Columbus Temple - The Smart Way

Sorry I've been slow getting back into blogging, even though it has been nearly a week since my mom left. I sort of felt dismally uninterested in life over the past few days--not sure what triggered the funk, but maybe because we have missed Grandma so much! Even though she thanked us graciously for giving her a fun vacation, it was really a vacation for ME because my mom did so much cleaning and playing with that Lo while she was here. Lo even got a bunch of inside jokes with Grandma and she had to start translating for me to understand my own son. Also, he called her "mom" because that is what Jerry and I called her. Oops. =) Anyway, hopefully I'll get our fun times documented here little by little. Normally when we visit the temple, it is a LONG day with about 6 hours in the carseat for that Lo, and his mid-day nap turning out terrible attempted on the temple grounds. So this time, since my mom was here visiting and volunteered to babysit while Jerry and I made a date out of attending the temple together, we splurged a bit. We got a hotel for the night, and timed our journey to and from Columbus to coincide with Lo's daily nap so he slept nicely for most of the driving. Totally worth it.

And we joined a group from our ward who also went down to the temple that weekend. What fun! Several in this group are recent converts who were visiting the temple for the first time to perform proxy baptisms for their deceased ancestors.

While Jerry helped with the baptisms, my mom and I played with that Lo outside the temple. See the pretty spire? And see Lo? See him running around there on the grass? It was a million degrees humidity and sunshiney-hot, but he LOVED being outside.

Here we are instructing on why leaves cannot be thrown into the stream as efficiently as rocks.







My mom was going to attend an endowment session while Jerry was doing the baptisms, and we planned that I would just stay outside the temple with that Lo for a couple hours. But I had killer insomnia that night in the hotel (honestly--way worse than even "normal" insomnia--this kind left me feeling zombi-like until I got a nap Saturday). So my mom volunteered to watch Lo while I napped and while Jerry was doing the baptisms. I LOVE MY MOM!

Grandma ("MOM") and Lo, best friends forever. Thanks again for being such a lifesaver, Mom and helping Jerry and me have a great visit to the temple. Oh, and thanks again for rescuing my glasses when the lens popped out into the stream. Good memories.

Columbus Temple

I almost forgot to record something important from last weekend. We spent time with dear family friends in Columbus, Ohio and then left Little with them while Jerry and I attended a session at the temple. This is one of the smaller versions of LDS temples, so there were some interesting differences in the structure from most other temples we have attended. Actually, I think it might be the same blueprint as the Regina, Saskatchewan temple that I attended while serving in the mission field. The layout seemed familiar.

Anyway, it was a very unique session for me, because I felt simultaneously distracted by thoughts of my baby and noticed an enhanced, expanded view of the temple ceremonies in my "new mother" frame of mind. It helps me to feel my Heavenly Father's love when I think about how I feel toward my sweet Little. I am grateful God's plan for the world includes a way to build strong families that can last through eternity.

We chose a Chinese name for Little recently. Though I suppose I will still refrain from posting specifics on this name, I could probably get away with revealing the meaning of the characters: Son Eternal. Little, you are forever ours, born in the covenant we have made to be a family for eternity. We love you!

This photo shows Little a few weeks ago, wearing special jewelry sent to him by some of his Chinese relatives. They know how important our Christianity is to us, and included a necklace with the Cross. Thank you for being so thoughtful.