Speaking of Happiness. . .

On Saturday morning, nice and early (well, maybe not nice and early, but definitely early), I got to go to the Los Angeles Temple. I don't attend the temple nearly as often as I used to, or as often as I should. I have all sorts of good excuses, but not good enough excuses, if you know what I mean. Temple attendance had been on my mind for quite some time. I even scheduled a day in August to go by myself, but then I was sick. When my issue of the Ensign arrived, I was flipping through and reading an article about the blessings of the temple, and thinking to myself how I really needed to go, when my friend, Jenn, called, and in the course of our conversation about how she had taped the Nie episode of Oprah for me, she mentioned that she was going to the temple on Saturday morning and would I like to go?

Yes! I said. And then, ummmm, maybe. And then, I'll see if I can. Because already I was being bombarded by those doubts and excuses that attempt to keep me from doing the right thing, including that one about how tired I am and how Saturday is my only day to sleep in. But the more powerful urge to go, that feeling of, "You've asked me to help you find a way, and now I've just given you the way!" wouldn't leave me. And I knew it to be true. So, I called Jenn back the next day and said, "Count me in."

It was incredible. The temple always makes me so happy, and I had a great experience there that left me elated and peaceful for the rest of the day. I must go back more often for more.


Then, last night, I got to drive out to Los Angeles and visit with my dear Piper for a few hours in her hotel room, where she was just spending the night before flying back to Oklahoma in the morning. She had just experienced a whirlwind dream trip to meet Tony Hawk with her 10 year old son, Jackson. Maybe you remember how much I adore Piper? Maybe you remember how she flew out to Arizona last year to meet me and joined my family reunion? Well, I hadn't seen her since, and in that time since I'd last seen her, life has become very eventful for her. Miss Piper is about to become a Mrs.! She has met an incredibly wonderful man who cherishes her above all else and who has given her a ring that is absolutely exquisite! I got to hug her and see that ring, and hear the most romantic tale of their meeting and courtship, and talk wedding details, and laugh and cry. All in three short hours in her hotel room. Such a blessing. I needed a dose of Piper.

And today? Well, today I am learning 10,000 new vocabulary words associated with the appendicular skeleton, and trying not to forget the 10,000 vocabulary words I learned last week associated with the axial skeleton. And I remember, when I see the date, that today would have been my 18th wedding anniversary with my first husband, the father of my oldest three children. Eighteen years. We were married at 10:12am, on 10/12. I remember the feelings of that day so well, and now I've doubled in age since then. We've been divorced for seven years, and life has changed so much for both of us. I don't even know if he will remember the significance of this day, but I still feel the need to be thoughtful about him, and about our nearly eleven years of marriage, and the three children that were a product of that union on this day. And now that the pain has passed, and the wounds have healed, and forgiveness has been given, I can feel happiness even about the good times we shared and the lessons we both undoubtedly learned during that former life. The evidence of it, meaning those three kids, is pretty darn amazing, and makes me happy every single day.

And happy is good.