Do you remember the day we were finally sealed to Lizzy?

It was during the chaos and confusion of COVID, when everything was delayed and the adoption process seemed to take forever. You fought so hard—you were diligent, persistent, and determined to arrange the sealing as soon as possible. And finally, the day came.

We went to the Logan Temple with our parents, family, and loved ones. Our four boys were with us, and I remember worrying that they wouldn’t be able to sit still or stay reverent during what I hoped would be a sacred, spiritual experience. But they did. They were calm, reverent, and touched by the Spirit—they felt the power of that sealing ordinance.

And so did I.

When we first adopted Lizzy, I always worried that I might not be able to fully love her as my own—that there would somehow be a difference in my feelings between my biological children and our adopted daughter. But after the sealing, after the eternal promises made on the altar of the temple by priesthood authority, those fears disappeared completely. I knew that from that moment on, she was every bit as much my child as our boys—sealed to us eternally and welded together by the holy priesthood.

That was a deeply spiritual day—a testimony to me of the truthfulness of the gospel and a powerful reminder of the blessings that come through the restored priesthood and the fullness of the gospel in these latter days.