Family, Tolerance, and Coffee

Two weeks ago, we left for Glacier National Park. On the way, we stopped at Nate's parents home in Idaho (North Logan) to visit with Nate's family. Nate sisters were in town and everyone was celebrating.

The day we arrived we meet everyone at the Logan pool. It was hot and there was no shade (well not very much shade). Nate dealt with the heat by leaving the park and setting up the awning on our camper; watching from the sideline. I dealt with the heat by wearing Nate's moms hat. Very sexy (I think)!

I stole the pictures from Tami's blog. Thanks Tami!

The kids probably didn't even notice the heat; spending their time in the water. Tanner loved to jump into the water and play in the "fountains".

Tanner, just emerging from the water, dripping wet and his perfected "jump".

While we were there, Nate and I slept in our camper with Tanner and Abey. We stayed 3 nights.

In the mornings, I would make and drink my coffee out in the camper since, I did not want to offend anyone with my non-Mormon like habits. In the defense of my family, I have never asked them if I could drink coffee within the confines of their home. Religion, or rather Nate's and my philosophies are not discussed. So being the chicken I am, I choose to make the coffee in the camper and drink it while watching the birds and flowers that inhabit the fields surrounding their home. Not a bad deal, really.

Flowers Growing in the field next to Nate's parents home.

The smaller kids (ages 5-7), but not the smallest kids, would often have tea parties in the "field of gravel" by our camper. On the first day, my niece noticed my coffee drinking.

She asked if it was tea. I responded, "No. It's coffee."

She looked at the pot of black brew. Neither her nor I spoke aloud the conversation we where having with ourselves. I imagined she was confused as to why I would do something she was told, quite simply, was bad. I worried my coffee drinking behavior would condemn me to being the "evil aunt". Neither of us spoke.

I have been on the other side of this equation. I was about 12 years old and visiting a Grandma who drank coffee. Hot Beverages (which is interpreted as Coffee), according to the teachings I was raised with, was considered cow medicine. My younger brother brought up the idea that if she was drinking Coffee she was a sick cow. This correlation made us giggle. Every time she would pick up her coffee and take a sip, we would giggle again. We did this, until she kicked us out of her home.

I hate that I treated her this way and I hope to avoid a similar situation with my niece.

Grandpa's Pontoon boat.

The next day, we went to a lake that lies just across the border in Idaho, called Twin Lakes. Borrowing Grandpa pontoon boat to pull a tube and hopefully get a few of us up on the wake board.

The Lakes, surrounded by agricultural fields, are actually two reservoirs connected by a short canal. A history of the changing lake levels written in the white mineral deposits on the trunks of the cottonwood trees and dead water plants that line the lakes shores. A common scene of many reservoir's.

Casi in the Kayak. I love how the light hits her skin and how her cute leg drapes over the kayaks edge.

Tami and the beach. She was watching her hubby with the kids in the kayak. I love her body language. How her left foot is slightly tilted inward and up.

My golden boy. Every hue on his body, his hair, eyes and skin contains the colors of the sun.

(or maybe it's just his mother speaking)

That evening, after the lake as I crossed the field of gravel, the kids were serving coffee and we celebrate the 24th of July with fireworks.

Toby setting fireworks, the "Grand" finally, and Tanner writing his name in sparkler.

Then by the third morning my niece could no longer resist the issue perplexing her mind.

She said simply, "You know coffee is bad for you."

At the time, the surety of this statement shocked me. In retrospect, however, being sure of herself is one of her best qualities. But at the time, it shocked me and so I responded by looking her directly in the eyes and bluntly stating, "No, coffee is bad for you!"

She responded with a strange look. Not quite knowing what to think of what this adult was saying. What I said, conflicted with all she knew. I felt bad. I did not want to disrupt what her parents and religion had taught her. It was not my place too but at the same time she needed to understand that not all people follow these same teachings. She needed to understand... for me.

So I replied, "Its bad for you due to your age and the religion you follow. My religion believes that at my age it is healthy to drink coffee."

She seemed content with this response. I sighed, relieved that it was over.

Tanner and Abbey never left each others side.