Jackson's Sealing!

Hip Hip Hooray, Sealing Day! It was a wonderful day! We are so happy and so thankful. Everything turned out beautiful!! We got up and got some things ready for the morning. We went to the ward Christmas party, and that was a lot of fun. Then we headed up to the temple to take some pictures in our white clothes. We weren't sure how the lighting would be after the temple, and we wanted to make sure we got some pictures, and we didn't want to be stressed about it while we were in the temple, so we decided to take some in the morning. And I was glad we did (even though the light was fine, it was nice to not have to worry about it). Then we went home and put Jackson down for his nap and got some other things ready for the dinner after, etc. We got Jackson up at 2:30 and headed to the temple. Everything was so special! I felt the Spirit so strongly. I felt like I could barely breathe, or that I could burst. I didn't want to leave. We were surrounded by family and friends! We were so thankful to have so many to come and share this special time with us. We are so thankful that Todd can be his father and I can be his mother. It was so wonderful. We were able to go outside to take a few pictures. Our kids were so tired. When we got home, a few family members joined us for a pizza dinner and that was a lot of fun too. 

I am just so happy. For six months I have been praying and pleading and begging that our family could be protected, mostly spiritually. I was so worried. I knew Satan would try to push hard against us. He doesn't want eternal families to be made. But the Savior's power is stronger. And He has watched over us so much and been with us so much! How grateful I am. I can't praise the Lord enough! I can't speak of His power and grace and kindness enough. I love my Heavenly Father and my Savior so much. I couldn't do it without them. They have watched over us and protected us and guided us. We tried to be so deliberate in our preparations, and I am just so grateful!

We have done a lot of preparations over the last six months to be ready for the sealing and blessing of Jackson. We did special family home evening lessons focusing on various aspects of the temple. We continued going to the temple each week. We made special bracelets that we wore for six months (and were lost numerous times, and each of us had new bracelets made…though Todd ended up finding his original one). The bracelets were made of paracord, and were tied together in a special way, so they were to remind us that we were going to be tied, or sealed, together as a family. We made special white bracelets for the temple that were the same as our colorful ones. We did a footprint countdown, and took one footprint off each week. For the 30 days before the temple, Savannah taped a little tag by our temple picture to teach us about something the temple is (sacred, the House of the Lord, a place of peace, where eternal families are made, etc). And I prayed, and prayed, and prayed, and prayed that our family would be protected. How grateful I am for the priesthood of God! How grateful I am for the restoration of the gospel! How grateful we are for the support, financial/emotional/spiritual, of so many friends and family!



We are so grateful to be on this side of it. What a year! And what a great way to end this year! We know families can be together forever, because of our Savior Jesus Christ! And what a wonderful time of year to be reminded of that! Hip Hip Hooray!