If anyone should have a soundtrack to their lives, it should be Mark. I say this in complete seriousness. From practicing hours and hours for rowing, to practicing hours and hours on horn, he definitely has victories (and the occasional defeat). Too, there is an enormous comedic element to his life which did not go unnoticed this past weekend.
Mark headed to the temple to receive his endowment. This had been scheduled for several weeks, and we were all looking forward to it.
It's a Kennedy tradition to attend the Washington DC temple for the first time, so even though Detroit would have been much closer, we flew Mark into Baltimore, picked him up and headed to the DC area.
Mark was supposed to have his appointment the next morning at 8:30, because the scheduler didn't think we could get from the airport to the temple by 6:30 p.m. However, we were running early, and we figured if Mark could get in on Friday night, he could return to the temple on Saturday for one more session.
John called, and SUCCESS!! It was 5:40, and the GPS said we were only 20 minutes away. Wonderful Brother Doody agreed to take Mark early!
Just five minutes from the temple, disaster (in my mind) struck!
Anybody who knows John, and consequently knows Ethan and Mark, knows that they always stop for anyone who is having car trouble. In the old days, John would attempt to fix a broken-down car, even driving to repair shops to buy hoses, and such. Now, with limited time in his life, he offers a ride, or more commonly when his boys are with him, offers to push the broken-down car out of traffic. It's a terrible feeling, having your car break down in the middle of traffic--people honk, give you nasty looks...
On the exit ramp, off the I-95 beltway, a woman had run out of gas. The traffic was backed up as people tried to go around her. As we neared (and I was driving), I knew what was going to happen! Even before John had fully comprehended what was going on, I said, "No way. We're not helping her. She has a cell phone. We don't have time!"
From the backseat, I hear, "C'mon, Papa. Let's do it." Next thing I know, Mark and John are out of the car, and I'm the one stopping traffic.
What I would give to reverse time and go back to take a picture! However, I was so horrified by the honking and nasty looks being given to me that I wasn't thinking straight.
Earlier, upon hearing that we could make the session, John started changing in the car. By the time he and Mark got out, he had his white shirt on, and slacks with a tie, but he still had his white socks on with brown clogs. Mark? He was in athletic shorts and his hip-hop sneakers.
Just a reminder: it's 6:00 p.m., middle of DC, on a Friday evening. Imagine the traffic. John runs around (in his clogs), around the off ramp, to see if there's somewhere they can push her. Glory be, there's a hotel parking lot. Uphill.
Thankfully, another man (also headed to the temple) hopped out of his car, and the three of them barely made it, pushing that heavy, well-constructed Volvo into the lot. Boy-o, you should have seen the traffic backed up then! Not just on the off-ramp, but the mainstream traffic too. I just started talking to myself....
This reminded me of that internet story about the New Testament class at BYU. For the final, the professor left a note on the door of the classroom, saying that the final had been changed to a different location. As the students ran across campus to get to the new location, they encountered three different situations that needed their help (someone dropped their books, someone fell off a bike, someone couldn't find a classroom). Worried about the exam, they didn't stop and take the time to help any of the people. When they got to the new location, they discovered that they had all failed the exam because they hadn't learned what they needed to about Christ-like service.
Seriously, I just had to laugh. This was like the final test for all of us before going in the temple, and thankfully I can ride my husband's and son's coattails into heaven on this one!
So, it was now 6:15, and Mark had to change in a jiffy. What better place than the temple parking lot?! These pictures say it all!
Remember my idea about the soundtrack? It would have been perfect here! I can just hear "Barber of Seville" or Mendelssohn's "Italian" Symphony!
The temple experience was wonderful. While I can't share details because they are sacred (but not secret), I can share a few "Mark" highlights:
- Mark was smiling ear to ear. In fact, one of the temple workers came up to me when Mark wasn't around, and couldn't help but tell me what a special young man I had. Oh, and do I have anymore to send?
- Mark had no idea where he was going in that big old edifice, but he was always leading the way. He was seriously so excited to be there.
- At the end of the session, when we were sitting in the celestial room, we were talking. I got up to leave after a while, and Mark asked, "Mommy, where are you going? Don't you want to stay in the celestial kingdom a little while longer?"
- Mark needed to buy some clothing. When a woman asked him his waist size, he turned to me, but John cut him off and told him that he knows his own sizes. Really, John? Yeah, Mark was pretty miserable for the next 12 hours, wearing clothing that was waaaay too small on him. One word, Mark: CONSTRICTORS!!!
- Mark said that it wasn't an overwhelming feeling of the Spirit to be in the temple. Instead, he felt little "pokes" throughout his time there, confirming what he knew to be true. He then gave me a little "poke" on the arm so that I knew what he was talking about.
The next morning, we got up and headed back to the temple. Funny thing? Mark wasn't dressed by the time we got out of the car. Again.... When I mentioned this to Ethan in an email, he wrote back and said, "Yeah, I seem to remember Mark being slow being an issue at 6:30 every morning when I had been ready for like ten minutes, and Mark still wasn't ready with everything to get to seminary on time and not have that darn tardy mark on Sister Hanscom's records :-)" Cue comedic music...
Again, it was a beautiful experience. As I told John and Mark, it was the second happiest day of life. Actually, it ties for the first happiest day of life which is when Ethan went through the temple. There is no better way for a child to bring happiness and honor to their parents than to make it to the temple!
Hahahaha what a perfect post describing the whole weekend! I like the soundtrack idea; maybe I should just carry a bombox around with me(:(:(:
ReplyDeleteWhat a great experience! I am so happy for and proud of Mark for making the choices he needed to to get to the temple. Also, you look gorgeous in your dress Larisa!
ReplyDeleteAww, Mark! Such a wonderful weekend for you.. Quite comedic as well! Haha, Ethan's comment was funny in there as well. I can just see all of this happening!
ReplyDeleteThis was a great weekend and I am so happy Mark could go to the temple and that he was worthy to go to the temple. Thanks Mark for making good choices.
ReplyDeletePapa