Brigham City Temple

Personally I rarely see the fruits of my labors. But I try to follow these wise words...

"When the Lord commands, I do it"

And today was an entirely new experience. Our family made it a goal that we wanted to visit the Brigham City Temple open house this summer. So we set up a temple jar that we all contributed too. Any change we found went in it. Any money I had left over from groceries went inside. You get the point :)

So now to find a date and time for us to go. I think this was a bigger struggle than anything else. With Mike working crazy and sometime long hours he had to cancel on me. So I asked my mom to come along. She accepted but due to the same thing (long and crazy hours) she had to cancel as well. So I gave up on people coming along and I made the choice that I would take my kids NO MATTER WHAT!

So I planned, prepared, and stood still as all those worries started to come.
But I knew I was doing the right thing. Something like this only comes around once and a great while. The last time we went to an open house was when I was pregnant with Ducati. So 3 years ago. And this is something I wanted my kids to experience.

Now a week before my scheduled time Mike called me at lunch and told me that he only has to work 2-3 crazy shifts and that he might be able to come. After I hung up I received a prompting to check the reservation times again. In my head I knew they were either all full or only in the morning but I checked them anyways. And through Heavenly Hands there were evening times now available. It would be alittle trickier for me but worth it that we all would be able to go to the temple open house together.

So day of Brigham City Temple my to-do list was really long:
*clean Mike's suit   *wash his shirt  * bathe girls  * wash kids clothes (if needed)   *make a take along dinner (down side to Celiac- it's difficult to find places to eat that it's easier to just bring something)    *vacuum   *wash dishes  *leave extra food out for Pinkie

*make Ducati some flower barefoot sandals (since the girl never wears shoes...which I've accepted....I at least wanted her toes to look pretty when we're out)

 Pretty easy to make. Took about 30 minutes to make. Tutorial is here

*dye Cati's dress (she's outgrown her blue dress that I dyed a while ago. And this dress my mom purchased for her for Easter had a few stains on it so she hardly wanted to wear it. I did a quick dye job it's good to go.  

She loved it!

 *pick up Hailey and Mason from school early    *bring them home to shower and dress    *clean out van    *pack the van w/ everything   * KEEP KIDS CLEAN   *avoid naptime so the girls can nap in van     *pack Mike's clothes    *get dress myself :-)   *fill up gas tank  *be done by 3:15 so I can pick up Mike from work

I was exhausted by this point. :-)

After I picked up Mike from work we started on our drive to Brigham City. He just changed on the way. As we exited the freeway we could see the temple. This made everyone so excited!

  Now park, eat dinner, and take a shuttle bus to the temple

and when we arrived....these words come to my mind, "It'll all be worth it in the end". And everything today was completely worth it. I'm so happy things worked out that allowed all of us to be there together.

 The Brigham City Temple has so many peach blossoms around it. It was just absolutely beautiful.

 I didn't notice that I had a speck of dirt on my camera until I got home so ignore the black spot.

 The tour was amazing. Beautiful. Stunning. Peaceful. Lovely. Words can't even explain it. Things truly worked out wonderfully. The kids weren't cranky. They were full. Alittle tired. Very reverent. Just so well behaved. I was so happy.

After the tour we went for a cookie and a bottle of water. I know...Cati and I have Celiac- but I'll count this as our 1 cheat day a month.

 Afterwards we went walking the grounds which was crowded but then again not as much as I would have thought.

 I answered a few questions Hailey had about the Sealing Room. And this is where I seized the moment and explained to Mason and Hailey about being temple worthy, about making special promises with God, about finding someone who can bring them to the temple to be married. Hailey asked me what if she couldn't find someone who can take her to the temple. I smiled, not at her, but about this moment. I recently read on my friend's blog about her daughter's recent wedding. She told her this, which I in turn told Hailey, "It's your choice who you marry and your choice if you want to be married here". {para-phrasing what she said :-) }

So Hailey thought about it for a second and said she's going to make a promise with Heavenly Father that she'll come back, with a boy, and be married here.

 Mason did the same thing. He's saying his promise, "Lord I will come back here, worthy, to go on a mission. Then later to be  married to a girl." He's such a sweet young man.

 We had such an amazing evening. I completely forgot all the work I chose  to do in order to make this day special.

 Mike and I can't wait to come back here.....someday.....to visit after it's dedicated.

The drive home I asked everyone what was their favorite part
Mason: The Baptismal Font..especially the oxen
Hailey: The Baptismal Font
Lily: riding the bus
Ducati: all the flowers
Mike: the peach blossoms
Me: the peach blossoms as well and the sparkly chandeliers

 This was one amazing Family Home Evening :)