Dayna's Sealing & Reception (SGI-Tally-Orlando-Jax)

Our trip started picking up speed on Tuesday!  We packed up first thing and left the beach house at about 9am.

Eliza got up early enough to watch the sun rise before heading inland.

First we drove to the airport in Tallahassee, hoping to swap out the sedan we rented on Christmas for a minivan, but they still didn't have one.  They did have a big SUV, so we took that, and we were grateful that our entire family could sit inside and wear seatbelts, even if our luggage couldn't fit.  But we went to Mema and Papa's house and did some rearranging and they were willing to take some bags for us, so that was really nice.  The kids were excited to be back at the house, to see the neighborhood dogs and to play with toys and to just hang out.  We had pizza for lunch and once everyone and everything was situated, we drove down to Orlando for Dayna & Devon's sealing.

Fun in the TMH Wellness room at the TLH airport

Charlie and Bucky!

Mema's Toy Collection

Cat found a new-to-her piano book

We got checked into our hotel then picked up Zaxby's for dinner and brought it to Mema and Papa's Orlando house. It felt like a lot of time in the car that day (maybe around 6 hours when all was said and done) but the kids did well.

Cat entertained the kids by giving out Goldfish veeeeeery sloooooowly

Jack was excited to hold a little lizard we found in the Orlando house

We stayed at a hotel in Orlando near Universal Studios, so Cat and I went on a little jog to the pedestrian entrance on Wednesday morning.  Meanwhile, Ben and John picked up Waffle House for breakfast for all of the family at the hotel.  Then we headed to the temple for pictures and a sealing!

It was so nice to be back at the temple!  Except for a couple of visits to Temple Square, we hadn't even been on the temple grounds since March.  We all felt so happy to be there, so happy for the occasion, so happy to be with family, and so in love with the warm weather.  And even though I know it comes at the cost of open access to the temple, I'll admit that it was nice to be the only group on the grounds.  It kind of felt like we were at our temple.

Only a small group was allowed in the temple and Ben and I weren't sure we'd be able to go inside to see the sealing, but it turned out that we could.  Cat was in charge of the kids, and it was nice that there were several people waiting outside and they kept each other company.  Sarah's BIL actually played Sabacc with Jack.

Being able to go into the temple was so lovely.  Not only did we enjoy the peace and comfort and spirit of being in The House of the Lord, but Dayna's sealing took place in the same room where Ben and I were sealed, making it even more special.  We loved that Devon was so excited to be married to Dayna that he answered the sealer before he'd even finished asking the question.  It was such a privilege to be a part of it.

John and Sarah brought lunch stuff with them, so we all tailgated out of John's truck in the temple parking lot, which might sound weird to someone from Utah but after years of temple trips to a temples that are hours away, it felt sensible, even normal.  And it gave everyone a chance to hang out a bit longer before driving to Jacksonville for the reception.

The reception was a small indoor/outdoor gathering at Mandarin Community Club (which used to be a school, founded by Harriet Beecher Stowe in 1872).  It included dinner, toasts, The Shoe Game, and dancing.  A fun little celebration for the happy couple.

We wanted to see family one more time before driving back to Orlando, so Ben offered to make breakfast at John and Sarah's house.  Bill and Cleo picked him up and they went to the grocery store and got started cooking. But after staying up late to help with clean-up at the reception, I was worried the kids would be super grumpy if I woke them up too early.  So I stayed at the hotel and let them sleep for a while, then drove over to John's house once we were all ready and packed up.  Breakfast was great, and hanging out with the family (and their guinea pigs) was so nice.

I think saying goodbye to someone who lives far away when you don't know the next time you'll see each other is no bueno.  Hopefully it won't be too long before we see our Florida family again!