Nauvoo

We had a really wonderful time in Nauvoo this past week.

Adam and I both feel like our love for the early saints has grown and we were grateful to share the experiences we had in Nauvoo with family. We saw and did a lot of things, but Adam and I both have favorite moments.

Adam’s favorite part about the trip was the opportunity to do a session in the Nauvoo temple. My Uncle Bob did some of the beautiful artwork in the temple (including one “awesome ocean”) and it was neat to have that connection. We haven’t been able to attend the temple as often as we would like since moving here, so above all, that was the highlight for Adam.

My favorite part was our visit to Carthage Jail. I am currently reading “Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling” so I was especially overcome with emotion as we stood in the room where he was martyred. It was overwhelming to listen to a reenactment of the day he died, and my spirit testified to me that I really knew that Joseph Smith was a prophet: called of God.

We saw and did so many things…we went to the Nauvoo Pageant, the Nauvoo memorial and cemetery, the “Trail of Hope”, the blacksmith (where we each got the traditional “Nauvoo Nail Ring” and we watched a demonstration of how to make a horseshoe which I thought was awesome), we went to the visitor’s center…we spent a lot of time just hanging out (well worth the 3.5 hour drive, just for that!), we played games (Friday night games were a blast and I laughed so hard at Matt and Mary’s vacuum infomercial!), we had lots of yummy food, and the little house that Carrie found for us to rent was just perfect (regardless of the steel staircase of doom! Luckily there were no injuries!) The house sat right on the Mississippi River, and let me tell you – the view of the sunset at night was breathtaking. No picture could EVER do it justice.

Friday night was a birthday party for…ME! All I anticipated was cake and ice cream (and I only anticipated it because I had seen that it was on the menu), but everyone brought me a gift. I was so touched by their thoughtfulness. Thank you all! I got some fun things for me as well as some cute, cute, cute things for our little guy. Adam bought me a wonderful new mp3 player (a ZEN, and I LOVE it!). Now I don’t have to steal his iPod anymore.

I was awful about picture taking this weekend, but I did catch a few things. Luckily, Mary was our designated “family” photographer and I look forward to seeing all the things she was able to catch. Also, Carrie probably didn’t get all the credit she deserved for all the hard work she put into the trip. So thank you, Carrie!

I am not sure what to do with myself now that I don’t have anything coming up for the next little while. I guess I’ll just have to keep counting down until baby day…114 more days Oh, and we have another ultrasound this week. Can’t wait for another sneak peak!