Happy Birthday Palmer!

Palmer means Pilgrim

Palmer is my nephew, the son of my brother Nielson and his wife Kristen.   Palmer turned 7 on November 24.  I am a bit belated in this post, however I got to wish him happy birthday in person.   We just spent 4 1/2 days with Palmer and his family camping in Yosemite and eating Thanksgiving dinner together!  For his birthday I fixed him Shrimp Scampi Alfredo (which I had enough to feed all of you also!) and Jordan cooked him a Berry Cobbler.   Here are some pictures from our Thanksgiving Day hike to see the Sequoia Redwoods.

Palmer and Chance with their walking sticks

Dallin, Palmer, and Chance on a dead Sequoia... oh but see the tree growing from the bottom of stump on the left of the picture.  Still life growing from this tree.

The long walk UP...

Chance had lots of fun hanging out with Palmer.  He had a pal.  On Wednesday it rained and the kids watched movies and played Lego's in Nielson and Kristen's RV.   Chance and I played Uno with Palmer.   That evening when it was time for Chance to go "home" Palmer asked if Chance could sleepover.  It was too cute.   Palmer was a great friend to Chance, he even stood up to Jordan and told him how he did not think it was very nice for him to hurt Chance.   I was very proud of him for standing up to Jordan and for showing such compassion for Chance.

Now a few words about Palmer's name.  Being that his birthday has fallen on Thanksgiving once and will do so a number of times in the future I found it interesting that his name means Pilgrim.   However, Palmer is a family name and means something different to us.   It is his Dad's middle name and my Grandmothers maiden name.   Our Palmer line goes back to Phebe Draper Palmer Brown (no relation to the Brown- That is her 2nd husband Ebenezer Brown).    She is my forth great-Grandmother and we come through her son Jim Zemira Palmer who married Sally Knight daughter of Joseph Knight.  Ebenezer,Phebe, and her son Zemira were members of the Mormon Battalion.  The name Palmer is a reminder of our legacy, I am glad that Nielson and Kristen choose it for their first born son.  

In a letter Zemira wrote to his sister Sept. 19, 1880-- "There is one thing which seems to be true however.  The Lord is fulfilling His promises.  He has said by the mouths of His prophets that He would send judgments on the wicked and trials on the faithful so that every one that can be shaken will be and those who cannot be shaken shall gain the great reward of eternal life and supreme happiness.  It would be well I think, for everyone to ask themselves the question seriously.  "Can I stand?"

Palmer, always stand strong.  Thanks for sharing your birthday with me.  I love you.  With lots of hugs and kisses,  Aunt Karalene