Full circle

On January 25th, our family was able to participate in one of the most special days with one of the most special people to have had an influence in our lives. On that Friday, Jessicka was married and sealed to Dalton in the Manti temple. I am grinning from ear to ear as I write this. It still gets me choked up. I have so much in my heart about this day, so beware, I have a lot that I want to remember and record!

We made our way down Thursday night so we could get a good nights sleep before the big day and were able to stop at the Shupe's for dinner and of course playing! It was only a few hours, but it is always food for my soul to be with such amazing friends! Thanks for the fun, guys!

We stayed in Manti that night at a quaint, cute little hotel, with the temple just across the street. Our kids always think staying in a hotel is like the best vacation ever, no matter where we are or how close to home we are! They were so excited, they could not go to sleep! I think jumping on the beds in a hotel is kind of an important requirement to any little stay, so we, of course, did that. And I also think treats in bed are good for you, only at a hotel, though. So, we did that too. Oh, did I mention that we didn't get there until about 10:00, so by the time the kids finally went to sleep, it was super, very late?!? Oh well, that's what you do when you're out of town!

The next day was perfect. I don't know how else to say it. It was just the most beautiful, sweet, special occasion to be apart of, touched softly by the Spirit and full of genuine joy and happiness. As we sat in the temple, waiting to go in to the sealing room, Jessicka and Dalton had to walk through the waiting room in order to get to the stairway that led up to the room. When Jess saw her family and friends there, she was overwhelmed and started to sob. I, of course, then started to bawl too, and I knew it was going to be an emotionally sweet experience! And it was. They were able to be sealed by Dalton's grandpa, who did a really beautiful job and gave such sweet counsel. But the BEST part was when Dalton and Jess knelt across the alter from each other and were sealed together. Jessicka looked absolutely beautiful. And just looking at how Dalton looks at her, well, you just know that he will always take such good care of her. He adores her. And they are happy.

The rest of the day was such a celebration! Even the thick fog couldn't dampen anything about the day! It was just so fun! They had a delicious luncheon and then a really gorgeous reception! Everything looked so pretty, most especially the happy couple! Our kids had a blast! They were so in love with Jessicka's gorgeous dress, could not keep their hands off of she and Dalton and followed them around everywhere -- have I mentioned how much our kids love these two? It was so great to be with Jess's family and friends and meet Dalton's. Every thoughtful detail about the day was perfectly placed and there was such happiness all around! I feel so thankful, soooo thankful, that we were able to be there and experience this day with Jess as she started her eternal family with Dalton.

And now, some personal thoughts and feelings. It has been 5 years, almost exactly, that we went to the temple to be sealed to Kaiya. My thoughts and feelings about that day are still so tender and close to the surface always. We have talked with Jessicka many times about that being one of the reasons that she chose to place Kaiya for adoption. She wanted Kaiya to have an eternal family that she couldn't provide. I remember missing Jessicka that day in the temple. I had had a handkerchief embroidered with her initials made, so that I could take a little piece of her into the temple with us that day. After all, SHE was the reason that Kaiya was in the temple with us and I wanted her there. She was the hankie that dabbed at my free-flowing tears and she was deeply rooted in my heart. She WAS there in the temple that day. But, we have ALWAYS, ALWAYS wanted Jess to have her own dreams come true. She fulfilled our dreams, beyond comprehension and allowed us that day in the temple with our precious daughter. Jess deserved the same. But life had been hard for her and she seemed lost for awhile. 

I remember she came to stay with us when we were living up in Logan one weekend. We had been driving around and the girls wanted to see the temple, something we did often when we lived there, because it was so close. So, we drove by and its' perfectly lit beauty against the night sky sparked a conversation with Jess that I have never forgotten. We talked a lot about our own temple marriage. I shared with her personal thoughts and feelings of that day with Chris and how I could not imagine anything less than forever with him. We talked about how hard it is to get there, but how that made it so much more worth it. We talked about how much we loved each other and she talked about that being one of the reasons she chose us to adopt Kai. I found myself bearing testimony to her about not accepting anything less from anyone than going to the temple to be married. And then a vivid image came into my mind of Jessicka. She was dressed in white. I couldn't see anyone else besides her. But she was in the temple. And she was absolutely glowing. I could see her there, despite all that she had gone through and been through in her life. I could see her so clearly standing in the temple. It is an image of her that has NEVER left my mind and it has been my hope for her since the day we met. It is what she has always deserved. I just knew she could get there! 

It has been a hard road for this beautiful, young woman. But she has the biggest heart of anyone I have ever known, and SHE got there. She did it. She found the right man and has changed her life in ways I can't even begin to describe. And she has now been sealed to him for eternity. It has all come full circle. From that day that we had in the temple with Kaiya, to our bond and connection with Jessicka all these years, to seeing our hopes and her dreams fulfilled on her own special day in the temple where she has now began a family of her own...it is truly one of the most beautiful of God's tender mercies that I have ever experienced. This is why she placed beautiful, sweet Kai with us, so that she and Kaiya could both have their eternal happiness, though at different times and in different moments in their lives. Words just can't express what it means to me to know that she is safely sealed to Dalton the way that we are safely sealed to Kaiya. I still cannot fully comprehend the miracles and mercies that brought our two families together, through one very special, special little life. But I am grateful that we have been able to be close enough to witness all the amazing things that have happened for Jessicka and that she has been able to be such an important part of our lives as well. 

Jessicka said something that really hit home to me. She said that she was soooo happy that Kaiya would be able to see HER at the temple on her wedding day, that she would now be able to share with Kaiya how important this event is in her life, and that she was so happy to be an example to Kaiya of reaching for this goal. I could not agree more. What a blessing it will be for Kaiya to be able to know what Jessicka has achieved in her life and what an amazing person for Kaiya to be able to look up to and be proud of. It will be another piece to her special story, her beautiful history. 

We could not be more proud of Jessicka. She is special to us in a way that I will never fully be able to write about or communicate. That is why this step, this amazing event in her life, is so special to us as well. We love her. We have absolutely fallen in love with Dalton. He is so perfect for her and, as I said before, he has and will always take such great care of her. We love him for that and for all that he has done for her. They are amazing individuals and they are amazing together!

Isn't this just the most beautiful, happy story?! Congrats just doesn't seem to cut it, Mr. and Mrs. Fowles, but just know that we are absolutely thrilled for the two of you and we love you so dang much! Thank you for letting us share in your lives and in your special day!

 (How cool is this guy?! He played "Duck, Duck, Goose" with the girls at his own reception, all falling down and all! We love him!!)