Yesterday, we took the kids out of school to attend the
Draper Temple open house...
We have been looking forward to this day all week...
I loved being in the Temple with our kids. I loved watching Garrett bend down, with them surrounding him, listening to him teach and testify of the importance and purpose of each room, or answer their questions or share something significant. I loved the peace. It was an experience I will not forget...seeing the awe in my children's faces, watching their reverence for the House of the Lord, yet at the same time, seeing their excitement. I loved knowing that President Gordon B. Hinckley, before he passed away, broke ground for this beautiful Temple to be built. I loved showing my girls the bride's room. It was beautiful and princess-like. Telling them that one day, not too far off, they will get to come to a room similar to this one to prepare for marriage was emotional for me. I could see in their faces a little more of an understanding for the purpose of Temples. I hope they remember the sacred feelings they have felt. It seems like only yesterday they were so little.
I loved being in the Celestial room with my little family...it brought back so many memories of almost 12 years ago when Garrett and I knelt across from each other and were sealed for time and all eternity. I loved what Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said during the film...'that heaven wouldn't be heaven without his wife and children'...I was brought to tears at that point (and that was just the beginning of the tour). That hit me so hard. I loved looking into the mirrors and explaining to the kids that our family will never end. I loved it all.
Grandma Nichol, Great-Grandma Berk, my brother, Dave, and his girlfriend, Bailey, were able to be with us, which made it even more special.
Here Wyatt was showing me how many cookies he had eaten after the open house...if you look closely you will notice he has a cookie in his mouth or close to it in every picture.
My testimony was strengthened and my love for my family made stronger. There are so many things I hope for our children, but the deepest desire I have is that their testimonies will all continue to increase. I look forward to the day when they will all make covenants and know the blessings that come from being worthy to enter the Temple. We are so fortunate to have 12 working Temples in Utah, with another one coming soon.
I hope my kids will remember this great day. Actually, I think they will, the girls came home and immediately wrote in their journals...good job girls. What we don't write down, we forget and this is something you won't want to forget.
We ended the evening with dinner at The Spaghetti Factory, one of our favorite restaurants...it doesn't get any better than this. We also got to sing Happy Birthday to Ashlyn and G...yep, birthdays around here just seem to linger on!
