Sacred Day

The 4th of July has always been one of my favorite holidays. It's one of those potent holidays that you can close your eyes and smell - the hotdogs on the grill, the buttery corn on the cob, the wafting smoke from the burned out fireworks, and the dewy scent of summer grass. It always reminds me of good memories with family at home. But I think the 4th of July will always be my favorite holiday for a new reason. On July 5th, we were sealed to our sweet Maddy in the Bountiful Temple. I've recorded the entirety of the experience with our feelings in Maddy's journal, but I didn't want to skip documenting at least the pictures and a few thoughts here. It's hard to describe how special that day was for us, but the best thing I can say is that it was truly the sweetest, most sacred experience of my life. It brings me to tears just thinking about it. I am forever grateful for our Heavenly Father's love for His children. I'm grateful for the knowledge that marriages and family relationships don't end with death, that we can be with our families and loved ones forever. I'm grateful to be Maddy's mother. I know that I was her mother before coming to this earth and I'm grateful for the miraculous way she came to us. During the sealing, Maddy grabbed my fingers and looked up at me with a smile. Somehow in that moment all the hurt, all the years of suffering waiting to have a child melted away in her radiant eyes. I thought to myself, "I would go through that suffering 100 more times just to have you." We love this little human beyond measure and are so grateful to get to share our adventures with her.