My cousin Kevin once told me that he thought he could make a living at following us around with a camera for a reality show. I used to just think that was just circumstantial because of our ranch adventure, but lately I'm starting to think that maybe it's just us. "Adventure" seems to find us wherever we go. This weekend was no exception...and I don't even like adventures!
This is the only school holiday remaining for BYU-I before the semester ends, so Mikayla planned to go through the temple and receive her endowments. She prepared and went through the process of getting her recommends early and secured a ride. I got all of her temple clothing ready here. Everything seemed under control until we received a stressful phone call from Jordan, a few days prior to the weekend, with the realization his temple recommend was expired. The Bishop was booked and the stake president lives in Idaho Falls and only comes down once a week. Jordan ended up having to skip classes, go plead his cause to the Bishop between interviews instead of going through the executive secretary and then make it to the stake president in time, but he got it taken care of so I could relax until Jordan showed up here late Friday night and realized that he had forgotten his temple clothes in Rexburg. I thought of throttling him, but as that wouldn't have really added to the temple experience I panicked instead. =)
The temple no longer rents clothing, of course the distribution center was closed, it was too late to call friends and neighbors and we were supposed to be at the temple at 8:00 AM. By a miraculous "coincidence" Fred had purchased new temple pants just the day before, so between Fred's closet and driving to Jordan's roommate's house, he finally rummaged up the necessary clothing and I relaxed again...kinda...until Mikayla called (riding in a different car) for me to come pick her up at her ride's house. I relayed the previous story to her and ended with the comment, Well at least he didn't forget his temple recommend" and Mikayla gasped. It took her 2 or 3 minutes to convince me that she was not just pulling my leg. Of course both of our hearts sank. I couldn't see any way out of that scenario. I forgot my recommend at the temple once and Bro. Watson took me into a room and talked to me and then let me in. Fred forgot his recommend once and the temple called his Bishop for verification, but because her session was so early and because this was a living ordinance which requires an additional recommend, I was almost positive that this was a problem that I couldn't fix.
Our family has had what seems to be the flu for over a week. All the younger kids had gone to bed before Jordan and Mikayla even arrived and for anyone who knows how celebratory it feels in our home to be anticipating siblings coming home, that act alone speaks volumes about how sick they really were. Fred had finally caught it as well and stayed up just to greet them and then went to bed himself. The rest of us were so heartsick that we did the only thing that came naturally--we stayed up until 2:00 AM visiting and trying to make the best of a bad situation. Before I went to bed, I set my alarm for 7:30 so I could call the temple when it opened and cancel our appointment. In the morning I called but the temple staff was heartsick too, and instead of canceling they put me on hold and went to the temple presidency to see if anything could be done. They eventually came back with special permission to have the documents faxed to the temple. Now it was getting really tricky. We had thought it was a lost cause and so no one but me was even up and on the other end, only one of Mikayla's roommates had stayed in Rexburg. I woke Mikayla up and explained the situation so she tried to get a hold of her roommate but she didn't answer her phone and even if she had we were still in our pajama's, so we went through let down all over again thing. Then the temple called back and said that they would accommodate us later in the day if we could get the documentation that we needed. Just so you can understand just how gracious that offer was, you need to know that 22 living ordinances were scheduled for Saturday. Eventually, Mikayla's roommate woke up and returned her text. She didn't have access to a fax, so we called the temple back and got permission to have her take a picture with her phone and e-mail it, but by then Mom and Dad, whom Mikayla had invited, were already headed back home. I definitely had flashbacks of Mikayla's mission call opening and all of the inconvenience we put extended family through and felt guilt and sad and grateful that we hadn't put everyone else through that ordeal again!--definitely a, "why do all these stupid things keep happening to me!" moment.
At 5:00, that evening, Mikayla and I finally walked through the temple doors with grateful hearts. I have never seen the temple that busy. The front desk didn't know anything about our situation so I left Mikayla there and went up to the office to find someone who did. A man in charge came down with us and gave the front desk permission to let Mikayla into the temple, just as Brother and Sister Miller were leaving. They went straight to Mikayla making the very first step inside very personal. At the top of the stairs, a sister was waiting to greet us by name who happened to be a mother of an old friend. She was kind and protective and took such good care of us. It was a sweet wait sitting in initiatory waiting for Mikayla, and when she came out the sisters were wiping their eyes. It was a picture seeing Mikayla standing there all in white with her beautiful dark hair and chocolate eyes sparkling. Because of the volume of people in the dressing room, they took Mikayla and I into the Bride's room to let her get dressed for her endowment session. It was gorgeous. She was gorgeous! Because of her tag--and because of her glow--many patrons approached her to ask about her mission call and to congratulate her on her special day. As a mother it was so fulfilling--I felt such gratitude for who this little girl has become--for her worthiness to be there receiving those saving ordinances. The Celestial room was such a peaceful culmination and the four of us squeezed together onto one of the couches to take it all in. We aren't all petite people, so it was very cozy. It was perfect. I will write the temple and thank them for a beautiful experience.
Tomorrow, Jordan and Mikayla will go back to Rexburg. Jordan's girlfriend will leave for home on Friday to prepare for leaving on her mission in April. I think he'll cry. We probably won't see Jordan and Mikayla again until April and then Mikayla will be home for three weeks before she leaves on her mission. I am sure that I will cry. Jordan is talking about working on the East coast this summer. I cried just hearing him talk about it. I hope he won't go, but those days of child permanency are gone. Oh, but the visits are cherished!
This is the only school holiday remaining for BYU-I before the semester ends, so Mikayla planned to go through the temple and receive her endowments. She prepared and went through the process of getting her recommends early and secured a ride. I got all of her temple clothing ready here. Everything seemed under control until we received a stressful phone call from Jordan, a few days prior to the weekend, with the realization his temple recommend was expired. The Bishop was booked and the stake president lives in Idaho Falls and only comes down once a week. Jordan ended up having to skip classes, go plead his cause to the Bishop between interviews instead of going through the executive secretary and then make it to the stake president in time, but he got it taken care of so I could relax until Jordan showed up here late Friday night and realized that he had forgotten his temple clothes in Rexburg. I thought of throttling him, but as that wouldn't have really added to the temple experience I panicked instead. =)
The temple no longer rents clothing, of course the distribution center was closed, it was too late to call friends and neighbors and we were supposed to be at the temple at 8:00 AM. By a miraculous "coincidence" Fred had purchased new temple pants just the day before, so between Fred's closet and driving to Jordan's roommate's house, he finally rummaged up the necessary clothing and I relaxed again...kinda...until Mikayla called (riding in a different car) for me to come pick her up at her ride's house. I relayed the previous story to her and ended with the comment, Well at least he didn't forget his temple recommend" and Mikayla gasped. It took her 2 or 3 minutes to convince me that she was not just pulling my leg. Of course both of our hearts sank. I couldn't see any way out of that scenario. I forgot my recommend at the temple once and Bro. Watson took me into a room and talked to me and then let me in. Fred forgot his recommend once and the temple called his Bishop for verification, but because her session was so early and because this was a living ordinance which requires an additional recommend, I was almost positive that this was a problem that I couldn't fix.
Our family has had what seems to be the flu for over a week. All the younger kids had gone to bed before Jordan and Mikayla even arrived and for anyone who knows how celebratory it feels in our home to be anticipating siblings coming home, that act alone speaks volumes about how sick they really were. Fred had finally caught it as well and stayed up just to greet them and then went to bed himself. The rest of us were so heartsick that we did the only thing that came naturally--we stayed up until 2:00 AM visiting and trying to make the best of a bad situation. Before I went to bed, I set my alarm for 7:30 so I could call the temple when it opened and cancel our appointment. In the morning I called but the temple staff was heartsick too, and instead of canceling they put me on hold and went to the temple presidency to see if anything could be done. They eventually came back with special permission to have the documents faxed to the temple. Now it was getting really tricky. We had thought it was a lost cause and so no one but me was even up and on the other end, only one of Mikayla's roommates had stayed in Rexburg. I woke Mikayla up and explained the situation so she tried to get a hold of her roommate but she didn't answer her phone and even if she had we were still in our pajama's, so we went through let down all over again thing. Then the temple called back and said that they would accommodate us later in the day if we could get the documentation that we needed. Just so you can understand just how gracious that offer was, you need to know that 22 living ordinances were scheduled for Saturday. Eventually, Mikayla's roommate woke up and returned her text. She didn't have access to a fax, so we called the temple back and got permission to have her take a picture with her phone and e-mail it, but by then Mom and Dad, whom Mikayla had invited, were already headed back home. I definitely had flashbacks of Mikayla's mission call opening and all of the inconvenience we put extended family through and felt guilt and sad and grateful that we hadn't put everyone else through that ordeal again!--definitely a, "why do all these stupid things keep happening to me!" moment.
At 5:00, that evening, Mikayla and I finally walked through the temple doors with grateful hearts. I have never seen the temple that busy. The front desk didn't know anything about our situation so I left Mikayla there and went up to the office to find someone who did. A man in charge came down with us and gave the front desk permission to let Mikayla into the temple, just as Brother and Sister Miller were leaving. They went straight to Mikayla making the very first step inside very personal. At the top of the stairs, a sister was waiting to greet us by name who happened to be a mother of an old friend. She was kind and protective and took such good care of us. It was a sweet wait sitting in initiatory waiting for Mikayla, and when she came out the sisters were wiping their eyes. It was a picture seeing Mikayla standing there all in white with her beautiful dark hair and chocolate eyes sparkling. Because of the volume of people in the dressing room, they took Mikayla and I into the Bride's room to let her get dressed for her endowment session. It was gorgeous. She was gorgeous! Because of her tag--and because of her glow--many patrons approached her to ask about her mission call and to congratulate her on her special day. As a mother it was so fulfilling--I felt such gratitude for who this little girl has become--for her worthiness to be there receiving those saving ordinances. The Celestial room was such a peaceful culmination and the four of us squeezed together onto one of the couches to take it all in. We aren't all petite people, so it was very cozy. It was perfect. I will write the temple and thank them for a beautiful experience.
Tomorrow, Jordan and Mikayla will go back to Rexburg. Jordan's girlfriend will leave for home on Friday to prepare for leaving on her mission in April. I think he'll cry. We probably won't see Jordan and Mikayla again until April and then Mikayla will be home for three weeks before she leaves on her mission. I am sure that I will cry. Jordan is talking about working on the East coast this summer. I cried just hearing him talk about it. I hope he won't go, but those days of child permanency are gone. Oh, but the visits are cherished!
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