february date

Kent and I continued our Year of Dates  by going to see the Sacred Gifts exhibit at the Brigham Young University Museum of Art.

When I planned the whole year of dates back in November, I wanted to make sure we had a wide variety of activities.  
This was a gift for Kent, yes,
but I get to go on these dates too,
so I wanted to be sure we had a good mix of things that were more for him
and things that are more for me.

Going to an art museum.  I was definitely more excited about the idea of it,
but it turned out we both loved the experience.

In case you haven't heard of it,
the Sacred Gifts exhibit (12 years in the making!) 
displays Altar pieces and religious paintings by Carl Bloch, Heinrich Hoffman, and Franz Schwartz.
If these names don't mean anything to you (they didn't to me at first)
here's a link to the paintings.
I'm sure you've seen some of these before.

The coolest thing about this?  Many of these paintings have been hanging in a castle in Germany (the Fredericksborg Castle) and have never been removed. Ever.  And they most likely never will be again.

Incredible.  The rest of the paintings are from historical Churches in Denmark and New York.  And we got to see them, right here in our hometown.

It was definitely a different kind of date, 
walking quietly in a museum with our headphones on (they had ipads to rent with an app that had details, music, quotes, scriptures and other information about each painting)
feeling awed and in reverence for the artists, the people who allowed these paintings to be shared, and 
the life of our Savior.

It was different, but wonderful. We left feeling inspired, nourished, and closer to our Savior,
which brings us closer to each other.

When we finished at the museum, we went to a place that sells sodas and cookies (these places are popping up everywhere in Utah) and got hot chocolate.

We're only two months into the Year of Dates, and already we are thinking this is definitely going to be a yearly thing. 
It has been so much fun.

Thank you, Kent, for taking me out yesterday,
and thanks Alicia for watching our kids!  (they cried when it was time to leave....sometimes you just feel so loved by your children....)