Unicorn Blessings.

It has been an eventful summer. We could have our first posting in TheNielsonNews be full of stories about the wedding, the honeymoon, the Bluewater reunion, or the 4-weeks stay with Ma & Pa Nielson, but instead we're starting where we are. Today.

Place: Rexburg, Idaho. Marcus is asleep atop the bed next to me. I, on the floor, laptop in its self proclaimed position (on my lap) as I edit photos and smile at today’s events. We fell asleep around 2AM to the majestic dance of shooting stars out our giant bedroom windows. The sky is truly black out here in the forest right off Highway 20 and ideal for stars’ pompous glow. I was exceedingly happy, for just before crawling under the covers, I discovered something special on the book shelf right outside our door (see photo). Apparently the unicorn obsession stems from the Bagley lineage. I knew this was going to be a good house…

When our alarm sounded at 7:30AM we were both more than tempted to sleep in and catch a later ward, but alas, with thoughts of an afternoon nap, I rolled out of bed to hit the shower, then Marcus took his turn. We scurried to get to church on time, fighting the riotous wind as we ran to the building. It was a lovely ward, but we later found out, not ours. After uncovering what building we were to meet in next week we drove home to make dinner. Much to our surprise, precisely where our car had been parked for the last 3 days, and more importantly 3 hours earlier, lay a long, slender tree--its branches shattered all over the driveway.

It’s a good thing we decided to wake up!

After baking some bread and putting some beans in a crock-pot, we headed outside to the bridge in the yard to read scriptures together. It was windier than I preferred, but the scenery somehow compensated. Marcus sat next to me and while he flipped through pages to find our place something small, white, and shiny was gulped up by the wind and spit directly into the creek below.

"NO!" Marcus shouted.

It was his laminated patriarchal blessing and the only copy he knew the whereabouts of.

I told him that it would be okay. We could write to Salt Lake and they would send him a copy, but he is sentimental and wanted the one that his patriarch had given him. For sometime he paced the bridge, a prayer in his heart and looking for anything long enough to reach. It was no use. It was just too far. We tried to recall the summoning charm we had learned from Harry Potter on our drive up to Idaho, but it evaded our memories. Finally we found a long staff and a metal dustpan in the garage. A Jimmy-rig later we were back to the bridge. Marcus gashed and stabbed, but it was a stubborn blessing and only sunk further and deeper into the marshy water. After about ten minutes the paper was completely out of sight and I gave up, but he pressed on. A few minutes later he was back in the house, only the staff in hand.

"The dustpan fell off. I'm going in."

He ran upstairs to change. I could not imagine how frigid the water must be, but he was determined, so I held his towel. After a moment of hesitation and a slight slip of balance he was in. He yelped from the cold, but in an instant the dustpan was being handed to me, and a second later he stepped on something: his blessing. It was found! Jubilation spread across his countenance. He hoisted himself back up and we ran back to the house laughing.

"I prayed that I would find it--and I did! God blessed me twice today, my car, and my blessing."

So here is what we learned:

1. You (and your vehicles) are blessed for going to church, even when it’s earlier than you want.

2. God answers prayers, after all we can do.

3. It’s windy in Rexburg, so hold on to your papers.

4. Always hide unicorns in your home for others to find.