Eternal Perspectives

After difficult past experiences and an amazing journey together, Kevin and I were able to be sealed in the Boston, MA temple last week. It was a perfect day and an unimaginably perfect experience. The only thing possible that would have made it better would have been to have all the children present. Lisa and Nolan were with us and stood in for Kevin's parents as he was sealed to them. We also sealed both sets of his grandparents and his parents to them. We are family. I am very grateful for the wonderful relationship we have and the amazing man Kevin is.

As my kids say, I'm getting pukey, so on to other things. If you are not LDS, a sealing is a marriage for eternity. The temple is the most peaceful, beautiful place on earth. No, you don't have to be perfect to go to the temple - it would be empty if you did. You do, however, have to keep certain covenants in order to go. What this means is that everyone there, while culturally, ethnically, and otherwise diverse, are "like-minded" - we all share the same set of standards.

Some of us have to learn by the "2x4 method" - sometimes more than once. The good news is that, once we really get it, we really get it.

To begin our trip, Kevin and I, along with daughter Jennifer and her husband Robert, drove straight through for about 20 hours. The men took turns driving and we either slept or helped keep them awake. I was stiff for a couple of hours. We were able to go to Newport and partake of clams (yum) and visit the Breakers (the Vanderbilt "summer home" - wow!). We also went to NYC where our granddaughter Madalyn had her birthday party at the American Girl Cafe (see picture). We spent most of the rest of that day at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. More about that later. The girls collapsed so Lisa, Jennifer and Robert headed back to Rhode Island while Kevin and I spent more time in the museum, shopped, and ate some awesome Asian food.

About the museum: When I was 14 I lived with my parents (Air Force Brat) in Europe (the Hunsruck area of Germany to be exact). We visited a number of Italian art places but Florence was flooded and the art was moved to protect it. We went to the Dahlem Museum in Berlin and the Louvre in Paris. I had a goal then to see the Met. At that time I felt that, if I visited the Met, I would have seen much of the greatest art on Earth. Now I know I have to go to the London Art Museum - another on my list. And, of course, I need to go to Florence. However, I was able to see much art that I have wanted to see including Van Gogh's Starry Night which was on loan to the museum. Kevin and I spent a great deal of time in the Impressionist wing. I realized again how much I love Renoir and Monet. I think Manet invented pixels. I wonder if we would have computer graphics if impressionists had not created "dot" art.

I was also again impressed by the beauty of ancient Egyptian art. One of my most vivid memories from my youth was seeing the bust of Queen Nefertiti in the Dahlem Museum. She was beautiful and the art is beautiful. I was amazed here by a mask of a woman from about 100-200 A.D. It could have been from today. She was not particularly young - perhaps middle age for the time. She had a pretty face and black wavy hair pulled back in a bun. I felt a kinship with that woman. We only saw 1/5 - 1/4 of the museum. I definitely plan to go back.

We played lots and lots of games - Settlers of Cataan, Puerto Rico, Sequence, and Acquire. the girls won Sequence quite a few times - the guys say it is "all luck". That is their excuse. I only won one other game - one I took over for Nolan (the Gamemeister). I'm glad I won that one - I would have hated to lose it for him. Kevin and Andrew won quite a few. Madalyn is quite good at Sequence - she has blocking down pat.

It was a very thankful Thanksgiving and a wonderful experience. In particular, being able to be sealed in the temple was the highlight of the trip.