DREAM ON

The next day in the late morning I went into a nearby building labeled “Search and Rescue Office” Inside, my brother, Adam, sat in a very comfortable chair. He, like me, had survived the flight to Zion and was old and chubby but less so than he was when he lived in Oregon. He was trying to remedy that right then and there by eating a donut and large glass of milk. A plate of donuts was nearby. “Heather!” he shouted as I walked in. He leapt up and hugged me hard. I laughed. He was so filled with joy these days. No more angst, mourning, or snarky dark humor…just fresh and joyful and silly as all get out. He grabbed the plate and held it close to me, “Eat up my dear. Soon we shall be twinkled and it won’t matter! Eat!! This has been heaven for sure.” “OH MY GOODNESS, ADAM!!” I cackled “Back off with the donuts. You still have to have some restraint” “Why?” “I don’t know….it just doesn’t seem right.” “Man is that he might have joy and joy is brought to you by the magic of ...

As I rode up to the Library I met Spring and Courtnie coming out. Their bags were full of papers and books. They cheered, “Mama Heather!” “Spring! You’re back from Taiwan!!! It’s so great to see you!” I hugged her hard. “So what’s the adventure of the day ladies?” I smiled, kissing Courtnie’s cheek. We’re working on the Arts Festival Showcase. My group is going to do some of these monologues and skits” Spring indicated with her head towards her bag. “And I was going through music for soloists and choirs to sing.” smiled Courtnie. Then she rolled her eyes and said, it’s too much! I’m going to have Ben play some of them and help me choose.” “That’s a great idea, divide and conquer! I’m sorry I can’t stay and help. I have a meeting with the new kids from Serbia.” “OOOOO!” they grinned. “We want to know all about THAT too!” “Don’t worry, I will tell all when I know all” I laughed as I over dramatized the whole thing for their entertainment. “By the way, “ I ca...

I combed those records for hundreds of hours, obsessed, entering every Šimovič, Schimovitch, Simovits, into Family Search. The spellings changed with every government that was in charge as the decades passed. I began to recognize their friends and neighbors who had children around the same times they did, whose children died around the same times they did and marriages between families. I began to feel that I KNEW the people of Kulpin...their joys and sorrows, their jobs, renters, sub renters, farmers, ferriers, and some fancy people who moved in who were nobility…it said so in the record. I implored family members to take our people to the temple and get their work done for them so they could move on in the spirit world if they chose. Then one day Adam called me. He had taken a few of the men’s names to the temple and while he was in the initiatory ceremony the ordinance worker stopped talking. “This man is here!” he exclaimed. “Are these family names?” he asked looking ...