Braces and Going to the Temple

Mario became the 4th member of the family to get braces in the last four years.  A friend from church is the orthodontist on base and he agreed to put braces on Mario, all free compliments of the Air Force.  Mario had braces and the headgear as a teenager but he broke his retainer and so his teeth quickly became very crooked again on the bottom.  In fact, we pretty much had the same bottom teeth.  But I had mine fixed 4 years ago.  He looks like a teenager again and we make fun of him every chance we get.  Poor Mario.  I am super excited for him to get them off in a year.  He's having a lot of regrets getting them but I think in a year, he'll be very grateful.  Besides, when it's free, who can resist?!

I have taken on another tutoring student.  The mother is persistant and was able to get her public school to agree to let me come in during the school day to tutor her (because we are both busy in the evenings.)  So come next week, my days may be filled with lots of tutoring. So as I reflected on the fact my free time was dwindling quickly, I thought that I really should have taken more advantage of going to the Temple on Friday mornings (the only weekday morning it is open) while the kids are at school.  Mario and I love to go in the evenings together but I feel bad leaving kids and also I don't really consider going to the Temple a date night.  I guess that's dumb and I should be really appreciative that we can go and it is so close.  Our goal was to go weekly, but lately we seem to get so busy.  We are really only able to make it once a month usually.

But anyway, I woke up Friday morning determined to go to the Temple for the 10 am session.  I got showered and dressed to go.  I had a few errands to run after taking kids to school and before the session.  While running errands, my cell phone calendar alert went off.  Oh no!  What did I have scheduled?  Visiting teachers coming at 10.  Darn.  I really was so excited about going to the Temple that morning.  I thought about calling them and canceling, but I decided that I shouldn't take that opportunity from them.  I went home and waited and waited and waited.  By 11 am, it was apparent they weren't coming.  I decided to go to the noon session.  I jumped in my car and realized that my Temple clothing were in Mario's car and that car was at the mechanic.  Darn.  Well, I would do Initiatories instead.  I got about 10 miles down the road and decided I better call the Temple and make sure that there was an open slot.  No such luck.  Darn again!  I wanted to cry as I drove home.  I felt certain that Satan must have been trying to keep me from going to the Temple that day.

After being home for a few minutes, my VT called and offered a very sincere apology.  She had to take her son to the ER for a shoulder injury.  Of course, I couldn't be upset with her.  Even if she didn't have a good excuse, I have forgotten in the past too.  I was determined to make it to the Temple that day.  Mario convinced me to wait until this morning to go.  So I got up early and left.  Mario wanted to go with me but he had just gone on Wednesday night with the youth.  I told him that I really wanted this time to go by myself and not feel rushed to get back outside to call the kids and make sure they hadn't killed each other yet.  He agreed and he planned a morning of chores for the kids.

It was wonderful having that time alone in the car driving the half hour to the Temple.  I put on some soft church music and reflected on how blessed I am to have such a wonderful husband that treats me so well and that I love so much and also my four beautiful children that Heavenly Father has entrusted us with.  I love each of them so much and I am trying to be the mother that Heavenly Father wants me to be.

I loved my time in the Temple.  I loved that I could take my time in the Celestial Room to pray.  I am so grateful that Mario and I took the time to think out this move to Omaha.  We are so blessed to have a Temple so close.  I feel we were wise in our decision to move here.

I want my children to know that there may be days like yesterday where it seems like there are many things keeping you from going to the Temple.  Don't give up.  Make it a priority and just go.  No matter what...It will be worth putting the wordly things aside for the moment.  You can't get that same peace anywhere else.