since like, 1956. No really, she hadn't worn that stuff years!! I have no idea what she was thinking, but needless to say, she had one pair of pants that fit her, and she fell off of the merry go round and into the mud, on the first morning. So typical of my life. Why can't I get it together? Poor, unprepared Chlo!
The reunion, was, as usual, a whirlwind of activity. I tried the whole time to get a phone call from Ryan, but it never did work. I was able to text Kelli in Portland, and she would reassure me that she had heard from him, and that he was ok, but I went through major withdrawls. I even tried Ivona's signal booster with no success. It was difficult. The dance was torture. I missed him so bad, and couldn't go down to the slab without bawling my eyeballs out. Jasmine felt the same way, and she cried and cried for her dad. We finally just decided that it would be best to just go up and go to sleep. That night it rained and rained too. My tent was amazing. It blew hard, and it rained hard, but we didn't get a single drop on us. The babies slept soundly, and all I decided was that I need a better mattress. The mats that I ususally use just don't cut it anymore. I must be getting old.
I was grateful that I was more prepared with a tent, and I was grateful that I had stopped and purchased Oak a jacket. I almost never even saw him, or Chloee the whole reunion. They made friends with cousins and just took off the entire day. They would maybe come in for a snack, but they rarely even ate. At one point, Chlo came sauntering into camp with an entourage of giggly cousins, and she had no shoes on. This is not a rare sight for Chlo, but I had recalled that she had actually left camp with shoes. When I asked her where she left her shoes, she explained that she had taken them off by a water tank, and that when she returned to get them, there was a stink bug by them, and so she of course, couldn't put them back on. They basically needed to be abandoned because of the stink bug. This was a little alarming. I sent Jerusha after the mysterious shoes by the water tank three times with zero success, and explained that there might or might not be a stink bug in their general vicinity. Jamie was finally able to locate them, and she came lugging them back to camp. Apparently they had been hiding under a door, by the water tanks. A spot that any stink bug might love.
There are quite a few babies around little Dilly's age, and they are all growing up too fast. Dill and Hazel fought over a blue chair almost the whole time. I actually purchased Dill a brand new chair, and I know that Molly had brought a chair for Hazel, but they liked to fight over the blue plastic chair. There were actually two of these chairs, and one of them only had three legs. John and Richard finally stole the three-legged one when no one was looking and burned it, but the other one was still up for fighting and debate. Finally it got left down by the cement slab, which brought us some peace for a little while.
There was no Roy Bundy breakfast that we could find, and I missed the races because I was on the hill trying to get a phone call from Ryan. Let me just take a moment to explain the phone system up there. There is no service, except for two spots. One spot is called "The Phone Booth" and it is just at the top of the steep hill that is climbed before the reunion grounds. It is probably 8 miles from camp. There is one more spot on the hill above the reunion grounds, and there is a generator and a water tank on that hill, that is used just for the reunion. By, the shed that holds the generator, some kind soul has stacked three huge tires. If you stand with your hand in the air, you just might get a small signal. I walked up this hill twice a day for the entire reunion in hopes of catching a call from Ryan. During those times, many kind souls would come and climb on the tires with me, and try to get calls out. It was kinda hilarious. We need to build a phone tower on that hill. That should be our next reunion project.
Dill won her race, and Jamie, and Rooshkie came in second, and Jazz came in third...pretty good overall. Testimony meeting, and church meetings were good as usual. The Bundy's are spreading the Gospel message all over the world, and it is good to hear from the missionaries. I was a little bit mad because the first thing that the Bishop said that we couldn't do was discuss anyting political....we can't even discuss our plight with the family??? I was irritated by this, and yet I saw so much love and support from the family that it was overwhelming. Mark Bundy gave me $500.00 and Cory Bundy's wife gave me some cash too. One of the family's Nancy Madril's family, had made t-shirts that spoke of all of the Bundy prisoners by name, and asked for prayers. I was very touched by this, and Renie Layton had made a quilt to raffle for the families too. The Bundy family is largely behind us, but too afraid to say anything...that was the vibe I got. I had told all of the kids that I wanted them to attend some of the church meetings...I finally had to go and locate Chlo and Oak. Oak wasn't really excited about church, but he finally asked if he could just listen to church from inside one of the barrels...sure. why not? There are barrels all over by the cement slab for garbage purposes, how many chances does a guy get to listen to church from a barrel? Another thing that was funny at church, was Dill found that blasted blue chair. It was at the bottom of a steep hill. The hills and everything have been covered by a fine cinder gravelly material. That baby girl drug that blue chair clear up that steep hill, in that rolly gravel. I kept waiting for her to slip and fall, but she didn't. After all of that work, I felt like she definitely deserved to sit in the little blue chair, and listen to church.
Our dinner was really good. Everyone pitched in and we cooked dutch oven chicken and potatoes. The brother-in-laws cooked it, but they had never done it before. I could not believe that. Ryan and Ammon had always done the cooking in previous years. They did an amazing job though, even if they were rookies, and we then had a pleasant drive to my mom's house. Dry roads, and no problems. I survived the reunion without him...whew!
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