Cheers

So today I did nothing; and it was everything I thought it could be. I got up today and went for a soda run. Then we got back and had some breakfast. Josh went with Grandpa Clint, and Lexi with Grandma Shane, so it was the two little girls and I, and Stacey. Well Stacey as it turns out went to get her nails done, and that left Isabelle to take off with Alora, and Olivia and I to our own devices.

So, I let Livy watch an episode of Blue's Clues, and then a half episode of Dora, and finally, having made it all the way to one p.m. I figured I needed a rest from all my resting. So I commandeered the Wii remote and the bean bag and commenced to watching Cheers. Livy, as it turns out, is a BIG fan of Cheers. She actually, at 22 months old, knows the theme song! She knows the high notes and even sang along in broken mumbling with, "everybody knows your name". It was so dang cute. She moved her little head back and forth in the crook of my arm to the song for two episodes. I dont know for sure who passed out first, but I blame her. You know, how if you've ever been tired, like SO tired that each time you wake up, you feel like something is sucking your soul out of your eyes and nose and you zonk back out again? Yeah, I was THAT tired. Probably the best nap I've had in two years.

I'm guessing that's probably as a result of having gone back to the Temple with Stacey last night. We started out at five thirty p.m. and had every intent of going to the new Oquirrh Mountain temple. However, I had neglected to get my pants hemmed, and needed to rent some clothes. I'll be honest with you, I haven't been to the Temple since about six or seven years ago when I did my brother's endowments. Anyhow, we called up, and they of course dont rent clothes. So we went over to the Jordan River Temple, which, as it turns out was closed from the 16th through the 20th. Soooooooo... we thought the Draper Temple, which....ALSO doesnt rent clothes. Stacey floated the idea of me borrowing her dad's clothes, but I put the kaibosh on that. So we decided to go to the Salt Lake Temple.

I'd never been, and Stacey said they have live actors. So I was really looking forward to it. Well we got up onto the freeway, and it was bumper-to-bumper traffic till about 45th South. In-Sane-Uh! They say that any time you try to make it to the Temple that something goes wrong. This was no exception. Well we made it up to Salt Lake around seven p.m. We had originally thought that we'd have dinner at the Olive Garden near the Hilton, but I felt impressed to get to the session first and we'd eat after. Well, long story short, we got there, parked on South Temple and then walked into the grounds and in. By the time we got everything rented and access and into the Chappel we finally made the 7:40 session. Which I gather was probably the last session, because they last about two hours with the live actors.

Suffice it to say, we left the temple about 10 pm. Lexi was at a "Late-Over" down in South Jordan, so we had to head back and grab her and take her home. By the time we got down, and to the house it was 1045. Paid the babysitter and over to the restaurant, it was 11. By the way, Olive Garden in South Jordan closes at 11. Just so you dont drive over. But Chili's, which isn't one of my personal favorites was open till midnight.

I think it's important to say here, that it was totally worth the hustle to go last night. I thought the Temple Grounds in Salt Lake were beautiful. It was the perfect temperature walking through them, and such a feeling of peace to go in. I dont think it's appropriate to go into what things were challenging us, but suffice it to say the respite of the Temple was much needed. I think the feeling of peace alone was enough to help me work through so many things involving work, home, friends and neighbors and other challenges. For the two hours we were there, it was so clear what really is important in life and what the distractions are.

Anyhow, so I think two years of running constantly just finally caught up to us. So to sit there with Olivia on the bean bag and just watch cheers was awesome. I literally woke up and passed out for about a three hour period. Each time I passed out I thought I couldnt possibly move a muscle for the rest of the night. Well, Isabelle kept walking in at the end of our nap and asking me for a bike ride every seven minutes. I put her off through about five more pass-out sessions and finally just got up and went for our bike ride.

I dont have any lessons for you here, just telling you how my night and day went. I'm so glad we went. I am so glad for the knowledge of the Gospel and the Lord's plan for us. It was so very needed and I am grateful that I was able to learn and be with Stacey to go last night. Today just sitting there on the beanbag with my beautiful dark-eyed blonde baby was just the icing on the cake.

I guess it's true, whether you're in the Temple, or on a bean bag with your baby, sometimes you wanna go, where everybody knows your name.

You kids have a great night.

All the best to you and yours,

J