I am the self-dubbed unofficial photographer of the Temple Chasers. It is really by default.
Here is the back story of why I am up too early some mornings, wearing my housecoat in public, and probably (so aptly pointed out by some Facebooking friends) on some watch list for the local construction company.
It is embarrassing to admit, but I don't remember the date or even the year the Kansas City Temple building was announced. I think it was about 18 months ago. Maybe. Wait, maybe it was 2 1/2 years ago.
What I do remember is that it was announced on a Sunday. The very next evening, Buddy Cheryl stopped by and said "Wanna go find the temple site?" Off we went. I think I was still wearing my apron from cooking dinner.
This was my vote:
look at these crazy colors--unedited
We drove like crazy ladies...as my mother would say...like "bats out of hell." Suffice it to say that Cheryl is passionate about this temple. As we scurried around, tromping through tick-infested grasses, Cheryl said "we are like storm chasers....but temple chasers." The name stuck.
Storm chasing is a big deal here in the mid-west I have learned. Bunch of crazies, driving around looking for inclement weather....even have their own tv show on cable. You should watch it. It would explain the breathless fit we were in that Monday night.
We picked our site. But alas!
We were wrong.
We went temple chasing again when the LDS Church released the location of the new site. ASAP! Wasn't as hard this time because we had directions (isn't that usually the case?)
Here is what we found:
Nothing says "insert a temple here" like a big smelly green vinyl chair.
It was almost like someone had been waiting for us to arrive, Cheryl in particular. "Here ladies," the green gross vinyl chair said...."have a front row view." Since it was only 7 minutes from my house (and 5ish from hers) it was an easy local to have a front row view of.
Of course, we didn't want the green smelly chair to feel shunned. So we partook.
Well, some of us partook.
Some of us were too scared
to sit down in the grossness
The girl thought we might be
hauled away to the clink...
since we were "trespassing"
It has been fun to watch the excitement build around the development of the temple.
It is aptly named: The Temple Chaser (but of course!)
For many months, the ground laid quiet.
The good news: Building has begun.
The bad news: Cheryl unexpectedly moved away. Farther then 5 minutes away. I mean states away.
I feel sad that since that first day of Temple Chasing, our lead Temple Chaser is missing out on much of the activity.
This is where I come in. Since I have a camera, and a little time, I take the pictures.
This is where I come in. Since I have a camera, and a little time, I take the pictures.
They are not really just for the blog, although I like that they tell the visual story.
Taken this morning
lights turned on in temple...check--God
Those pictures I shoot so early on the cold snowy mornings in my housecoat are for her. Like little Hershey's kisses. Dark chocolate of course.
Her temple passion has now infected me. I wonder how it is going. I miss it when I haven't seen it for a few days. I like knowing where it is at in its construction.
Someday soon the temple will be finished and she will no longer need my kind of connection from KC. But it is a wonderful thing we will always share. I can't wait until we can attend it together. :)
