Sometimes They Listen

Granny and I finished my daughter's life book earlier this week.  Her life book describes how she was adopted and became a part of our eternal family.  Her book describes Dad and I getting married in the temple, adopting her brother, and having more love for another child.  Then, how she came to us and was sealed in the temple and received a baby blessing.  Granny had a chance to read it to her a couple of times before leaving town, and we've read it to her at least once.

So today, she hasn't been listening, and has been in a little bit of trouble today.  Our family had a fun day, but we were very ready for it to be bedtime tonight.  She gave me a kiss and hug, then started to walk away.
As she did, she put her hand on the bed post and very slowly said, "I was born, so I could go to the temple with you."
"What was that?"
She looks at me with a smile and with more confidence says, "I was born, so I could go to the temple with you.  And you are a princess."
"Come here ...   come here."  As I held her on my lap, "I am very glad you were born."
"Yeah." (with a smile)
"And I think you're pretty wonderful."
"Yeah." (more smiles)
And before she escapes, "And even when I'm angry because you're disobedient, I will ALWAYS love you."
"Can I go now?"
"Yep, go to bed."

When Moses Went to Mexico

When I was married, it was a long week.  My mother-in-law died the week before we got married, and it got worse from there.  When the elderly officiator at my wedding saw this young couple in front of him, he thought it was a good time to impart some of his life-long wisdom to us.  Because it had been a terrible week and because I try to look for meaning in my life, I listened very intently to what the wise man had to say.  I had been taught that if they have gray hair, you owe them an attentive ear.  I thought surely something he would say in the next 10 minutes would somehow come to mind and save my marriage some day in the future.

I soon realized he was delivering an encapsulated version of the entire history of the Gospel of Jesus Christ --- sooo, I acted my age and politely nodded.  I knew this already.

When I left the temple, my sister was waiting outside and said, "SO, I hear Moses went to Mexico!"  "Huh?"  "The officiator, he said, "and when Moses went down to Mexico"".  Hmmm -- my wheels turning. "He did!  You're right!!!"  (Since we all know Moses went to Egypt, this was a good chuckle.)

I was thinking of this the other day.  My mind was also wandering to the fact that my 10-year anniversary is approaching.  I was thinking of what I could say I had learned after a decade of marriage,  and then thought of this officiator.  How my search for deep meaning that day had turned up an empty harvest.

And then, "Duh!"

What I have learned in almost 10 years of marriage, and what I learned from the officiator that day (now that I think about it) --- was a reminder to never take yourself too seriously.  Here we were, a long, hard week which almost resulted in no wedding at all .... making an eternal, never-ending commitment.  Seeing ourselves beyond this life, in a way only God sees us.  And in the midst of it, "Moses went down to Mexico!"

Take your promises/ commitments/ covenants seriously.  Take your duty to your spouse seriously.  Be dedicated to them in every way --- even when you have to tell them to just "Cool It!".  But never, ever take yourself or each other TOO seriously.  Laugh.  Laugh in your anger.  Laugh while you cry.  Laugh when you pay a bill off.  Laugh when you can't pay it off, because the car broke down.  Laugh when you're ready to kill each other.  Laugh when you know you're wrong and just can't admit it.  In the grand scheme, compared to our Father in Heaven, you are still two kids playing house, trying to figure out how it all works.

May all your Moses' go down to Mexico!