Congratulations Brooke

This is a shout out to Brooke!! :) Congratulations woman. She was endowed yesterday and I got to go to it. Joe had to work so I went by myself. Mom and Fia came to watch Kamanamau. I almost didn't make it. Almost. Ok so here is what happened before I took a single step into the temple doors.

• I know Joe was the last one with the temple recommend; I couldn't find it. Text Joe (he's @ work) to see if he knows where it is. He tells me he has it in his wallet and if I can come asap because he is leaving to go to town soon. I wait til Mana wakes up then go to get the recommend and say hi to my hubby :)

• Mom and Fia arrive at 3pm (Brooke's thing is @ 4). Good timing. I want to be at the temple by 3:30 so I can get everything situated and not feel rushed. I am ready by 3:30 and am out the door.

• Drive to the temple. It was drizzling! I didn't want to get wet if I walked the 3 minute walk ok.
  

• Ok now here is when everything falls apart - When I pull up to the temple I put on my sandals. One side is broken! my favorite sandal. So sad. I get back in the car to run and get good ones. Fia meets me in the parking lot with 'working sandals', meaning they're not broken :). So I drive back.
  

• I am now back on temple ground. It's 3:35. I have working sandals and walking towards the temple door. While walking I'm checking my bag for the things that I need. Change and recommend. I have change. I have recommend. NO!! I don't have recommend. What?! I know i saw it in the bag. Where is it?? I walk back to the car. People look at me. I'm somewhat embarrassed. I have a recommend. I promise I do.
  

• I'm back in the car searching for the recommend. It's 3:38. Searching. Looking. Getting very frustrated because I KNOW i had it in the purse. It's now 3:42. I'm panicking. Time is ticking!! Every minute counts.

• I get a text from Joe so I text back that I can't find my recommend. He's a bit annoyed because when I picked it up from him, he told me not to lose it because it's small and can get lost easily. He asks me where is it. I'm thinking 'are you kidding me?! I said I LOST it. If I knew where it was then It wouldn't be lost. (I'm screaming in my head)'.

• I see a card in between the seat and the middle compartment thing. My hand is too big to get it out. My fingers can't reach it. I fold a paper to slide down and capture it then pull it out. It's out!! but not the recommend. My heart is now pounding. I want to pull my hair out. I want to sit down and cry. Yes cry like a cry baby. It's 3:48. I wasted all that time trying to get the card but it wasn't the recommend. I'm thinking I should give up. You win satan; this time I won't get to go in.

• I look around one last time. I surprisingly find it. For real? Yes I did. I still want to cry. I'm not sure if I'll make it on time with 9 minutes remaining. The recommend was in back of the passenger seat on the floor. My theory is that it was in the purse like how I said I knew it was in there. Then it fell out because I flung my purse around trying to get everything (myself, my sandals, and the purse) in the car as fast as I could.

• I speed walk to the entrance. Sorry I don't run. My legs don't let me; I wish I could though. And TADA! I step in the doors of the temple. I'm in. Yay! So now I'm in and have a couple minutes to spare. So much for not feeling rushed. I am welcomed by familiar faces and I get to do work for Brooke's friend's relative. The person I did work for was baptized on my birthday :)

It was awesome. I kept thinking back to when I first went in the temple and got emotional at times. Everything that led up to being there with Brooke was all worth it. So Satan, no you did not win. I almost gave up. Almost. I am sooo blessed to be sealed to my Joe. The gospel is everything. I await the day when my mom and sisters are sealed in the temple. The day will come. They are more than worth it!

And then this is what I came home to..........