Last Friday, February 1st, we went to go pay our final respects to President Hinkley. I had not intended on going. The thought of waiting in long lines for hours on end was not appealing. However, on Thursday my mother-in-law went and in her report said she was in and out in 45 minutes. This time included her parking and walking to and from the conference center. Well, I thought, that doesn't sound so bad. I discussed it with my friend Haylie and she thought it would be a great experience for our kids. I also talked Scott into the idea. It's not going to be that busy. In and out in an hour tops I thought.
My dear friend Shalynn agreed to stay home and watch Bella and Gabriel as well as Haylie's twins if we would take her girls Kate and Chessa. What a good trade! We wouldn't be gone long and all would be well. This was not the case. Not to say that all was not well but it was indeed long. Very very long.
Upon arriving downtown we soon found parking to be our first feat. We ended up parking 4 blocks away. We arrived to the conference center only mildly scathed (Mariah tripped and skinned her knee). It was at this moment that we encountered THE LINE. I put it in all caps because such a line deserves it. This was the mother of all lines. Even at Disney land there are not such lines. We came to find out there was actually two lines that snaked their way around the plaza. My plans of a quick in and out were quickly realized to be false. I think everyone must have had someone telling them how quick it had been the day before. Friday is early out for most elementary kids and many can take work off early on this day. I had failed to factor these variables into my equation.
We spend the first 1 1/2 hours standing outside in the freezing cold. Poor Jaden had not grabbed his coat and had to snuggle with me beneath my coat to warm up. When we finally reached the door we were told we had about 1 1/2 hours left. "WHAT!!!" I couldn't believe we still had that long to go. Well I didn't. It was longer. After snaking through the conference center for an hour before we were finally seated. We spend the next two hours sitting in the conference center watching President Hinkley's 95th birthday celebration. We saw the entire thing. I am grateful that they had something for us to watch. My kids were real troopers. Even though they were hungry and tired they never said they wanted to go home. Even when dinner time came and went they still held tough. Finally we were led to the Hall of the Prophets where President Hinkely lay in state. As I walked in the room where his body lay I began to cry. This was before I even realized this was the room he was in. The spirit was so strong it about knocked me over. 4 1/2 hours of waiting for 15 seconds to say goodbye. Totally worth it.
It's to bad we still had to trek back to the car. Again Mariah fell and skinned her knee. By the time we got back to our car 5 hours had elapsed from the time we parked.
It is probably good that I didn't know how long it was going to be. I might not have gone. I am glad I did not know. The memories my children will have of that day and the spirit I felt while in that room made it an experience of a lifetime.
Click on image to make it larger.
Here is a brief description of the above pictures. Labeled left to right, top to bottom.
1. The start of the line
2. Scott and Chessa.
3. Hollynd. Notice the red nose. It was a common sight in this line.
4. The wait was not free of the kids having "moments" (it was only Haylie's kids though. He he)
5. Haylie and her little chicks.
6. This is about 30 minutes into the line. This is where I started to realize we would be a while.
7. The Bowlers, again. I really should have handed her my camera to get some shots of me (so vain I know).
8. Chessa, Hayley, Jaden and Kate. They were huddling for warmth.
9. What good looking kids!
10. Moving along. Slowly.
11. I couldn't resist. The view was beautiful.
12. Almost done waiting outside. My hands were so cold.
13. We just had to take a picture in front of the waterfall.
14. Hollynd's hands were cold too.
15. Inside the conference center.
16. Resting. Waiting is very tiring.
1 comment:
AMEN!
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