We arrive at Carthage the next day.
Chrys runs around outside while Alex fetches us a tour guide to let us into the jail.
Carthage jail.
A lot of these pieces are from the time period but not originals. Fun to see though.
Shortly after it was a jail, this place was used as a home.
I liked how the forks only had two prongs.
The floorboards and the main structure are the only original things left. Our tour guide graciously pointed them out and asked us to notice the nail heads and how they were squared instead of round how they are today. These same kinds of nails were also used to make the pioneer engagement rings. And both my children definitely noticed the floorboards. They creaked like no other, and they of course thought it was funny and had contests to see who could make them creak louder.
A fireplace, a gun, a bed, and a table of food.
Orion wanted to eat it. It didn't matter that it wasn't real.
Orion sits for about 20 seconds.
One of the downstairs rooms used as a cell.
An old bucket.
Trying to listen to the tour guide.
Orion notices an old burning stove he couldn't stop trying to stick his head into.
Wilford Woodruff and some others were held captive here.
This bed that my boy so terribly wanted to jump on was roughly like the one that actually stood in place the day that Joseph saved John Taylor's life by hiding him under it right before he was killed himself.
Looking down from the inside of the window from which Joseph fell.
Alex trying to keep the kids from destroying anything and attempting to listen to the tour guide still.
Not sure if this is an original door to the top room where Hyrum and Joseph were, but if it is, that would probably be the hole from the first bullet that was shot that hit Hyrum in the face and killed him instantly.
None of this furniture is original like I said but they placed a little desk similar to the one Joseph wrote his many letters upon. This was the last room we were in as the tour guide patiently tried to explain all about those last few hours that were spent in this room before the prophet's martyrdom. My kids were both literally bouncing off the walls. Somehow their excitement could not be contained. I was almost ready to kill them myself. But it was funny. Somehow all the chaos came to an end the moment our guide turned on an audio clip of someone explaining the last few moments of the prophet's life with a fun story-like voice and then they began to sing A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief. Music really is such a universal language and it was the most incredible moment for me. I was actually on the verge of tears myself as I saw my little girl staring in awe at the little box on the fireplace from which the voices came from. My son actually sat down to listen. There was no way to deny they both felt the spirit in that room from that beautiful hymn. I also recalled a devotional I once attended at BYU with Alex when I was pregnant with Orion. Thomas S. Monson was the speaker then, not as the prophet at the time but he said something that I really have come to cherish as a mother, that I didn't at that moment before having kids of my own. Families were in attendance and it was at the great big Marriot Center so the voices of all the squirmy children made it difficult to hear, especially since we were seated in the nosebleed section. He said to be not annoyed or upset by the tiny tots that were present. They could not help themselves. "They are just such great spirits, and their little physical bodies are yet too small to contain them." I remembered that when sitting in the room where the prophet spoke his last words on earth. And as the hymn played and everything was silent for its duration, my frustrations were let go and the spirit flooded my soul like never before.
This stone was from the original Nauvoo temple. Orion searches for ladybugs. They were everywhere. He quickly found out that they were not ladybugs but corn beetles and they're not as friendly because they bite. Nothing poisonous but mildly irritating. I thought they were ladybugs too. They look alike I guess.
My sister and I tried to explain to Orion about how the prophet was killed and fell out the window and died. He lays himself down and asks, "Like this?" So we had to take a picture of that.
And then we told him to go and do it over by the window from which he fell. He did a great re-enactment.
The top window is the one from which our prophet fell.
Orion tries to get some water out of the old well just outside of the jail.
Some interesting things about the jail.
I look a little sleepy here. I probably was. But it was definitely a great way to spend our Easter Week. We never really got around to the whole egg hunt thing this year. Maybe we will still do it and people will wonder why we are celebrating Easter so late. I figure, this is just as important. Orion really enjoyed and learned a lot too. And even though Chrys may not understand much right now, I know she feels the spirit. And the most important things to remember around this time really are the Savior, his sacrifice for us all, and those who stood up against all odds to defend truth and righteousness in his name. Our testimonies of Joseph Smith the prophet have grown immensely. I know mine has at least. And so that my children and all other followers of our blog may know of that, I will stand as a witness of the truth of his teachings always.
We arrive at Carthage the next day. 
Chrys runs around outside while Alex fetches us a tour guide to let us into the jail. 
Carthage jail. 
A lot of these pieces are from the time period but not originals. Fun to see though. 
Shortly after it was a jail, this place was used as a home. 
I liked how the forks only had two prongs. 
The floorboards and the main structure are the only original things left. Our tour guide graciously pointed them out and asked us to notice the nail heads and how they were squared instead of round how they are today. These same kinds of nails were also used to make the pioneer engagement rings. And both my children definitely noticed the floorboards. They creaked like no other, and they of course thought it was funny and had contests to see who could make them creak louder. 
A fireplace, a gun, a bed, and a table of food. 
Orion wanted to eat it. It didn't matter that it wasn't real. 
Orion sits for about 20 seconds. 
One of the downstairs rooms used as a cell.
An old bucket. 
Trying to listen to the tour guide. 
Orion notices an old burning stove he couldn't stop trying to stick his head into. 
Wilford Woodruff and some others were held captive here. 
This bed that my boy so terribly wanted to jump on was roughly like the one that actually stood in place the day that Joseph saved John Taylor's life by hiding him under it right before he was killed himself. 
Looking down from the inside of the window from which Joseph fell. 
Alex trying to keep the kids from destroying anything and attempting to listen to the tour guide still. 
Not sure if this is an original door to the top room where Hyrum and Joseph were, but if it is, that would probably be the hole from the first bullet that was shot that hit Hyrum in the face and killed him instantly. 
None of this furniture is original like I said but they placed a little desk similar to the one Joseph wrote his many letters upon. This was the last room we were in as the tour guide patiently tried to explain all about those last few hours that were spent in this room before the prophet's martyrdom. My kids were both literally bouncing off the walls. Somehow their excitement could not be contained. I was almost ready to kill them myself. But it was funny. Somehow all the chaos came to an end the moment our guide turned on an audio clip of someone explaining the last few moments of the prophet's life with a fun story-like voice and then they began to sing A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief. Music really is such a universal language and it was the most incredible moment for me. I was actually on the verge of tears myself as I saw my little girl staring in awe at the little box on the fireplace from which the voices came from. My son actually sat down to listen. There was no way to deny they both felt the spirit in that room from that beautiful hymn. I also recalled a devotional I once attended at BYU with Alex when I was pregnant with Orion. Thomas S. Monson was the speaker then, not as the prophet at the time but he said something that I really have come to cherish as a mother, that I didn't at that moment before having kids of my own. Families were in attendance and it was at the great big Marriot Center so the voices of all the squirmy children made it difficult to hear, especially since we were seated in the nosebleed section. He said to be not annoyed or upset by the tiny tots that were present. They could not help themselves. "They are just such great spirits, and their little physical bodies are yet too small to contain them." I remembered that when sitting in the room where the prophet spoke his last words on earth. And as the hymn played and everything was silent for its duration, my frustrations were let go and the spirit flooded my soul like never before. 
This stone was from the original Nauvoo temple. Orion searches for ladybugs. They were everywhere. He quickly found out that they were not ladybugs but corn beetles and they're not as friendly because they bite. Nothing poisonous but mildly irritating. I thought they were ladybugs too. They look alike I guess. 
My sister and I tried to explain to Orion about how the prophet was killed and fell out the window and died. He lays himself down and asks, "Like this?" So we had to take a picture of that. 
And then we told him to go and do it over by the window from which he fell. He did a great re-enactment. 
The top window is the one from which our prophet fell. 
Orion tries to get some water out of the old well just outside of the jail. 
Some interesting things about the jail.
I look a little sleepy here. I probably was. But it was definitely a great way to spend our Easter Week. We never really got around to the whole egg hunt thing this year. Maybe we will still do it and people will wonder why we are celebrating Easter so late. I figure, this is just as important. Orion really enjoyed and learned a lot too. And even though Chrys may not understand much right now, I know she feels the spirit. And the most important things to remember around this time really are the Savior, his sacrifice for us all, and those who stood up against all odds to defend truth and righteousness in his name. Our testimonies of Joseph Smith the prophet have grown immensely. I know mine has at least. And so that my children and all other followers of our blog may know of that, I will stand as a witness of the truth of his teachings always. 
1 comment:
My heart is full when I see you two and Alex to help in the development of the little ones. All this things that you guys do with them help them to use their brain and energy in the right things. Thanks, hijitos.
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