Dudley Vacation - Washington DC, Williamsburg

Another great week!  This week was the Dudley Family Vacation week.  It was busy, and I am exhausted.  I am sure I will pay for it, but it was fun.

August 17. 2010

The absolute highlight of the vacation was when, on this morning, we all went to the temple.  It was the first time all 16 of us were there together since Ryan and Stef's wedding four years before.  It was a most sacred experience for all of us.

While in the temple, Chi Chi made arrangements that allowed us to meet in one of the rooms to just talk for a while as a family.  As we sat together, we all shared the most intimate of feelings.  Chi Chi began by sharing the experience of his healing, and a scripture that has been near to his heart for 30 years.  Then Mom spoke.  And then one by one, the siblings. 

At the end, I spoke.  I thanked everyone for their faith, prayers, and encouragement.  Then I shared with them how my testimony and knowledge of Heavenly Father has grown since being given this trial.  I did not share with them all that I have learned.  Nor will I share it here.  But I do know there is a loving Father in Heaven.  There is a purpose to this life, and it's climax is not experienced here.  There is life after this, of that I am certain.  As Neal A Maxwell teaches, "In the grammar of life, death is not an exclamation point, but a comma."

After we exited the temple, we took some pictures.  It was fun to take a picture with the bald men in my family.  What a great memory that will be!

Also, during this vacation, we spent time in the city, enjoying the history of our country.  I always feel something special as I think about our Forefathers, and what they stood for, what they fought for, and what many gave their lives for.  And we are blessed to be the beneficiaries of their great sacrifice.

We also spent a day in Busch Gardens.  Yes, that's me in the motorized cart.  It's the closest i was allowed to get to a roller coaster all day because of my mediport.  All the harnesses would have crushed it, and that would not have been good!  But it was fun because all the kids wanted to ride with me, and so from place to place, I would always have a kid on my lap.

The only part of the day that stunk was that Miranda wasn't there with us.  She has begun work at CMA CGM, and this was her first week.  So she wasn't able to be in Williamsburg at all with us.  How I missed her!