San Diego, Day 4: Where it all began

Tuesday, May 26th, after eating yet another overly-priced breakfast, I went down to the pool and lounged. I had my book, my phone, and my towel and got comfortable. The pool was literally 10 feet from the bay and the breeze coming off of it was cool on this overcast day. Living 32 years as a redhead, I've learned, often the hard way, that overcast days are just as dangerous for getting sunburned, than those with the blaring sun.

I made a face, let out a sigh, gathered up my book, my phone, my towel and went allllll the waaaay back up to the 24th floor to put on the sunscreen I had forgotten to put on before going down the first time. The process of just going from point A to point B took almost 10 minutes because of the size of the hotel. I admit, I was in a bit of a hurry. I have no idea why. Jared was in classes for another 2 hours. Maybe I was worried my lounging chair would be taken when I returned, even though there were 50 others available, although not as close to the entrance as the first one I had staked out. Regardless, I slathered the sunblock on as quickly as possible all over.

My chair was still available so I repeated my routine and settled down for a nice little rest.

I decided it was too much work to read my book, so I called my friend Amanda instead. We talked for over an hour while I enjoyed the occasional warmth of the direct sun rays as the clouds floated through the sky.

After my conversation, I was starting to get hungry. Apparently a high priced meal doesn't also mean it's a long lasting one. I grabbed a sandwich at the Starbucks in the hotel (saving half for Jared) and went up to the room to get showered and ready. That afternoon, Jared and I had a date at the temple.

[As an aside, before Jared got home, I stood at our room window to take in the view some more. I thought it was pretty cool to see the destroyers going out to sea. I got excited for my boys and couldn't wait to show them. They're into the game Battleship right now].


If you've never seen the San Diego temple in person and from the highway, you're missing out. One second you're driving down the highway, minding your own business, waiting to take the required exit. The next second you blink and then WHAM! It's right there. It takes your breath away. I couldn't keep my eyes off of it. It totally had me mesmerized.


Once inside and I just had to tell everyone we passed that "this is where I was married 12 years ago and we haven't been back since!" as reverently as possible. I wanted everyone to know how exciting this day was for me and that I never thought I'd have the chance to visit again.

To add to the personal electricity and unique opportunity of that day at the temple, we were asked to be the witness couple. There was a young woman who was going through for her first time, as she was to be married the following week. I told her it was a great place to start her marriage. And then, because I couldn't help myself, I added, "I was married here too 12 years ago...and in the month May!"

I was the first person from our session to enter the Celestial room. I felt like I hit a wall that had SPIRIT written all over it. I was just stunned. And as I looked around, trying to take it all in and imprint all the beautiful images and overwhelming feelings in my mind and heart, I openly wept. The San Diego temple was even more breathtaking and special to me now than it had been when I first went there to be married.

Jared and I spent some time, more than we usually do, on the upper balcony of the Celestial room reminiscing about our special Wednesday in May of 1997 and all the happenings involved with our eternal marriage. We tried remembering which sealing room was ours and where the temple President had counseled us prior to taking us into the sealing room. And joked about the few things we actually remember from our ceremony.

On our way out of the Celestial room, one of the sisters encouraged us to take a look around. She motioned for us to go through a door which lead to the lovely atrium. It was enclosed in glass, but looking upward, it was open enough that you could see the spires from there. Like you could reach out and touch one.

We also determined we were sealed in Sealing room 7 :)

On our way back to the dressing room, we were told by another sister in the atrium (who had the tough job of reading her scriptures in there), to take the Grand Staircase back downstairs. That was so much fun. Fun in the temple? You bet! I felt like a Queen with her King.

In the dressing room, though, I started to feel a little heat. On my leg. Further scrutiny found that my upper right thigh, including the side of it up to my hip bone and along my bathing suit line was completely toasted! It was lobster red. Apparently, I had missed some parts of my leg with the sunscreen...in a slashed triangle sort of pattern. You know, the part of my leg that never sees the light of day and then it saw too much. And it got scorched. This was right about the time when the sunburn was starting the throbbing stage. I was just grateful the session was over. But we still had pictures to take outside, so I was just going to have to deal with it.

Jared and I went outside and had more fun with our camera. Just a note...these pictures just can't do the temple ANY justice. To experience the sheer size and magnificence of this amazing edifice, it must be visited in person.






Notice the red streaks on my neck? The white streaks are evidence that I had sunblock on my fingers but wasn't very thorough in my application of it.




On our last walk-around of the temple, we came across a senior missionary. He asked if we would like our picture taken. We told him we'd love it. Then I said (do you see it coming?), "We were married here 12 years ago and haven't been back until today!" He thought that was really neat and asked where we have been all this time. He got our history of moves in less than 2 minutes. He snapped the picture and said, "Beautiful couple." I'd like to think so! If not, I can at least say we were M.F.E.


We found the local church bookstore and made some purchases while I hobbled through my sunburn (the nylons were chaffing).

As we drove away after sunset, this was our parting scene. Isn't it lovely?


We got a tip for dinner from a local, but I can't remember who it was. We went to The Fish Market and after I shed my nylons in the ladies' room, we shared an appetizer sampler. We also had some of the best clam chowder and sourdough bread. The fun thing about this restaurant is that part of it hangs over the bay. Guess where we were seated? On the water!! I couldn't believe our luck. See?


Looking back on this trip, out of all the things we did, the biggest highlight, hands down, was our visit to the temple. Not only to be in the temple, but to be in the exact same holy place where our celestial marriage began.