What a Whirl of a Weekend

This past weekend was awesome!  Last weekend with all of us getting together apparently wasn't enough, so we had to come up with a few more events to get us all together again.  Friday we got snow. Altough I normally love the snow, I'm not a fan of it when so many of our family members are traveling in it. Kevin and Chris were the first to arrive via I 17. They said they passed 10 cars/diesels off the road. Some were cars that had just slid off the road, and others weren't as lucky.

Emlee and Darwin came a different route 10 minutes later, and reported icy conditions, but still passable. Nolan and Kenia left as soon as Nolan got off work, closely followed by Clarence who was at the Dental Convention in Phx. They also chose I17, but weren't as lucky as Kevin's family. After being in stand still traffic for nearly an hour at 2 seperate accidents, they finally made it through.  It nearly took them 5 hours! Shorty after that the road was shut down because of so many accidents and icy conditions.

   AJ was last to leave the valley, and because I 17 was shut down, he had to go through Mesa.  After getting to Payson he found out the road to Heber was also shut down, so he had to go the only alternate route though Winslow.  Luckily he finally made it here around 11.  What a crazy drive for all!
  So what was so special that had all our family from down south heading up north through crazy weather?  2 things.  First Tilynn went through the temple to recieve her endowments.  It's been a long time coming, and I am so proud of her for her decision to go to the temple.  It was also Brian's first time back to the temple in several years.  They both have made big changes in their lives to be able to get to this point.  It was a beautiful thing to see them in the temple.  I haven't seen Brian so happy in a long time.  Ty has been a great blessing in his life, as well as ours.  We love Aunt Ty and all she has done for us.  She also happens to be Karly's favorite babysitter!
  The other special event that happened that day immediatly followed Ty's endowments.  Carol and Eldon were lucky enough to add 4 little kids to their family making their total come to 8.  It was the neatest experience to see them kneel across the alter with their 4 younger ones surrounding them as they completed the Larsen family.  Robert, Sharon, and Mary were also permitted into the sealing room to watch this special occasion.   The spirit was felt very strongly there, and it was just awesome to see them so happy to be sealed for eternity as a family.  The room was packed with family and friends to wittness it.  Just an amazing day.
  After our afternoon in the temple we all went back to mom's house for dinner.  We had quite the house full as you could imagine, with kids running everywhere, but we wouldn't have it any other way. 

I love my family, all 48 of us!