Our 36th Wedding Anniversary Day

Our 36th Wedding Anniversary started after sleeping in a little bit and reading the cards for one another...while still laying in bed.

Then I got up and made Irene some pannekoeken, which are Dutch crepes, for our breakfast before we headed out to the Detroit Michigan Temple and our wonderful day.

We had come to the temple prepared to seal my Grandparents Weller. I had known their wedding date from a wedding favour slip of paper for very long time. However,  I was only recently able to find document proof of their marriage .

Charles Henry, Lillian Beatrice, Marjorie Elizabeth and Beatrice Ellen WELLER

We had things all reserved but I guess some people were not present. Nevertheless, our temple president, President Steven A. Hedquist, said we have to get this done and he arranged the people we needed to make the sealing happen.

We were also going to be able to seal my Mom to her parents and a baby brother, Gordon Charles, who lived only for an hour or two when born.

So with Brothers Leslie Grable and Val Nelson as witnesses, and Brother Richard Sanders and Sister Dale acting as proxies for my Mom and her brother we made a special memory.

During the sealing President Hedquist was tearful and my dear wife across the altar had tears streaming down her face. For me, I had such a remarkably strong visual image in my mind of my grandparents. It was as if they were there while I did not see them with my physical eyes.

Mom describes during the sealing of the children that she felt the presence of a male - young or old she could not determine as if he were watching the sealing - again without physically seeing him.

It was a sacred and special experience to to go through. It caused us to linger and reflect on what we had just gone through.  It was so unique from what we have previously experienced. We did not want to rush out.

We ate a simple lunch in the car before driving off.

We always drive past and under the Skywalk of the upscale Somerset Collection of famous stores with three levels and a South and North collection of stores, like Neiman-Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks on Fifth Avenue, etc.

Of course, being grandparents ourselves, we visited stores like Hallmark, the Disney Store, and the Lego Store. We made sure to pause and have a Häagen-Dazs ice cream - I had strawberry and Mom had chocolate brownie and vanilla.

We also enjoyed dancing fountains...and taking a brief break before going back to our car. Mom found a great parking spot which saved us having to go valet parking. Go figure!

Then we went to Wal-Mart!!

Really, there are some things you can only get in the States so we had to. Naturally, we had a little treat since we were just a little famished with all our walking in the fancy mall.

Our reservations were at The Melting Pot where Melanie, our host, introduced us to our first fondue meal.

For starters we had a 4-cheese fondue where we learned to dip in artisan breads, seasonal vegetables and even apple.

Then we had chicken breast European-style fondue of canola oil. We could put the chicken on the skewers straight in the oil or cover them first by dipping them in either tempura or sesame batters. We also had potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower.

After we had a pure chocolate fondue which came with fresh strawberries, blondies, bananas, pineapple, marshmallow treats, pound cake, and brownies. Yum!

Then it was one last shopping stop before crossing the border and heading home.

It was a really special day and one that we thoroughly enjoyed and will never forget.

This quote we found in the Hallmark store describes exactly how we feel about each other.