Saturday, February 14, 2009
An Unusual Valentine’s Day
Our Valentine’s Day was quite out of the ordinary. Instead of making my usual heart pancakes, we got up early and dressed up for the Draper Temple Open House (and ate Cheerios and bagels in the car). Since visitors can only go inside a new temple before it has been dedicated, it is a rare opportunity to see inside a temple. Everyone is welcome, including children and people of different faiths. After the temple is dedicated, only worthy members of our church (12 and older) who hold special “temple recommends” are allowed inside. So... this is the first time our kids have ever been inside a temple. We were all excited! Adam’s favorite part was the “sparkly lights” (chandeliers), and the girls’ favorite was the Celestial room, which is beautiful and has a gigantic chandelier in the center. I was happy that they got to sit in a Sealing Room where couples are married for eternity.
...and I got to make my pink heart pancakes Sunday morning instead :o)
The kids were extra excited to have Grandpa Gary meet us there and go through with us!
Andrew’s favorite part was the yummy cookies afterward! He did so well, folding his arms almost the whole time, including hiking up lots of stairs. He kept trying to skip in front of the crowd, so we had to constantly pull him back with us. But overall, he did amazingly well for a 2-year old! It wasn’t until the last room where he lost it and cried as we walked out. Luckily, the cookies were just a few steps away.
We returned home to a BIG SURPRISE. The back door (from the garage) was locked from the inside! In 7 years we’ve never used keys, so we didn’t have any! So while the kids and I kept warm inside the van, Jon employed all sorts of ideas on how to break off a doorknob. The hacksaw worked, with a sledge hammer following.
The kids were all concerned, and at one point jumped out of the car - Amy with tears streaming down her face - exclaiming, “But DAD! This is DIAN’S house!” (Dian is the owner.) I had to assure them that we will put a good doorknob back on. When I asked them if they’d prefer to just live in the van, they got all introspective and considered “What would happen to my bed? Where would my closet be?” and “I don’t want to live in here forever!”
We all cheered when Jon opened the door!
After sharing valentines with each other, the best dad in the world outfitted the kids for snow and helped them build snow forts. He’d throw snowballs straight at the forts and exclaim how he just couldn’t get the girls because their forts were so great. They loved it!
He also took them for a few runs down a nearby tubing hill.
The best husband in the world sent me off to buy Cafe Rio (my recent favorite) while he and the kids cleaned house and made their own dinner (he isn’t a fan of Cafe Rio). He even humored the girls’ request of “heart tortillas” with cheese. Yum!
Jon also surprised us that morning with helium balloons decorating the kitchen, which he brought home from cleanup of a church party late the night before.
Although it was not a typical Valentine’s Day, we had a great time together as a family.
I love my valentine! I couldn’t be luckier!
