My Trip to Seattle
On June 16th I flew out to Seattle Washington to attend the wedding of my very close friend, Heather-Ann. It was an awesome trip, but not without some bumps along the road (since when are there never any bumps in the road?).
To start I arrived at 0′dark thirty to Norfolk International here in Virginia. The airport looked a bit dark, but I just figured it was early and the lights weren’t turned on. Actually…the whole airport was without power. Luckily the power at the ticket counter came on just after they wrote my ticket by hand. I was able to get my printed boarding passes to get me through Detroit. I then sat for a bit in a darkened non airconditioed terminal. When the pilots arrived and found there was no power at the gate to do their visual inspections I heard them say, “Well…we’re going to have to wait till sunrise.” Luckily we only left about 20 minutes behind schedule. I had an hour layover in Detroit so there was no problem.
Apon arriving in Seattle I got my luggage at 11:45am. This was right on schedule according to the “plan”. According to this plan I would pick up my luggage between 11:30am and 11:45am and meet Heather-Ann and the gang at the Alamo Rental place. There just happened to be an Alamo accross the room from where I picked up my luggage. I got my luggage ontime and wondered why no one was waiting by the counter. I waited for a bit and then found out there was another Alamo way down on the other end of the building. I went down there and found nobody waiting. I then found out there was another Alamo in the parking garage. Sure enough Heather-Ann, her mom, and Jeff was there. It was really good to see them again (and meet Jeff for the first time). We then realized her aunts were also looking for the Alamo so we went back into the airport to hunt them down. Funny thing is that I passed them a couple of times…but since I had never met then before…I didn’t know.
After returning from the airport we checked into the Hotel and had lunch…subway…yum. We then got ready to go to the Temple. On the way to the Temple there was a sign on the side of the road asking “Will the road you’re on take you to my place? - God”. We all were like “Yes!”. When the Temple appeared above the trees as we got closer I just stared in wonder. It was the first time I had seen a temple with my own eyes. It was beautiful. My first experiance in the Temple was both beautiful and overwhelming at the same time. There is just so much to learn and know. So much symbolism. I’m really looking forward to going again, and again, and again to understand more and more. Even the Prophet has said that he learns something new everytime he goes. Hopefully the roadtrip up to the Washington D.C. Temple will work out this Friday. I am sooo ready to go back.
After the temple we went out to a really good Mexican resturaunt. Had a good time talking with everyone and taking those wonderful candid dinner shots.
The next day we went down to downtown Seattle and visited the space needle. We didn’t actually go up because it’s a $12.50 elevator ride. I’m pretty proud of myself…I guarded my money pretty carefully the whole trip. It was nice to walk around the area though. Later we went to Pike Pl. Market. The fresh fruit was soo good (we took some back to the hotel). We also went to the fish market where they throw fish through the air. It was like a show of sorts…many people just standing around watching them. I have some pretty good shots of fish in the air.
Friday was the big wedding day. The sealing ceremony in the Temple was just awesome. The blessings pronounced were amazing. Not to mention the sealing room is probably the most beautiful room I’ve sat in (besides the Celestial room in the Temple). After the wedding I think hundreds of pictures were taken. I can’t wait to see them. Heather-Ann and Jeff seem to be a really great couple and their families mesh so well together. I wish them all the best!
Wondering where these great pictures are? I should be receiving a CD in the mail with over 200 pictures from everything we did. I can’t wait to see them myself!
On the way back I almost missed my flight out of Seattle due to the amazingly loooong security line. I arrived at the desk and the attendent say “I’m sorry…we just closed the door”. I was like “No! Open it back up!”. Another woman who was also with me pleaded with her as he father passed away and she was trying to make her way home. I don’t think anything I could have said could have convinced her to open that door back up. The words of a grieving daughter opened that door. A blessing in disguise I suppose. The rest of the trip was smooth sailing and I got back late evening on the 19th.
ANNOUNCEMENT: If anyone reading this is in the area (Virginia Beach, Norfolk,…Hampton Roads in general) please come by my open house next Sunday the 27th anytime between 6 - 8 at my church (reply for directions) for my open house for my mission. It should be fun!
Anyway…sorry this entry is so long…just thought I’d share my trip. If anyone will let me know how to do an LJ cut, I’d be happy to place a good portion of this entry behind one to save space.
God Bless!
8 responses so far
You have one paragraph for the actual wedding? C’mon Joel, inquiring female minds (who are planning their -own- wedding) want to know: WHAT’D IT LOOK LIKE? Describe stuff! ^_^
Joel, Sounds like you had a wonderful trip! In addition to the wedding sounds like it was a very spiritual experience for you too. I also wish Heather-Ann and Jeff the very best! Kathi Mingo
Sounds like your trip to the wonderful Northwest was fulfilling. Seattle isn’t much of a tourist town… but you did get to see the flying fish! (I wonder, did you stop and pet Rachel the pig? just curious… she’s a little bronze statue in Pike Place)
If you want to know how to do an lj-cut, it’s actually very simple… here’s how it goes…
< lj-cut >
except without the spaces. If you wanted to do a cut with text, then you do it like such….
< lj-cut text="whatever you want your cut to say" >
also without the spaces. except, leave a space between lj-cut and text, and it should work out fine.
the actual FAQ link is right here if I’m not making sense: http://www.livejournal.com/support/faqbrowse.bml?faqid=75
Hey! Thanks alot for informing me about the cut!
Actually I believe I did pet the pig…lol…those bronze statues are everywhere!
The wedding. Well to start Temple Marriages…or sealings as they are also called…are a bit different from “traditional” weddings. We don’t march down isles upon petals tossed by flower girls. It was however the most beautiful wedding I’ve ever been too. There were about 45 people in attendance, which is actually quite a large group. The room, as I mentioned, was so beautiful…so much so that it is hard to describe. It was a bright room and on the far wall from where I was sitting there was a flowing curtain which matched the soft bright colors of the room. Over the alter was a chandelier which sparkled, symbolizing the light of Christ over the joining of those who come to the alter. On the side walls, facing the bride and groom, are large mirrors, which from the perspective of the couple, the reflections stretched for eternity symbolizing the eternal marriage they are about to enter. I noticed the far corners of the room were also mirrors which I could only see myself in, as if to remind me of who I am and that one day I too will be sealed to someone I will deeply care for and want to spend eternity with. The ceremony was a simple one, with profound effects. The blessings pronounced were above those I had ever heard at any marriage. Truly the Spirit was present as this couple was joined for the eternities and God smiled down upon then because of their faith.
Thank you. I did have a great trip. It was such a combination of wonderful things, reunions, spiritual progression, and of course the focal point of the trip…the joining of Heather-Ann and Jeff for eternity.
hello..this is and you are a very seasoned traveller. What’s your favorite city and state so far? You mentioned you were protestant b4….how old were you when you converted? 
I’m not sure if I have a favorite city/state. When I was younger I used to say Virginia Beach, VA. Now that I’ve lived there for almost two years, I still like it, but I’m not sure if I would call it my favorite place. I loved Washington. The weather was wonderful, the scenery was grand, howebever the traffic was horrible. Luckily everywhere we went we could have a good time just talking and launghing. Good times. I’ve been up and down the east coast, and now have finally spent a few days on the west. I’m going to spend two years in the Colorado area and that will be a major change in climate for me. I think our idea of what our favorite place is changes over time. Just when we think we’ve found it, we realize that the world is bigger and somewhere out there is something better.
I was 17 when I was baptized into the church. I debated and studied the church for about two years before realizing it was true.