Navajo Tradition.........

We found a fly in our house - the first insect we have seen of any kind for months and months. Johanna was here and she said................let me tell you of Navajo tradition........her mother had heard the thunder about 2 weeks ago and she said that is the wake up call for all the hibernating insects and animals............she said it also the end of the winter ceremonies - even the radio stations stop playing the ya-ba-shay music at the same time............She said if there is ever thunder throughout the winter the hibernating animals wake and stretch and then go back to sleep........she said even the people will do the same thing - just stretch at the time they hear it.

She just said goodbye to her brother who is in the special forces with the armed services.....he is over a little group of younger men who he calls "his boys".............who are now being sent to Africa (where they claim that Bin Laden is at this time) to seek him out............he has been on several of these kind of assignments or tours of duty in many dangerous places. Several of "his boys" have died in his arms..............they had a ceremony for him for protection while he is gone......the Navajo are VERY patriotic.............

Another woman Ruby Chee was in the office last week - her grand-nephew was killed and the funeral here was huge.......he was in the marines. The President of the Navajo Nation - Joe Shirley spoke and the rest was all huge military with all of his commanding officers, etc conducting, speaking, etc.......she said it was just too many people for them and that they didn't even get a chance to grieve in their own way.......

Kim and Mackenzie brought us an "Ant Works" (like an ant farm) when they came down. It is a little plastic holder with a blue gel type material in it............we had to order the ants on the Internet and they came in a vial and padded envelope from Hurricane, UT..........you just pour them into the container and they begin to work..............they just tunnel through that gel and carry little round crystals up to the top - it has been fascinating to watch..........everyone is checking by to see the progress of the tunnels.............quite an adventure. Elder Hafen has loved it!! Funniest thing - Johanna told us that her foster family when she was on the Indian Placement Program used to send ants by the mail............we asked her where they lived and she said "Hurricane, UT"............can you believe it?