However, nowhere in the job description did it mention that I would need to travel periodically. If it had, I might not have applied, because I have four children under the age of five--and that is very young-- and leaving them all day at daycare is hard enough; leaving them for a few days at a time is tortuous. Mostly for me, not for them. They have Emily (oh, the prayers I pray giving thanks for Emily!), so Mommy going away on a airplane for a few days is cause for celebration at our house. If you don't believe me just come hang out with us the night before I leave. It's a non-stop party in the kids' room, bouncing off the ceiling and singing loud extemporaneous hymns of praise that tomorrow is THE DAY they will get Emily all to themselves and she will actually sleep at our house and be there when they wake up and take them places and give them baths and let them have juice at every meal and wear summertime pajamas in the winter and all the other privileges that super-meanie mommy curtails.
A few weeks ago I was making travel plans for another trip and feeling kind of blue about it, when inspiration struck. I love temples + temples are all over the world = I can visit the closest temple whenever I travel, and make a game out of seeing how long my list will grow! Wahoo! Suddenly required travel just became loads more fun! It really worked--every time I started to feel sad about this trip I'd just remind myself that I would be visiting a new temple.
There is a new list on my blog: my list of temples. In order to count them, it has to be a temple that I've actually visited and done ordinance work in--the list would be twice as long if I counted open houses or weddings or even temple dedications, but since the point of temples is service and worship, I'm using that as the guideline for what goes on the list.
It's well after midnight. I'm typing this on my laptop in a hotel room a couple of thousand miles away from my kids. And I'm smiling because I just got back from the Raleigh North Carolina temple and it was marvelous and wonderful and precious, and everything I love about the gospel and the Savior, all tucked into one small, beautiful, extraordinary white building.
I've never acquired much of a taste for lemons, but I'm really kinda partial to lemonade. God is so good.
7 comments:
So much closer to me and yet still so far. Is Raleigh lovely? It's on my list of places I'd move, although I've never been there. I like the proximity to Duke.
Enjoy your lemonade.
What a great idea. Now I almost wished that we did travel more.... I can't wait to see your list grow.
John is going to St. Louis for a week, week after next. I'm really dreading it. We always knew he'd have to travel with this job, but he's been able to get around it for the years he's been there until now. He asked me yesterday what would be good about him going and all I could come up with was having him come home. I did suggest he do a session at the St. Louis temple, though.
Here's my list. That's a great idea
St. George, Provo, Ogden, Manti, Salt Lake City, L.A., Palmyra, Nauvoo, Detroit
Now I just need to be consistent about going to the one near me. It's so shameful that I used to go to the Detroit temple, 1 1/2 hours away more than I do the Ogden, now 10 minutes away. Pathetic.
That's an awesome idea! My husband went to Raleigh on his mission! Hope you have fun in NC!
Hooray for you, Wendy! I sure enjoyed going to the Temple with you in August. Keep going. Love - MOM
I love that you are keeping track of the temples you have visited. I really should do that! At one time, I had a goal to visit each temple in UT. We haven't been to do any ordinance work since we adopted the girls! (Except our own work, of course!) I really need some motivation, so I may copy your great idea! Thanks for sharing!
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