Hoo boy

So I finally bought tickets to fly out for my Army brother's wedding, since they finally told us when and where. This is the wedding that was going to be held last September but was postponed. Now it's in Nauvoo, Illinois. Because . . . our two families have so many connections to Illinois.

Oh wait, no. No, we don't.

The bride, some of her family, and my parents will be flying out from Alaska, my sisters and I are flying out from Utah, and the groom is driving (?) up from Tennessee where he's stationed. I suppose you would call this a temple elopement, or at least a Destination Wedding.

Thing about Nauvoo is that it's an LDS church history site, and that's pretty much the only reason why you would go there, unless you just like history and pretty old red brick buildings. It has lots of significance for LDS people. After being kicked out of everywhere else in Ohio and Missouri, the early Mormons built up this beautiful city from nothing and even built a temple. And it was happy times. Then Joseph Smith was killed in 1844, the people were kicked out again and trekked west to UT, and someone burned down the temple. Then a tornado knocked down what was left of it. So . . . not the best of endings, there.

The destruction of the Nauvoo Temple has been rather a sore spot with us for the last 150 or so years. But it was rebuilt in 2002, and historic Nauvoo has become even more of a destination. I always figured I would go someday but didn't imagine it would be for a wedding--and in March, where the average temperature is in the 30s. That certainly wasn't part of my plan. But now that the thing's sorted, and especially since Jen & Spitfire can come too, I'm looking forward to it.

Check out where we're staying. Niiiice.

Also, I hear they have a fudge factory. So if I should ever feel a pang about yet another of my younger siblings getting married before me, I can go stuff myself insensible with fudge of chocolate and peanut butter. Ain't much that can't fix.

(Note: the red building is not the temple--it's the town's Catholic church. The temple is in the next picture and overlooks the Mississippi River as well.)

Posted in: being a Mormon