Flowers of the Philippines

Tropical flowers are such lovely creations. Some are like old friends, familiar and comfortable. Some are exotic and new.
You know me - I just have to take pictures of them and share them with all of you. As I find out the names of each of them, I will label them.

 Plumeria (called Frangipani here) - temple grounds.

Pink Plumeria - smaller - temple grounds.

Bougainvillea - temple grounds

Bougainvillea - Mactan Island

Hibiscus - temple grounds.

Hibiscus - temple grounds.

Golden Shrimp Plant - drive to Balamban - on temple grounds.

 Golden Onion - temple grounds

 Moon Flower - in front of the Mission Home

As summer arrives, every tree seems like it has flowers growing on it.
Temple grounds.

Flame Tree - temple grounds.

 Heliconia Wagneriana - comes in bright yellow,

 stunning orange,

 and fuchsia. Showcased on the temple grounds.

Angel  Trumpet - in San Carlos, and on drive to Balamban.

 Maybe: Alpinia -  walk to Kawasan Falls.

Red Hot Poker - walk to Kawasan Falls.

At Kawasan Falls and the church grounds in Mobolo.

Rondeletia -in cemetery across from the church in Balamban - all around Cebu

Blue Plumbago -  temple grounds.

temple grounds.

Spider Lily -  temple grounds.

Lantana - temple grounds.

Lobster Claw (Heliconia) - walk to Kawasan Falls.

Cautleya - walk to Kawasan Falls.

 temple grounds.

temple grounds.

White Jamaican - in Cebu

 African Tulip Tree

We see the trees on the drive to Balamban.

 in cemetery across from Balamban church.

Crown of Thorns - in Cebu

Firecracker - Lapu, Lapu Mactan

Some kind of cactus - Lapu, Lapu Mactan Island

Pacaya -  on tree at Hadsen - Mactan Island

Crown of Thorn Cactus -  in Cebu and Coco Grove

Orchids - at Marco Polo

Bavhinia Kockiana - by a missionary apartment in Cebu

 Elephant Creeper - road to Balamban

 Cannas - on the road to Balamban

Yellow Trumpet - in Cebu and on the road to Balamban

Cockcomb - in San Carlos.

 Vinca - road to Balamban

Anthurium - road to Balamban

Encyclia Vitellina - road to Balamban

This is a mango tree - 

the white "flowers" on the tree are actually

papers - newspapers cut in squares - to cover the fruit so the birds

don't eat it before it is ripe. This particular tree was in San Carlos.

Happy 7th Anniversary! "2 Us"

   A couple of days after the Anniversary, we were driving to work at the Cebu Mission Office in the temple complex. Will saw a man walking down the street with a bucket of flowers on his shoulder. Yes, he stopped and bought some for me. He knows me pretty well.

  

  The past 7 years have been good to us.

       Will and I have served two missions together: 

One to Rome, Italy

and one to Cebu, Philippines

We have served together in the Jordan River Utah Temple, 

and in the Draper, Utah Temple

We have been Home Teaching partners, 

and filled a stake calling together with the Single Adults, 

and a ward calling together with the Activities Committee.

Since our wedding, we have added:

5 grandchildren: Blake, Ellie, Nathan, Rachel, and Faith. 

 Blake

Ellie

 Nathan

Rachel

Faith

We have two grandsons in the mission field. 

Elder Austin Hollingsworth

Elder Hunter Hull

A step-grandson has been added: Hunter Tavoian

We even have an adopted-in grandson: Steve Corry

We have been blessed to travel around and see family often. 

We try to be there for baptisms, baby blessings, endowments, and weddings. 

We have missed some of these important events as we have served in the mission field.
That sacrifice has been a hard one, but necessary, and we appreciate the understanding of our families.

Our hearts were in attendance.

We travel, we work on our home, yard, workshop, and cabin, 

but nothing is more important to us than the gospel of Jesus Christ and our precious family. 

This is our kitchen wall in Cebu Philippines.
It is our way to take our family with us wherever we go.

On this mission, we are blessed to have been tutored more fully in how to be exalted. 

That is our prime goal in this life.