Today was our first day in Scotland and we LOVED it!!!
We started off by traveling on our bus to pretty much what looked like the middle of nowhere...
We saw some highland cows!
We saw some beautiful naturally growing Heather...
We visited the SMALLEST little house that the women would stay in while the men were out working in the fields.
There was only enough room inside for a bed and a small fire to cook on.
Colby found some flowers and picked them for Tiffany because today was actually their wedding anniversary! 3 years!!!
We got back on the bus and headed toward the sea.
We stopped at a typical "longhouse" and took a tour inside and around the old property.
Clint said these must be the children's bedrooms...;)
Even the animals got to stay in the longhouse!
This was the kitchen area of the longhouse where they had a fire ALWAYS burning. They burned the peat moss in the fire to represent the heart of the home and the symbolic nature of the family gathering and being in the heart of the home. That is why they would never let the flame go out. The importance of the family can never die.
Here is a bedroom, just off of the smoky kitchen...
This little bedroom right next to the kitchen was where they would lay their sick. That way, when everyone was gathered in the kitchen, they could include the sick person in all of the conversations.
I call it the early days of ministering! ;)
The red van is the mailman! The Royal Mail!
After our stop at the longhouse, we got back on the bus and saw this whale bone archway...
...and then came upon THIS!!!!
This scene literally took my breath away when I saw it!
The sight of the old headstones at the cemetery next to the backdrop of the beautiful turquoise waters was stunning!
We learned that in Scotland they always buried their dead by the sea because it was easier to dig the graves. The land was too rocky from all of the stone, and where the rest of the ground was, they couldn't bury them there because of the peat. Peat acts as a preservative and they didn't want to bury them in that either.
Walking the path alongside the cemetery towards the ocean with my mom will probably always be one of my very favorite memories of this trip with her. As we were walking she would stop and admire the pretty flowers along the path, and then she would say, "Watch out! Don't step in the cow pies!"
She would mention thoughts of her ancestors who once lived here, and where her family came from, and it was so fun to watch her look out at everything and just be still. I knew her mind was thinking about everything. Taking it all in.
Thank you Clint for loving my mom so much and being so selfless to spend your precious time and money to make this experience happen for her. We will never forget it!
Next, we made our way to the Callanish Standing Stones in the Isle of Lewis of the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. They were definitely interesting to see, but quite a challenge to get a good picture of with so many people trying to take a look.
As we waited patiently for our turn at a photo, we noticed butterflies all around us.
We know what that means...
Thoughts of my dad being close to my mom brought comfort and joy to her heart. Having him there with us was the only thing that would make this trip even better.
(Added picture of the Standing Stones from the internet.)
Do you see the butterflies??
After our bus tour for the day we headed back to the port to get on the ship.
The water was beautiful, but the line was SO LONG, so while the boys stood in line, and my mom sat in a chair inside, Tiffany and I headed off to a local convenience store to get some water and snacks.
We ended up finding a few more things though...;)
…like more beautiful architecture
…Gaelic writing
…beautiful churches
…a little park area
…delicious chocolate milk
…the LDS church building!
….and my backpack souvenir!
I LOVE IT!!!!
