Ethan and Bella ~ est. 2024

Well, it's been a magical day. 

I didn't take many photos at the temple, cause I knew there was a professional photographer there who will be getting better pics than any I take, so I mostly just enjoyed the day. Ethan was up and ready quickly, then left to go pick up his bride and take her to the temple.

I got up at my usual time and read the Book of Mormon, and at 7:30 I realized I probably was late waking up the kids, so then we kicked it in gear. The older group of us that would be going into the sealing got ready and left with O&D. Off to Bountiful!

We were laughing and teasing, and I loved being in the car with them. Eternity with them is going to be so fun. They were teasing Joseph about being gone dropping off Eliza last night for an hour and a half, when it is only a 15 minute drive each way. Joseph replied "We'll let the time speak for itself..." Abi stayed back with the girls and Peter as they all needed more time to finish curling their hair. I left my phone with Abi so she could the maps app to know how to get to the Bountiful temple. They were on their way about 30 min after us. 

We left Owen and Daniel in the waiting room, and that was the moment Daniel realized he would not be seeing them get married. He shed a few tears, it was tender. I left him there sad, trusting that the other kids would be there soon enough. in the waiting room. Katharine in the waiting room - 

The sealing was at 9:30. It was simple and beautiful and holy. It was a sacred experience to be in the presence of an apostle, and to be in the temple in a sealing room. It was all so quiet, it felt like time was standing still, like life paused. When Ethan and Bella and the sealer came in, he said a few words and the sunlight coming through the window created a heavenly glow around him. Definitely a sacred experience. We're going to collect what everyone remembers that was said. We came out and waited with everyone for a few, then Ethan and Bella were outside around 10:40. It was a celebration. 

We stuck around until past noon. Then we headed home, changed clothes, and went to go clean up the stuff from the dinner last night. We were listening to music and having fun as we put away tables, chairs, washed the dishes, put away centerpieces and tried to get things a little organized. And then the song "Canned Heat" came on, and we were surprised when Hyrum started doing the Napoleon Dynamite dance. "Where did you learn that!?!?" He learned it on his mission when he did Zumba for exercise! We all wanted to learn it. So, we should have been cleaning up, but instead we spent 90 minutes learning the dance with a tutorial playing on the projector. 

Our very optimistic plan was for us to all know it well enough (and be able to remember it under pressure) to do it tonight at the reception! The kids were doubting. After being distracted doing that, at 4 I made us stop and we hurried and finished cleaning up from the dinner. Abi and Mel took one load home and then came back for more. We just shoved it in boxes and then into the car for me to organize later at home. I was surprised that we were done in time (I had told the bishop that we borrowed the keys from that we'd return them at 5). We returned the keys, and then Corey and I drove stuff out to Cactus and Tropicals that they wanted to use for the reception (drink dispensers, dessert trays, framed pictures that they had left at the church, and we also had the flowers.) So we went out there to deliver that, and ended up staying there helping set up until it was almost 6. That was what time we were supposed to be there for photos, but we weren't dressed yet. 5:50 we were on our way home. MALSN left for the reception. H was home with ODPK. I hurried and changed clothes, and H and I went over the dance on the drive back (just watching the video, and I was writing out the different 8 counts so we could use a paper instead of everyone needing a device to practice. I think I did a pretty good job, I gave the paper to the kids and they were able to practice at the reception on the balcony. Reception was beautiful. People came from 7 - 9, then they cut the cake, E&B had the first dance together, then Bella dance with her dad, and people started hollering at me that Ethan needed me... I found him in time for us to dance. Then we joined E&B dancing, Corey and I came in trying to leave an impression by pretending we could do something fancy. We should probably learn another move or two. The only stuff we currently know was from a swing dance instruction thing we went to once before we were married. I bet there is stuff on youtube, right? Yeah we need to learn some more moves to keep up with our college kids. Then they threw the bouquet, and that was when we did our Canned Heat dance. It wasn't amazing, but it hit the spot. People laughed, especially at cute Daniel and Peter. Everyone cheered and it was a good way to get the dance party started. Everyone was dancing after that for the next hour. They did a circle a few times, and Peter went in the middle and did his toddler version of breakdancing, ha. Then with sparklers and cheering, we sent Bella and Ethan off on their new life together. We stayed and cleaned up for 45 minutes or so and got home around 11. We're still smiling but running on fumes, I'm sure. I teach Relief Society tomorrow (Tamara Runia's talk, it was my favorite from General Conference!) so we're heading to bed, I hope we sleep well, I'm not thrilled that tonight is the daylight saving time change, ugh, I hate it. But we'll survive. It was a wonderful day!