After the Sealing & the Luncheon

We had 5 minutes that we were allotted to take pictures in our white clothing on the temple grounds.  (Truthfully it turned into more like 20, they were patient with us.) 

It had been raining before we left for the temple but thankfully we had some dry weather while doing pictures and for our luncheon!

Lindsay, Mark, Haddie, Zoey & Rylee, Mike & Brenda, Lacie & Jennifer were outside waiting for us.  It was so wonderful to come out from something so beautiful and see the rest of our family (minus Chris who was busy catering at the fire station for our luncheon).

 

Shaun's Aunt Sandy and cousin Anne came in from Arizona to share our special day!  We were so grateful to them for making such a big deal out of our sealing.  It was so nice to see them!

This is our wonderful cake made by Connie Archibald.  She made our cake when we got married and it is the most delicious cake you've ever tasted.  I'm not a big cake person, but this one I crave and she was gracious enough to make us another one.  It was perfect (except Kambri's name being spelled wrong.) :)  On the other side of it, it said Families are Forever!

I wish we would've gotten pictures at the luncheon but unfortunately I don't really have any. 

We had a lot of family who volunteered to help with food assignments and it all came together very nicely.  A huge shout-out to Chris who did a marvelous job as our 'caterer'.  I was quite stressed about how I was going to get from the temple and then to the fire station to have everything ready to go for the luncheon, so he willingly accepted the position as our catering service.  He puts on a heck of a spread, much nicer than I would've ever done.  He has a knack for that sort of thing. 

We were so grateful to all of those who came to the luncheon and having some extra time to visit with them.  We were spoiled with many sentimental gifts that will always be a constant reminder of our Sealing Day!

We feel very blessed to have had the opportunity to be sealed with our family in our very own Brigham City Temple and are so glad that so many of our friends and family were present!  Our new Eternal Family is truly one of the greatest blessings we have been given!

Our 3 children complete our Eternal Family

This was another one of those moments that I'd played out in my head SO many times over the years. Envisioning our 3 children all dressed in white being brought into the sealing room has always been such an overwhelming feeling and I've always known I'd be a blubbering mess.  And what I'd envisioned was even more beautiful in reality.

It was absolutely silent as we were waiting those final minutes before the kids were brought in and then I heard the turning of the door knob and again my heart skipped a beat or two. They were beautiful!  So angelic looking and to see their first look as they walked in the door and took everything in was breathtaking, and again a very spiritual/emotional moment.  I lost it.  The kids walked over to Shaun and I and gave us each a big hug and then sat down next to us.  I could sense their feelings of awe, nervousness and an overwhelming flow of emotions, and peace.  

 

The sealer asked that Shaun and I, Taylor, Hollie & Kambri kneel around the altar at that time.  I had a continual flow of tears that I finally gave up trying to stop as I looked back and forth at each of the kids and Shaun!  I have never had a more spiritual/ emotional experience than this! At so many different times it all seemed so surreal.  I'd always known this was my ultimate goal in life and wanted to have this more than anything in the world, but certainly lacked the faith that this dream would come true!  I was still very aware of the fact that there were so many in the room, but yet it felt like in that moment it was just us!  Taylor was absolutely beaming, I could sense so much that I hadn't expected to see in him.  Hollie's reaction was just as I had expected.  I could see her taking every last detail in and knew there were so many things she was thinking and feeling that we would talk about later.  Kambri just had a look of such contentment and happiness.  I took a mental picture of us around the altar, with our hands all linked together, that I hope will never grow dim. Such simple words were spoken but such profound eternal blessings promised with our faithfulness.  

 

Then the sealer had us all stand and look into the mirrors together and told us to imagine the generations before us, our posterity, and the eternal life that we can share with them. To think of all of our loved ones who have passed away that were there with us that day.  At that very moment I knew beyond any shadow of a doubt that we had many deceased love ones there with us.  I very strongly felt Michelle, Grandpa Hansen, Grandma Parrish & Shaun's Grandma Bennett at that time.
 

I know the temple has been such a blessing in adding to each of my children’s testimonies.  Looking into the eyes of each one of them as we were kneeling at the altar…I KNOW they felt things that they couldn’t put words to and that they will never forget those feelings and the experience.  Hollie came home and later that night wrote in her new journal about her experience; 5 pages later and she had strengthened my testimony through hers.

How wonderful it is to know that we are an Eternal Family and can be together throughout Eternity!  It is worth every sacrifice and obstacle that had to be overcome to get there!    

Our Eternal Family

Remember that I said I've dreamed of this day for my whole life?!  Well, the invitation was no exception.  I kind of knew what I wanted, but when it came time to actually put it together it took me forever!  Ok, maybe just 5 hours forever, but none-the-less that was 5 hours!  But I love how it turned out.  Then I went back and forth a 100 times over whether or not to do a luncheon afterwards or not.  And then when I decided to do a luncheon I changed it 100 times as to what we would be serving.  I had wonderful family and friends who helped with food, getting everything ready at the fire station, cleaning up, etc.  And I must mention my wonderful brother Chris who did an amazing job at setting up the 'spread', he's got talent and I loathe doing those kinds of things.

{Disclaimer: I don't want to forget anything about this day, so this will be spread over a few different posts.}

Let me start out by leading you up to the day of the sealing.  I knew that Satan would be working on us as hard as he ever as, as we were getting ready for the big day.  That whole week before was REALLY hard.  We had more contention than usual, more irritability, increased anxiety on my part, etc.  It is so true that Satan will work so hard to try keeping us from things that are GREAT! I've experienced his efforts before as I was getting ready to go through the temple to take out my own endowments, and Shaun experienced some of the same types of things before he went through, but by how intense things got right before our sealing day, you couldn't deny that it meant the ultimate most wonderful experience was right around the corner for us!

At last!  We are now an Eternal Family as of May 18th.  I'd played this day out in my head a million times, and I still could've never given it as much beauty as it beheld.  It was such a beautiful day spent with our friends and family.

When we first got to the temple Shaun and I went and met with the temple recorder to make sure all of our paperwork was in order and the temple workers for the youth center took the 3 kids and off they went.  My mom was my escort and my dad was Shaun's escort and one of our witnesses.  Our wonderful Bishop was our other witness. We really do have the neatest Bishop and his wife, Laureen, is equally amazing.

Before getting changed into our temple clothes we passed the Marriage Waiting Room and it took my breath away as I caught a quick glimpse of all of our guests waiting to be taken up to the Sealing Room for us.  Nothing to increase emotions like seeing a full room there just for you!

It came time to get into our temple clothes and so my host led my mom and I to the Bride's Room.  Before entering she asked if I'd been in this room yet, and I hadn't.  She asked 'are you ready for this?' and in we went.  I immediately burst into tears!  It's absolutely EXQUISITE, I can't adequately put into words how beautiful this room is.  Every room in the temple is beautiful, but this room caught me completely off-guard that day.  You felt like royalty from the moment you entered the room.  Wow, there truly are no words!

It soon was time and Shaun and I were then taken up to the sealing room.  I was completely in awe as we walked in and so many of our family and friends were there waiting.  I couldn't do a complete sweep of looking at every person at any given point as the Sealer, Gerald Simmons (who happened to be my old swimming & health teacher in my younger years) talked with us or during the sealing--I just knew I'd lose it completely.  I literally felt short of breath and my heart was racing; I just kept taking deep breaths.  It wasn't like an 'I'm struggling to breathe in a scary way', just so many overwhelming emotions that I was feeling.  With Shaun sitting next to me, my Mom and then my Grandma were sitting beside us.  I couldn't help but think that Shaun's dear Grandma, who had passed away the year prior and was so excited about the Brigham Temple being built, was sitting in the empty chair next to him.  I very strongly felt of many of our loved ones who have passed on throughout the whole experience, most especially Michelle!

Shaun and I knelt across the altar and we were sealed for time and all eternity.  What a beautiful thing to hear.  As I looked at him, I reflected on how far we'd come and how much my love for him increases every day!  I will be eternally grateful for the wonderful husband and father that he is!  I can't imagine my life without him and look forward to our Eternal Journey!

Then it became time for the kids to be brought in with us in the sealing room...

Remember this? I never would've imagined.

Remember this post?  I went to the San Diego temple on May 5, 2012.  I've copied part of what I'd posted regarding our trip to California (from the post 'California- Day 2a').

"My family went to California & San Diego when I was in 7th grade.  We went to go see the San Diego Temple and unfortunately at the time it was closed for renovation, and therefore we couldn't get inside the gates.  However, it made such an impression on me and ever since I have LONGED to go inside that temple.  It is the most beautiful temple, in my opinion.

So when we started planning our family trip this year to California, I knew that this was something that couldn't be overlooked. 

I felt kind of bad, because the kids were so antsy to get to Sea World, but I came prepared to do a quick session and wasn't leaving without it being done.  It was the only thing I asked for for the entire trip.  Shaun was super understanding and he and the kids waited outside on the temple grounds while I did a quick session, they took some pictures, and had a picnic out of the back of the car.  :) 

 

Still holding out for the day that our pictures are taken after we've gone through the Temple and been sealed as a family.  :)  Can't wait!

I'm so grateful I had the opportunity to enter the doors of this beautiful temple!"

I distinctly remember how I wished so much that he could go in that beautiful temple with me that day.  And holding on to a piece of hope, that somehow, someday my dream would become a reality.  If you would've told me then, that exactly one year and 13 days later that I'd be kneeling across the altar with him, and then our children...I would've never in a million years believed it!  No dream is unattainable!