Our tour was scheduled for 10am, so we left the house around 8:30 to make sure we'd have plenty of time. It took us LESS THAN AN HOUR to get there! Can I get a hallelujah?! It used to take us 3+ hours just to get to the Chicago temple. Seriously, it was so weird. Even this morning when I reminded Tess that we were going to the temple she started packing up toys and stuff for a long drive; she had a hard time believing it would be such a short jaunt!
We made it to the temple and stepped out into... SUMMER.
Remember how I've been complaining about how cool and wet it's been all summer? Summer decided to make an appearance: TODAY. It is sooooo hot and muggy now. Highs in the 90's with heat indexes in the low 100's because of humidity. It's like the weather in making up for lost time.
Anyways, not the point of this post.
We started in the stake center and watched a short film about temples before heading over to the temple. (As we were walking through the stake center we passed the mission president, old BYU basketball coach, Coach Cleveland.) ((Go Cougs!!))
As we walked out of the stake center and made our way to the temple I couldn't help but tear up. It was all I could do not to break down into sobs of happiness. I was just sooo happy and felt the spirit so strongly!
The inside of the temple is beautiful. It's a medium-sized temple. Lots of bright stone and dark cherry wood. Everything was, of course, just beautiful and pristine. You aren't allowed to take pictures inside, so I have borrowed a few from the interwebs.
Where your recommend is checked.
The baptistery - one of the prettiest baptisteries I've ever seen. (I'm not being biased. I think I've only seen the ones in Oakland and Provo...) Just beautiful.
The bride's room. It was pretty, but I think the one in Timpanogos is prettier. (And I have to admit it... I'm not a fan of the style of chandeliers they have in this temple. I mean, they're not ugly; I just like other styles better.)
The first instruction room. Can't wait to spend literal hours here! The mural represents the Indiana landscape. It was very pretty and well done. Everyone noted the large thunderstorm depicted in the front and commented that there should be more given this summer! I also noticed rabbits... growl. (Although I have to admit they have not given me much grief this year.)
The second instruction room. So light and airy and beautiful.
The Celestial room. The tour guide didn't speak in here; he just let us sit and think and enjoy.
The sealing room. It was really quite large - you could easily fit 50+ people in there. This is the room where marriages are performed, where my children could possible be sealed for time and all eternity!
This floral image was used throughout the temple: it's the bloom from Indiana's state tree, the Tulip Poplar. (I was the only one in the group who knew the answer! Indiana state facts FTW!)
An exterior shot. The fountain is really unusual because water pours off of it so that kids can very easily play in it. I foresee lots of wet toddlers and little kids in future wedding pictures...
We were lucky to have uncle Kevin with us! He's here for a quick visit and then to help me drive this brood to UT in a few days. (Lance has to stay home. Sad.)
It was VERY bright and hot at this point. You can't tell in this photo, but none of us had our eyes open because it was so bright. And of course Tess decided to be a punk. But that's okay - first family photo in front of the Indy temple!!
One of my sweet husband and I.
It must be noted that by this point I was no longer close to tears, mainly because I was getting tired of dealing with kids. They were pretty good overall in the temple, but once we were outside all bets were off. (Cole was made I wouldn't let him get wet in the fountain.)
Josh wanted a picture by himself.
We went inside the visitor's center tent and looked at the displays. I tried to take a nice family photo in front of this replica of The Christus, but Tess had other plans, that black-eyed punk.
They also had a backdrop with the temple where they took a picture of you. You could have it emailed to you and then you also got a printed copy, which is now proudly displayed on our fridge.
I just feel so amazingly blessed to have a temple so close to us now! I know it will be a blessing to our family and our ward. I love that my kids were able to come and join us and see where Lance and I will be attending (hopefully) very often in the future. I love the temple and the blessings we are promised there. It was a wonderful, wonderful morning!
2 comments:
Man, if only you would have gone tonight instead of this morning. Loren is volunteering in parking and Sam is putting on the slippers. Shoot, you would have seen each other! I highly anticipate seeing you in the near future there! Such happy times!
We are so happy for you all and all of our old Indiana friends. What a huge blessing! If we were still there we'd be even more excited!
Post a Comment