"This is the Place"

Hooray for Pioneer Day! This is my favorite holiday. It is wonderful to have a day set aside specifically for remembering the sacrifices of the pioneers. When Brigham Young arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in July 1847, it must have been a welcome relief to know that after 17 months of traveling, they had finally reached the place where they would settle. Most of the Saints were still back at Winter Quarters when Brigham Young declared "This is the Place," but I'm sure they were glad to have a specific destination in mind as they traveled the remaining miles to what would later become Utah. I can't imagine the faith that it would have taken to leave Nauvoo in the winter--especially not really knowing where you were going or how long it would be before you could settle again. In the Taylor family, Pioneer Day has special meaning for us because our ancestor, Norman Taylor, drove the second wagon into the valley--right behind Brigham Young. Norman was only 18 at the time, but he was an expert when it came to wagons, so Brigham Young wanted to have him close by. They might have thought that Utah looked pretty desolate at first, but Brigham Young always had a way of seeing things as they could become--not just as they were. His foresight and the hard work of the pioneers established a wonderful place: Utah! I love Utah so very much, and I am grateful that this is the place I can call home.

Today the Arcadia Publishing people sent me the proofs for the postcard series that will accompany my book. They look pretty cool! This is what the cover of the postcard packet will look like. It will be fun when all of the book stuff comes out in November. And, on Pioneer Day, I am glad that I can work towards making a contribution to the written history of Utah.

We had such a fun day today! The day began with an abbreviated family tennis tournament (because it was too hot to be outside for long), then we had fun playing in the sprinklers and inflatable swimming pools in the backyard. The girls all love playing in the water. Then we had a yummy picnic lunch and nice Pioneer Day naps. This evening we did sparklers outside, which Eliza was very intrigued with, and now some of us are off to see the new Batman movie, "Dark Knight." What a fun day! Happy Pioneer Day everyone!