Loose threads? And Ogden Temple

I haven't written very much lately because I find it hard to pull thoughts out of my head. I used to enjoy pouring out the tiny crystals of my ideas, then peering over them as I stirred them into something more connectedly spacious. The results sometimes surprised me, like the jolt of dry, wispy cotton candy turning into liquid on your tongue. I liked that.

Now, I'm beset with the irritation of flyaways and stickiness -- sugar everywhere but where I want it. I'm not good at making confection connections anymore. To me it's a messy process.

Or maybe I'm just out of practice?

This cotton candy metaphor is intriguing to me because I set out to write this post about our trip to the Ogden Temple open house on Aug. 4.  There was no cotton candy there. I haven't seen cotton candy in months. Why did I think of that?

I wanted to write about how much it meant to me to go to the temple, how much it meant to share it with my children. I learn so much in the temple and feel of Heavenly Father's love there. (Once the temple is dedicated, only patrons with a recommend may enter. This was a special chance for James and Samuel to go inside.) Samuel loves temples. He had been so excited, but the morning of our reservation he and his brother were so ornery we almost didn't go. That is why Samuel and James are not in Sunday clothes in these pictures. I felt it better to concede the battle of clothing rather than not go at all. In the end, it was a good experience.

Yet, one which I can't communicate very well. Hence, my opening sentence here. That, unexpectedly, made me think of the Pensieve in Harry Potter, and of Snape using his magic wand to pull sticky, thread-like memories from his head to the bowl. Harry plunged his face within the swirling fibers to see the memory as Snape's mind shaped it.

I don't have a magic wand -- or a cardboard stick in a cotton candy machine. So I'll skip the creation of the memory and go straight to what melted me once complete. As we walked back to our car after the tour, Samuel took my hand said, "Mom, you know what I like about the temple?"

I turned my face to his. "What, sweetie?"

"It touches my heart."

The mess of getting there was suddenly worth it.

Afterwards we went to the Farr's ice cream factory, like most of the crowd. (Mom! Don't take pictures of my ice cream!) The peanut butter chocolate flavor was divine.

Then we stopped at the Daughters of Utah Pioneers Museum. Our favorites were the hair lace and feather flowers. Elise couldn't believe a bride was small enough to wear this dress.

 This cabinet was made by the prophet Brigham Young.

Different times!