Temple Open House

We have been looking forward to this for a long time!  Our temple has been closed for 2 years and although we have another temple just 30 minutes away we have really missed having one closer.  Plus the Rexburg one has been so much busier with the I.F. one closed that you have to be there really early for a session or wait for a long time for initiatories.  We have been excited to go to the open house to see any of the changes and have our kids be able to go inside and see where mommy and daddy go to the temple.

This was also a big reason for Steve's family to visit because this is "their" temple where Steve's parents were married.  We were also glad that Daniel had the chance to go as well.  He was inactive from the church for I think the entire time he was in the army but has been going to church since living at home again.  He still seems quite on the fence when it comes to the church but it was great for him to have a chance to see inside a temple.

It was a very rainy and cold day but thankfully they had tents that lead from the church to the temple.  We got to park right at the church by the temple since Steve's mom was in a wheelchair for the tour (she can't walk long distances).  After a short video at the meetinghouse about the purpose of temples we walked quite a long way through tents, got our booties on our shoes and headed into the temple.  After two years I actually couldn't remember what everything looked like before, wish I could've!  It was beautiful though.  So light and bright throughout.  I got so turned around though of what was where.  I am really excited to go there for real in just a little bit!  We were in a group of our own and really got to take our time walking through which I think was in large part because we had a wheelchair in our group.  Seeing the sealing rooms and celestial room reminded that we have those blessings and I can be with my family forever.  So so grateful for that and it brings me so much happiness and joy in my motherhood.  The kids were really good the whole time!

After walking through, the rain had stopped and we got to take a few pics in front of the temple and then checked out the visitor's center for a bit.  We had to walk back to our car and it was freezing!  I had worn a long dress and the bottom was absolutely soaked from the wet sidewalks and parking lot.  Brrr!  I am so grateful that we got to go to the temple.  The dedication is just a couple of weeks away and we are excited that Preston gets to participate in it as well.  We even have a sweet young couple in our ward who has offered to babysit our other kids so we can go together (as opposed to Steve and I taking turns at the different sessions and only one of us going with Preston.).  So excited!