Gladden to know you: October 2011

All of the activities for the summer were leading up to the biggest event of all. On Tuesday, July 5, 2011 our family was sealed together in the Jordan River Temple. When we sat down as a family to decide when and which temple to be sealed in - we thought of the Monticello Temple so we would be close to family and friends - we knew that we wanted the date to be after Charnae and Dayle's wedding and then when we looked over the calendar we noticed that the 5th of July was on a Tuesday and all agreed that we should go to the Jordan RiverTemple. Charles and I were married on Tuesday, July 5, 1983 in the Jordan River Temple. The temple was fairly new back then and we were younger too as a matter-o-fact.

The morning of the sealing we woke up early enough that anyone that wanted to could eat breakfast downstairs at the hotel. They had wonderful breakfasts there with waffles, fresh fruit, and all.

Here is Audrey admiring herself in the mirror.

And what a cutie she is!

She was the first one ready

Charles fixing Christian's hair. Just like our regular Sunday routine.

Harve putting on his tie - the finishing touch.

Westley hanging out on the bed.

Laura brought her breakfast up to the room.

Westley again.

Jaala and Harrison stayed at Harrison's Dad's house

Curtis, Holly, Dayle, and Charnae stayed at a different hotel.

We had to get to the temple earlier than the others - so we headed over and took care of the paper work.

To give a synopsis of the occasion - I'll quote Westley's talk that he gave in Primary that following Sunday (July 10th)

On Tuesday, I woke up early and ate breakfast at a hotel. Then I got my Sunday clothes on and went with my family to the temple. We went inside and showed the people our recommends and then they took us into a room that had toys – then we got dressed in all white clothes – pants, shirts, ties, belts, and socks all white. Then we played with the toys until it was time to go up to the sealing room.

Brok, Laura, and I went up an elevator into a sealing room. It was a very pretty room. My older sisters and brother and their husbands and wife, and my grandparents, Aunt, Uncle, and cousin were already there. Then my parents came in. Then the sealer – he is the man that has the Priesthood power to seal families together – talked to us. He told us things that were in the Proclamation to the Family and that Prophets have said. Then Christian, Harve, and Audrey came in and they knelt by an alter with my parents and our family was sealed together forever and ever.

I felt happy. Everybody else was very happy too. We gave lots of hugs in that room.

I am grateful that the sealing powers were restored to the earth so our family can be blessed by temple ordinances.

So, 28 years later here we are - sealed together again!

Here we all are except Charlie. The Air Force needed him to stay at his duty station, so he wasn't able to come - but he's sealed to us just the same.

The was a powerful moment in time.
-Nancy

As I've mentioned before, swimming is a highlight for every hotel trip. This trip was no exception. The little kids got braver - and we had more big kids since Curtis and Holly were there. Even Noellee got into the action. Audrey has always been pretty brave in the water - but she started jumping off the side to anyone that would catch her. Harve was more eager to get his face wet, and Christian played a little water basketball this time. After 2 years of coming to this same hotel - Westley finally went down the slide. He has been to the top and come back down the stairs before, but this time he went downt he slide - more than once actually.

We brought some water blasters and they all had a ball with them. When our kids would put them down, other hotel guests would pick them up and the fun would just continue.

Here Westley's sneaking over to blast the kids in the other pool while Harve is urging him on.