Are we having fun yet? I am! to those of you who think I'm crazy with my contest, I AM NOT KIDDING! Maybe this way I'll not only get some more of you to actually follow my blog, but also to come down and see me and share this beautiful paradise in which we live. Besides those of you who think I'm crazy with my contest, already thought I was crazy.

Today is Rick's and my 25th Wedding Anniversary! Now don't strain yourself thinking about the ages of my daughters 36 and 30, the oldest is from a previous marriage and the youngest was born two years after our civil marriage. The anniversary I'm talking about is the one that really matters to most to me. It's the anniversary of our being sealed as husband and wife for time and all eternity. That's right TIME and all ETERNITY! Typical civil ceremonies are "till death do you part", is that sad or what.

In the LSD church we believe in Eternal Marriage and Families. We believe that if "sealed" (married) by the proper authority in the proper place you can be sealed to your partner and your children can also be sealed to you (this was my case, since I was already civilly married and had children) or in the case of a "first time or brand new marriage" the children born to this union, we called in being "born under the covenant" are automatically sealed to their parent)s. Think on this for a minute; it's the happiest day of your life, you are getting married to the man or woman of your dreams, you love them so much, you want to commit to them that love and your very life and then the officiator at your beautiful wedding ceremony says "until death do you part". Do you really believe that death ends it all, that there is nothing beyond the grave? I don't think anybody actually believes that horror tale, probably a lot of people only HOPE that there is something more, but that's a start.

If you believe in God or any kind of Higher Power guiding and directing us, do you think they would set us up for the ultimate unhappiness? Being separated from our loved ones! It simply doesn't make any sense. There simply has to be more and more without those who we have grown to love so dearly, more where we would basically be alone, as in we wouldn't know or recognize anybody, would probably be hell.

Now, I know a lot of people believe that they can see their loved ones again, but this is only the start. In order for this to happen and in order for our unions; marriage, family, friendship to continue doesn't it stand to reason that we would have to do something special, here in this life. (Keep in mind that "till death do you part", part of almost all wedding ceremonies). Well there is, it's as simply as living worthy of that love of not only our earthly families but also our Heavenly ones. It's as simply as making covenants (commitments) that go beyond the grave and having those covenants solemnized by someone with the proper authority.

I have the assurance that I can be with my husband for "time and all eternity", that my children can be with me and my grandchildren also. When families are sealed it creates a chain, one that is stronger than the toughest material known to man. I used to worry that that chain would be broken if my children, although sealed to me, where not sealed to their children and therefore those precious grandchildren would not be sealed to be in this grand eternal chain, but I have since learned that they are sealed to me, even though they may not be sealed to their parents, through that chain by which my children are sealed to me. Is this a marvelous plan or what, nobody left behind, even if somebody decides not to participate. Oh by the way, it works in the other direction also, I am sealed to my parents and their parents and so on and so on (actually I need to do more Family History work [Genealogy] to get back a few more generations, by I'm working on it). How can that be? you ask. Well that's a whole 'nother blog, but I'll get to it.

Everybody and anybody who reads this, please do me and yourself a favor and think on this for awhile. I believe if you do, you can't help but want what I have. At least I hope that in your hearts you'll be celebrating with my husband and I today, our most important anniversary!