Draper Temple Open House

I checked Aaron out of school early today and took the kids up to the Draper temple open house. I wanted them to have the experience of being able to see the inside of the temple, talk a little about what we do there, and feel the peaceful feelings of the spirit. Tim is going up tomorrow night with the young men and women from the ward, and he suggested we just go up as a family with the youth, but I figured it would be a better experience for the kids (and me) if it was less crowded, so I found the time slot today that still had the most tickets available, and I picked that time to go.
It worked out really well, we walked right through, never really having to wait at all for anything. The biggest challenge was keeping track of Bryan. That little bugger is just so quick. And he's short enough that he can slip right between people and he's off - me on the other hand, holding a diaper bag over one shoulder and Caleb on the other side... I need a sign that announces "WIDE LOAD." I tell you, once he slips through a crack, I don't stand a chance. Luckily, the temple is a great place to lose a child - since there are ushers at every corner or junction, and they kept stopping him before he got to far. (kinda detracted from the whole overall experience for me, but since I have a recommend and can go back anytime after its been dedicated, I just kept reminding myself that the purpose of the visit was for the kids...)
Aaron brought up his camera and took some outside pictures for me (complete with the big yellow gardener's truck). We asked one of the gardeners to take our picture, and here we are.

Katrina was pretty cute. She loved the brides room. This was part of the conversation as we drove home:
K - "mom, I want to get sealed in that temple when I am old enough to get married."
me - "that's great."
K - "but there's a problem mom. I don't know how to get there. How will I know how to drive there?"

I reassured her that I knew the way there and would help her get there when she was ready to get married. I thought about that and felt it was a great metaphor for life. Parents know "the way" (to the temple and on to eternal life with God) and it is their responsibility to help their children get there - temporally and more importantly spiritually.

Yes Katrina (and Aaron, Bryan, and Caleb), I will do everything I can to help you find your way to the temple. I will teach you all I can and do my best to be the example you need. I will do my best to prepare you in every way to be worthy to enter the house of the Lord when you are ready.

I love my husband, my children, and the other members of my family. I am so grateful for the holy temples, where families can be sealed for eternity.

(In case you are wondering, Aaron enjoyed the temple, said he felt the spirit, and thought it was really beautiful and peaceful, but his favorite part of the day was when the bus that was transporting us back to our van after the tour - opened his sun roof and the wind grabbed it an slammed it against the bus roof. we all jumped, a few people screamed, and we thought it had been ripped off by the wind, or something had crashed into us or something. The whole bus was silent trying to figure out what happened, and then you heard Aaron in a loud voice, "THAT WAS AWESOME!!!!" What can I say - He's all boy.)