Nathan and Sarah came to visit!

Nathan and Sarah came to visit with their sweet little daughter Piper.  It was so wonderful to see them, we loved every second they were here!

It was extra special to have our sweet Piper come visit. She’s a sweet 4-year-old with the most fun personality. This was her special trip with her mommy and daddy. Charlie isn’t a fan of long flights or drives, so he had his own special trip with his parents a few months earlier when he went to Disney World. And baby August is too young for such a big trip. We were grateful they brought her to see us.

                 

We both had so many hugs and snuggles...love her so much! 

 Nathan and Sarah have friends, Emma and Brad and their cute little girl Jane, who are currently working abroad in the Netherlands. They joined us in Zagreb. It was Brad and Emma’s first time in the Balkans. We had so much fun showing them our favorite part of the world and getting to know them and their cute daughter Jane.

The second day was spent touring the beautiful city of Zadar.  Jasmina and Antonia Kolega and her kids joined us. Jasmina gave us her famous tour of Zadar. If you ever plan a trip to Zadar you will need to take her tour of the city. She is the best!

  

I don't know who was happier, Piper or me to have these cute kids join us too. Thank you Antonia for bringing them!

We love Zadar so much. Both Charles and Nathan lived in Zadar when they served their first missions. We are standing in front of the Sveti Donat, this iconic circular church was built in the 9th century. Love all the old building and churches here, but this one is one of my favorites

Our next stop was Split. We lived here for 5 months on our last mission. It is always good to go back and visit this amazing city.

Nathan was so happy to have his pekara (bakery) every day... me too! We love our burek!

He made a great tour guide, he planned each stop and still managed to squeeze in a few hours of work. He had just launched his new app, “What They See,” and was excited to report that it was already getting a lot of activity. IF yu haven't seen it... go check it out! (of course I had to plug his new app!) He is working in a few more. I am so proud of my boy!

  Exploring Diocletian’s Palace and its ancient cellars,better known to Game of Thrones fans as the dragon’s lair. I have never seen Game of Thrones but I have see photos of the dragons here. Love our Piper's little poses for each picture.

             

A few years ago, Charles came to Split with his brother Scott for an archaeological dig. He was excited to show Nathan where they worked in Solin. Solin is a small town near Split known for its ancient Roman ruins. It was once the site of Salona, the former capital of Dalmatia, where you can still see amphitheaters and old stone walls today. Charles is standing next to a cross shape baptistry. 

The next day we went to Dubrovnik, “the Pearl of the Adriatic.” That first night, we went to our favorite restaurant, Taj Mahal, where they serve Bosnian food. Nathan is a huge foodie and loves great food, so he was especially excited when he saw it’s Michelin-recognized. If you ever go to Dubrovnik you need to make a reservation and try it. It is soooo good! The wall hanging behind Charles and I is a traditional Bosnian design. It reminds me of American Indian designs.

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Nathan and Sarah stayed closely connected with the boys through daily phone calls. Sarah’s mom and her friend Cherish made sure the boys were happy and having fun while their parents were away—I’m so grateful to both of them, especially Sarah’s mom, who has taken on double duty as grandma while I’ve been gone. I’m really looking forward to coming home in a few months and helping her with her grandma duties!

We finally had a beautiful sunny day, and we enjoyed every minute of it. We spent the day exploring the city, walking along the wall that surrounds it plus lots shopping and eating! Piper was the perfect travel companion. 

We also took a boat ride around the outside of the walled city, which made the day even more fun! It just happened to be Charles and my 44th wedding anniversary! I can’t believe we’ve been married that many years. Marrying this man has been one of the best decisions of my life. He has made life so much fun! He is the calm to my crazy. A man who honors his priesthood and is an amazing husband, father and grandpa. I couldn't love him more! 

We celebrated our anniversary dinner at the Panorama Restaurant that is located on the mountain above the city. We had to take a gondola ride to get there. Thank you to Nathan and Sarah for treating us to our amazing dinner. Plus to Nathan for taking these great panorama pictures of our trip.

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We said goodbye to Brad, Emma, and Jane in Dubrovnik and headed back to Bosnia. Our first stop was Blagaj. We’ve been there a few times, but Nathan had never even heard of it. Blagaj Tekke is such a breathtaking hidden gem, tucked right at the base of these huge cliffs where the crystal-clear Buna River just flows out of the mountain next to an old dervish monastery.

We toured the monastery, and we were required to wear headscarves. Piper was young enough that she didn’t have to wear one but of course, she wanted to anyway.

Next stop was in Mostar. We couldn't believe how crowded it was. We were here just a few weeks earlier with my nephew Joey and Cambi and it was ghost town. What a difference a few week makes!

Easter Sunday was General Conference.  General Conference is a meeting held twice a year in Salt Lake City Utah, where church leaders share messages about Jesus Christ and how to live the gospel. People all over the world watch. We had a great turn out with members and friends. 

After church, we had a big Easter Sunday brunch. I made my traditional French toast casserole with homemade butter syrup. Sister Smith brought a delicious egg, potato, and ham casserole, and Maddie and Jonny (who are back in Bosnia!) brought fruit. There were 15 of us total. I love a big group

We made traditional Balkan Easter eggs. Made with red onion skins and leaves for decorations.

On Monday, we had lunch with our Bosnian attorney, Emir. He helps all the missionaries with visas, parking and speeding tickets, and just about everything else. He has worked for the Church ever since missionary work opened in Bosnia in 2011, and he has an amazing memory, he remembers everyone who has come and gone, including Nathan!

The rest of the day was spent shopping, eating sladeled and sight seeing. 

                 

Nathan and Sarah booked a room at the famous Europe Hotel in Old Town, and we hosted Piper at our apartment. It was so much fun having her. She is so smart and independent, she convinced me her dad had taught her how to make scrambled eggs… and she was right!

I taught myself how to crochet while on this mission. I learned as I was making baby blankets for an orphanage in Turkey. I made this blanket for Piper. She is the best person to give gifts to, she was so happy.  Having her here made me a little homesick for the rest of my grandbabies, but we have four more coming to visit the second week of June with our oldest daughter, Heather and we can’t wait!!

On our last mission, Nathan and Sarah had planned a trip to come visit us, but because of COVID they had to cancel. They rescheduled three different times, and each time it fell through. We never dreamed COVID would last as long as it did, those were crazy times.We are so happy they were able to come on this mission. Because Nathan served in the ANM, he feels like this is his second home too. It is so amazing to share that with him.

Thank you, Nathan and Sarah, for coming!! We loved every minute!