*****079:

Rafe's thirty-eighth birthday.

We shared a shower---- every second of it----

Double streams with the five jet pulses on as well, and scented bubbles filling the floor dangerously, but slick and sexy.

The steam filled our bedroom too.

We made love and showered again, listening to the way the house began its day from each other's arms. It was going to be a good day--- a great day, the best day.

My skirts were all too tight---- but I found one I could stand and went to get the kids up and dressed---- no yoga or swimming this morning, we had something else even better.

We'd been discussing it for weeks. They each had Temple Pictures in their rooms. Rein could point at his and say Temple, very clearly. Virgil especially was excited about going to the temple. He knew Rafe and I went every Tuesday morning, and he knew what it was for. He was a spiritual child. It compensated for his early childhood anger. He had every right to be an angry child--- but the fact that God loved him--- and Jesus had died to take away the sins of the world, replacing sin with love and forgiveness, somehow comforted him more than all the counseling in the world. He lived for Family Home Evening, Family Prayer, and Scripture reading, and for singing time. He was the quickest study ever--- and it hadn't taken as long as everyone thought for him to trust us. He'd latched on--- and began to trust as soon as Rein's bum was healed. I think that was a miracle in itself, and Virgil always thanked God for it in his prayers.

So, of course, Felicity did as well, when it was her turn.

I went in to find her looking for her shoes. I started to kneel down to look under her bed, and she stopped me with a hand. "You're getting fatter, mom." She said, that hand up, and her stern expression telling me she was about to come up with a Felicity edict. She did this regularly.

"Yep, I'm getting fatter. Those little babies are growing like weeds!"

"I don't think you should be getting down on your knees anymore. It's hard for you to get back up."

"I can still get on my knees. But you could help me, by putting your shoes away in the closet in the shoe box."

She considered this with a smile. "And I think we should pray standing up from now on."

"I think Heavenly Father will make it possible for me to kneel." I said.

"If you have faith." This was a favorite saying in our family. We'd had a lesson about faith.

"I do have faith." I told her. "But I also know we can't be late. So get a move on, Princess."

She retrieved her shoes from under the bed and sat down on the floor, her salmon and ivory dress puffing around her as she put on the white Patten shoes.

"It's daddy's birthday." She told me as I brushed her long silky raven colored hair.

"We are going to have a party later, after the temple." I told her in case she'd forgotten.

"But where is the party?"

"It's a surprise."

"Will there be a clown? There was a clown at my party with momma and papa."

"I don't know. Roger and Oliver planned the party."

"No, Uncle Jeff said he planned it."

I shrugged. I had wanted to plan part of it, and I'd been declined. They were using it as a promotional gig. I was disappointed, but realized that for Rafe--- this--- taking his family to be sealed in the temple was the most important thing, and the best birthday present ever.

In response to our tardiness, Rafe's voice floated melodically up the stairs, urging us to hurry.

I secured her hair in a half braid and pinned the matching bow on top. Felicity, who was concerned with appearances, checked in her mirror. She seemed satisfied and skipped out of the room. At the foot of the stairs, Rafe was holding Rein, dressed in his church clothes and Virgil was kicking the railing next to him, like a little man--- a little boy.

There was a knock at the door, and we all turned our eyes as Abbie and Jeremy came in. She was wearing a very nice dress suit---- kind of a silver beige, very smart and pretty, and he was dressed for the temple. Felicity skipped to Abbie, showing her the dress and the bow.

Jeremy looked up at us. "There's another surprise." He said with a knowing nod.

More than the fact that they were having their own wedding today as well? That had been a real shocker. But in deference to Hannah's hurt feelings, they'd opted to have a smaller temple wedding, and since the adult family was gathering for our sealing, they'd decided to use the same date.

This happened in our family quite often actually. Had to---- if events needed to happen, and people wanted to attend--- well, frankly--- it wasn't just the wedding and the sealing--- a local stake center close to the Los Angeles Temple would be the site of family baptisms and baby blessings too. This had happened at our wedding eight months ago as well. But now--- mom was getting everyone on the bandwagon, another major family event was happening and all who wanted to--- who had waited to bless babies or baptize children, could do it now. It always happened that if no other major family event was forthcoming within a six-month timeframe, then Christmas or the Family Reunion in August could also see these things accomplished. We were nothing if not economical and practical.

And mobile.

******