WC #11: Another special day! Birthdays, Baptisms & Endowments!

And yet another special day in May!  Today we celebrate yet another family birthday AND this one holds special significance for Brooks, Brandon and Barton... and even a third (almost brother), Daniel Gorrell; their good childhood friend from Ashland, Ohio.  This day is also rather related to yesterday's post in that it's also about my "forever family!"

So, let's start with the birthday wishes!  Some people may think it a bit odd that I would mention the birthday of a lovely woman who is no longer "technically" in the family, but she is the mother of a niece and a nephew and was the big sister I always dreamed of as a little girl.

Marcia Lee Westphal was born May 23, 1948 and married my brother Al on August 13, 1966.  Marcia gave me the best Christmas presents!  It was like there was a GIRL who could understand me around the house!  And one of my best memories of Marcia was when my grandmother was ill in Illinois and my mother needed to go help take care of her for a little while.  Marcia offered to let me come stay at her house with her!  How cool was that?  It was like a week long slumber party with a high-schooler!!!  And how fun for me, an 11-year-old to be hanging out with a 17-year-old!  And her bedroom was like, straight out of Grease with stuffed toys, posters and twin beds!  I felt so cool!  I'm sure Marcy has no idea how much she meant to me in those days, but I sure did think the world of her.  She was the only one of my brothers' girlfriends who actually seemed to like me!

She was kinda goofy too.  I remember even at my young age thinking she was kind of ditzy and goofy, but she sure was fun.  She loved to have her hair brushed.  She loved to play rummy.  She liked to sleep in late (and probably took a little bit of advantage of me when she had young kids and I was in high school, since we lived in the same house...)  She trusted me to take care of her kids and she couldn't say "aluminum." She took me out driving when I was old enough to work on my driver's license and she cried with me and was there for me when my mom died. I saw Marcy a few years ago when Brooks was living in Las Vegas and so was she.  We all went out to dinner together and she really hadn't changed.  She was still my goofy, ditzy sister and I still love that about her!

High school sweethearts, Al & Marcia married quite young and I remember it causing a good deal of tension at home when Allen asked my parents to sign for him to get a marriage license!  Whooee!  I didn't quite understand it all at the time; they didn't seem that young to me, but I sure remember the yelling!
Marcia gave me my first nephew, Daniel Carl in June, 1967 and my first niece, Gail Lynn, in December, 1968.  All of a sudden, at the age of twelve, I was considered old enough to take care of someone else!!! And Dan & Gail became my living "dolls!"

A very young looking Al, Marcia & Danny
September, 1967

Anyway... Al and Marcia divorced the summer of 1973, a pretty traumatic change for me to deal with what seemed very close to the loss of my mother.  I was glad I was leaving for college soon so I wouldn't feel the difference as strongly.  Relatively, Marcia held an active part in my life for a very short period of time, but she was influential, she was fun and she still holds a very special place in my heart.  I love you Marcy!  Happy Birthday!

And then....many years later.....

On May 23, 1992, Brandon, Barton & their friend, Daniel were baptized in the font in the LDS chapel in Ashland, Ohio!

Barton & Brandon ready for dunk in the font
by their dad, Randy

Exactly eleven years later, on May 23, 2003, Brandon & Barton entered the Vernal, Utah LDS temple to receive their own endowment (instruction, blessings & covenants with God) as they prepared to leave for their missions that summer!

Vernal, Utah LDS Temple

To add to the excitement of that day, add one MORE endowment and the whole family together!  If you'll recall, on Josh's birthday I mentioned the fact that Brooks made it quite clear that she would be married BEFORE her brothers left on their missions or she wouldn't get married until they came home.  With a wedding date set for May 30th, it only made sense for Brooks to receive her endowment right alongside her baby brothers!

Many of our good friends from Vernal as well as Aunt Amy's extended family were there for the big day.  Josh's family even came all the way from Fallon, Nevada to be there in support of Brooks and Josh.  But the best part for me was the fact that I had all five of my now ENDOWED children together with me in the temple!

Megan, Brandon, Brooks, Barton & Samantha
Outside the Vernal Temple
May 23, 2003

I'll never cease to be amazed at the wonderful blessings that have come to me in this life through the gospel of Jesus Christ and all of the loved ones who each have their own special place in my heart.  Happy special day to a lot of special people!