Sealed for Time and All Eternity

Cori, Paul, Lizzy and I were sealed as a family for time and all eternity on April 13, 2013.  We had planned to be sealed the same weekend that Paul was baptized for the convenience of traveling family members.  Life had been so chaotic leading up to the weekend that we intentionally didn't invite as many people as we originally planned to the sealing ceremony.  We wanted the kids to really know and remember the people there, and it was a very cool experience.  

We didn't know, and neither did our bishop initially, that Paul, because he was 8 years old, must be baptized and also get a temple recommend in order for us all to be sealed.  It was somewhat of a scramble getting the temple recommend piece done on short notice, but it worked out.  We ate lunch as an extended family group after Paul's baptism and then we traveled down to the Denver Temple.  The kids were taken into a waiting room while Cori and I attempted to get the paperwork completed so we could have the ceremony.  However, we FORGOT the affidavit of adoption through the courts that verified it was legally finalized.  We didn't even actually forget it so much as not realize that we needed to bring it.  We were so stressed out because basically everyone that could get into our house was down at the temple with us, and we absolutely had to have that paper before we could be sealed.  As we wracked our brains trying to figure out what to do, I texted my long time visiting teacher and friend, Camille, and asked if she was home.  She was, and thankfully she was able to come to our house, get our spare key from the hiding place, open our safe, take a picture of the affidavit, and text it to me.  Then, I was able to email it to the temple president's email and they were able to print it.  We were never so relieved as when that printer kicked those two sheets of paper out!!  And thank heavens for Camille.  We got the biggest bouquet of flowers we could find and a gift card to P.F. Changs and delivered that the next Monday night for family night.  If it wasn't for her, we wouldn't have been sealed that day!!!!

This is Camille, and her hubby Ryan.  I swiped this off her Facebook page and I hope she doesn't mind, but we were so so thankful she was willing to save us!

Cori and I changed into our white temple clothing, and Paul did as well.  Lizzy was already wearing her white dress, so she didn't need to change.  Cori and I and everyone that came to the temple were in the sealing room when they brought the kids in.  As Paul walked in, he exclaimed, "I knew it!"  When I asked him later what he was referencing, he couldn't tell me, but it was one of those situations where I knew he just intuitively remembered something about the temple and the sealing room.  Lizzy was beaming the entire time and looked so sweet and Paul was so handsome in his little boy-sized white suit.  It was a great experience and I think it really helped the kids to understand that even though they have lived with other families and had to leave them, we will be a family forever.

Our kids plus both of our nieces and both of our nephews.