Five years older and wiser too...

...Well, at least one year older. I've never had a hard time with getting older before, but 26 was a little weird, being that the first quarter of my life is now officially behind me. It didn't help that on my big day a relative wished me a happy 30th (in all seriousness). I can hear a lot of you right now chuckling to yourselves at how silly I must sound, but please don't mistake my musings for some kind of quarter life crisis. There is still a lot of candy left in this pinata! Actually my birthday on Saturday was probably the best birthday I've had in many years, because I got to celebrate it with my family. That hasn't happened since before we got married. Not only did I get to be with my immediate family (minus Dane who was at EFY) but also my wonderful extended family as well. We went to the temple together, took pictures, had a big lunch, and a big party that evening with cake and ice cream, music, dancing, gifts and a few hundred people etc. Ok, well the party wasn't for me, but who am I to quibble over minor details? :) Saturday was also a special day for my cousin Jessica Williams (now Jessica Fisher) who was sealed to her husband in the St. George temple.

Jessica, Colton, & cousins

Before leaving town for the wedding, Layne took my to the Cheesecake Factory to celebrate my birthday with just the two of us on Thursday, and bought me beautiful flowers. Friday after work we picked up Kim and drove down to St. George and met up with my family.

Layne and I were very privileged to be able to attend the sealing ceremony Saturday morning. It was the first sealing of a relative that I've been to since my own and it was wonderful. It was also the first time I had ever been inside the oldest operating temple in the church today. There are a lot of special things about this temple. It was the only temple completed during Brigham Young's 30 year tenure as president. It was the first temple where endowments for the dead were performed. It was the temple where our founding fathers twice appeared to Wilford Woodruff asking why their temple work had not yet been performed on their behalf. It is also where my grandma and grandpa Church were sealed, and we certainly felt their presence there.

After the sealing and pictures there was a big family luncheon followed by family napping. What better gift could I get!? -- besides the thoughtful gifts from my family of course. After our naps we went out to eat and to the reception which was beautiful. We did have a little scare when our car wouldn't start Saturday evening and all signs pointed to the alternator. For a while we were worried that we wouldn't get in to see a mechanic until Monday. Fortunately we got a jump and were able to get it to an Auto Zone where they diagnosed a bad battery. PHEW! That would have been a disaster! We took off Sunday afternoon after attending a local sacrament meeting and made great time getting home. All in all a great weekend. Thanks to everyone for the calls, emails, gifts and wishes that made my birthday special!