Sunday, April 17, 2016

Windy Spring Day at The Temple

I was absolutely itching to get out o the house yesterday, especially after this ridiculous rainy, cold, snowy weather we've had this past week.  Although I do wish it had been a little warmer, it was bright and sunny and so great!  We started out at City Creek Center and walked through the Disney Store first...since it was at the top of the escalators; the kids honed in on that one right away and begged to walk through.  I responded with, "Ok, but NO begging for stuff!".  They did a great job.

Lunch was on the menu next.  Johnny Rocket's was right there, and hey, I love a good hamburger, so Johnny Rocket's it was.

This cute girl had the best time putting the white straw inside the black straw, she though it was pretty cool.

 The servers there make little faces out of ketchup in a small bowl, the kids thought that was awesome-sauce.
 My Marin.  We've been struggling with her lately.  A lot.  So when the good moments are there, we soak them up and pray that will float us through the next bad moment.
 Temple Square.  Sigh!  I know people love Temple Square at Christmastime, and it is pretty, though not as lit up as I have heard it used to be....but I LOVE Temple Square in the spring.  Absolutely love it.  Flowers are near and dear to my heart, they speak to my soul; they speak bright, colorful, tender, fragrant stories of bloom, growth and rest.  They are the quintessence of beauty and life, in my mind.  Flowers are the worlds way of apologizing for a long and dreary winter.  Every winter (around February, in particular) I question the necessity of winter and agonize under gray skies and dead trees, cursing Mother Nature (just a little) for such a terrible season, and cursing Father Time for making it SO long.  And then spring rolls around, and the breeze turns earthy and sweet, and the flowers pop up and the sun bursts through the clouds.....and all is forgiven.  
Tulips.  Tulips must be one of my favorite flowers, so colorful and beautiful! 

 A reflection of the temple.
 Why the kids *really* love coming to Temple Square.  The fountains!!
 Tulips and Trees and Temples....always a perfect combination.
 These three.  They make my life full of *everything*, and I love it.
 Temple Square is no stranger to kisses.
 This girl is 18 months, what!!!  She is at such a fun age, toddling everywhere, giggling, babbling and learning words, it is just so cute to watch her.

We, of course, had to see the Christus at the visitors center.  One thing really stood out to me this time, though I've been many times.  I stood there looking at the statue of Christ, and noticing the beauty of the eternities that surround Him, the stars, the earth, the galaxies, the vast wonderment of things I know nothing about.  And I noticed that out of all the things Christ could be paying attention to, He chooses to look down and notice....us.   His attention is clearly turned to us, his brothers and sisters.  He could be turned and looking at the stars He created, or the galaxy over yonder, or anything else....and He chooses us.  What an inspired statue and room.  I'm sure that my own perspective yesterday wasn't necessarily considered while they designed the room, perhaps it was, but it was most certainly inspired as they decided that Christ's full attention should be faced...not upward to His creations, but down with outspread arms, to us.


 Last stop was the Church History Museum.  They have a cute kids play are in the back, and we've enjoyed playing there before, but it has been completely renovated!  It was cute, but I kind of miss the old activities they used to have.  Here the kids are working on origami birds.
I'm glad it was our last stop, the kids were getting tired and mom and dad were getting tired of dealing with cranky attitudes.  Overall, it was such a fun day out of the house.  It's days like this that I am so grateful for my husband and my kids.

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