Wyoming

We spent a lot of time driving through Wyoming this past weekend.  I have no recollection of driving through Wyoming in my lifetime.  But anytime I hear of people driving through Wyoming to get to Utah I think of the Mormon pioneers.  That along with Alisa's blog posts about Nauvoo made me really think about the Pioneers this weekend.
Here are my jumbled thoughts about Pioneers:

• I'm pretty sure Wyoming is mostly the same was it was when the Pioneer crossed it, minus the Interstate, telephone wires and windmills, take those away and add buffalo herds. Thank goodness for fast food, cars, and toilets.  Although the almost eradication of the buffalo herds seems a shame.  Brent and I always try to imagine what they would look like when we are in the middle of nowhere western United States.
• If Brent and I were born a 150 years earlier, I'm pretty sure I would have had to cross mostly by myself.  Not that I think that Brent is a deadbeat, not that at all, he just always seems to be gone, for Church, work, or school, so he probably would have already been in Utah, with those scouting missions, or with some Battalion, or on a mission. I don't really know that much about Pioneers so maybe I have my history mixed up.  But I'm pretty sure if I was a pioneer I would have had to do a lot on my own, while he would be off being a Priesthood leader.  That just seems to be our life.  I can't picture being a pioneer with Brent around, but instead I can only imagine being with my kids waiting to hear something. Then again that is pretty much our life now, we just get have him check in more often, thank goodness.  I can't tell if that is sad, or good that I think my husband is so capable.
• Years ago I told Brent I could have never been a pioneer I just couldn't endure that.  He said of course you could have, you do what you have to do, and get it done.  I still remember that because it was nice to have his vote of confidence.
• In one of her posts, Alisa, wrote, "Hostility had followed the Mormons into Illinois.  In June 1844, Joseph Smith, their prophet and leader, was martyred in nearby Carthage.  After the murder of Joseph Smith, agitation against the Mormons continued, until the Latter-day Saints finally fled, leaving behind their homes and the newly constructed temple.  Many families had just barely moved into their brick homes, looking forward to a peaceful life on the flats and bluffs above the River--only to find themselves crossing that River in the frigid winter, never to return." I thought about that a lot on our drive back to Utah in Wyoming.  I thought about all those poor women with their children in heavy cotton clothing, that was hot in the summer and cold in the winter, crossing Wyoming.  In some ways I could really relate to the Pioneers, and in some ways I'm glad I can't.  Brent and I have moved a lot over the last 6 years, in fact 9 times.  That is not counting, the three moves we both made individually after we met before we got married.  We never moved because we were getting kicked out but I can related to no stability, and just up and moving. Packing up everything you own and moving a week later, when you had no idea you were going to move a month previous.  I can relate to plans that went awry and canceling hopes and instead moving. But now after all those moves, we are moving, to a nice big house, three stories, bedrooms for all, big kitchen.  We have the hope of stability, the hope that we will be in our big house for at least 5 years, if forever.  (I don't think we will, but its weird to know the first house we ever bought would fit us for the rest of our lives.) It would really quite be terrible, if within the year, after we got all settled, if we had to move, and shut the door and never return, leaving behind almost everything.  
• Overall my heart bled for those poor pioneers who had to cross the plains.  Leave the green lush east, for the Utah desert. But I guess that was the point, it was so far away and so secluded no one would try to take it away when once they made the ground fertile.  Which they did gardening is so much easier in Utah that in many places, and it has great soil.
• Lastly, has nothing to do with Pioneers.  I love the big sky that Wyoming has, but is is COLD up there.  I think I'll skip Wyoming in future places to live. I'm a big fan of big skies.  That's why I'm excited for Colorado, big skies and mountains. Thats pretty much all I want out of life. But Wyoming has bigger skies, so I'm happy to drive through it.