"What are you going to Utah for?"

..... "uh, to be Mormon?"

Seriously. I actually answered that when someone asked me why I was going to Utah. Immediately after, I could have asked the Earth to swallow me whole. Had I really just said that? HA! The gentleman who works with my husband is in our stake and when he asked me about my trip, that is all I could come up with? Oh boy. LOL

BUT! There is some truth to it. I went without a huge agenda. First, I went with friends for a couple days (more on that on my family blog to come!) but the majority of my trip was solo, in a new place, with my kiddos. After spending an awesome weekend in Moab, Utah and seeing amazing sights in a couple national parks, I headed to the greater Salt Lake City area to hang out without an agenda or a plan at all really. I hadn't figured out where we were staying even! I really love being whimsical sometimes. 

One of the things I've come to realize in finding my footing in this faith journey is this truth: We do not have to look the same to be the same. I wanted to stand up for individuality, especially when I have children growing in my home. I want them to know their individual worth and differences matter. They are not meant to be a carbon copy. That does not mean they aren't the same : striving to find their space in this world in pursuit of something higher. While driving from Moab to SLC, it occurred to me that I wanted to show them as many temples as I could. I wasn't certain they wouldn't all look exactly alike, but I was hoping they would each be unique on the outside. I wasn't let down.

We saw 4 temples up close, went through one open house and saw two more from a distance as weather was crappy. Guess what? No carbon copies. BUT - I got to talk about our differences can be a great thing and our insides (the faith) can be the same. Now, I don't mean to say that all our faith is understood exactly the same way - in fact, I mean the opposite - I am saying that we have a common bond in being OF faith. Our children know what it is first-hand to be sealed as a family. We were sealed as a family in the past year in the Boise, Idaho temple and I loved showing them the different temples and talking about how each can look so different and still have the eternal truths on the inside. They had fun, I felt deeply moved. I'll call it a major win-win!

Monday we saw one of the Provo Temples -

It was so peaceful to sit on the lawn and have no one around. We enjoyed walking all around the grounds and set a goal to snap a family photo (me included) at each temple we visited! Declan was wow'd by the drinking fountain he found tucked away near the many rose bushes planted along the walk ways and Kalani loved the water fountain! After a couple hours in the car, this was the PERFECT first stop before going to find a place to go camping. The temple was closed but there were a few people on the grounds just enjoying being there. That's what we did, we went to just soak up the beautiful spirit there. 

Tuesday we went to two temples! First up was our journey at Payson Utah Temple open house -

Yes, I know, we're not all photo'd but I really love this photo of my kiddos... But fear not, we also snapped one of all of us!

So, the Payson Temple open house was the only scheduled event I had on my plans during the trip. I saw a photo of the Celestial Room on this news website and I just wanted to see it in person! Our children have all been inside the Boise temple before it was dedicated and again when we were sealed as a family so they were really thrilled to see the inside of another temple. This one is very very different from the Boise one! It was so sweet to hear their comments, their thoughts, and just feel calm and peaceful there. I loved every moment of it. One of the best parts was after the tour, Daunika really wanted to leave a comment about her experience....

Next on our Tuesday adventures was the Mount Timpanogos temple. Technically, it was closed for maintenance but we went to walk around anyway and enjoy it's grounds while they re-landscaped and cleaned :) This temple is stunning. The arched covered area leading up to the front doors feel so inviting. I will return, without kids, and go inside, soon! Since this was a second temple in the same day, we had lots of conversations about contrasting architecture. It was really great to talk to my children without expectation. To walk around, explore and just BE. 

I am so thankful we had these unscripted times. To sit and enjoy. To walk the grounds in peaceful happiness. It was really fabulous bonding time with my children. I'm so glad for this very unique twist to our camping trip! It is impossible for me to describe the feeling that we experienced. A tangible vibration that was perfectly in sync with our souls. It was interesting that Declan and Aurora asked why we never went to the Boise temple grounds to just walk around.... good question indeed. I promised them we would do just that soon.

Our final temples were viewed on Thursday - The Salt Lake City upclose, the Bountiful and Jordan River from our commute.

 Can I be completely honest? Temple square was a crappy experience for my family. Yes, it was beautiful but hectic. In comparison to the peaceful enjoyment we had experienced at the other temple grounds, this was full of people, and holy crap - it must be wedding season? There were FOUR different wedding parties outside the temple with multiple photographers and a billion family members... Oye. Kalani is three and LOVES the temples - so she wanted to walk around the whole thing and touch and talk and I could tell we were in the way of several photographers and one newlywed couple actually rolled their eyes at my tiny tot as she ran up the stairs to touch the doors (they were standing near the stairs trying to get photos done). We left very quickly as it became clear that my tiny children were in the way as they wanted to walk around the temple grounds (which meant they wanted to walk in peoples photos). Not knocking it completely, but I hope if I go back again it's not so chaotic. There was no chance to feel the spirit at all. It sucked. 

THAT'S OK!

We're home, happy, and enjoying being back into our normal routines but I'm eternally grateful for this trip with my children. I am sad to say that my husband couldn't be there but part of what makes this temple hopping so incredibly special is my marriage. I am so grateful for the covenant to have my marriage in this realm/life/earthside space of time, but beyond this as well. To be sealed forever to Damon is nothing short of my definition of perfection. I love him so much it brings tears to my eyes to think of how important he is to me. I'm so grateful for our faith, this gospel and the honoring of how important marriage is. 

I'm so grateful for the still moments, the chaotic moments, the beautiful temples we visited to give up reflective time as a family. The temples, like us, do not have to look the same to be a house of the Lord. We each can serve the Lord with OUR best understanding in this moment and have complete compassion for each other in any space they are in.

Stellar trip indeed.