Mr. T!!! That's What's Been Happening!!

As most of you know, and for those who don't, our family belongs to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  When the young men in our church turn 18 and the young women turn 19, they can serve a mission.  Most of these youth spend their growing up years looking forward to this and earning money to get ready.  Yes, they pay for these missions themselves.  The young men go for two years and the young women for 18 months.  Close to $10,000 is earned and saved up for this incredible experience to go and serve people all over the world.

My second to the oldest Native made the choice to serve a two year mission.  He put in his papers to the leaders of our church saying he was willing and able and then we awaited to see where he would go.

The day arrived and we all waited for Mr. T to open the big official envelope to tell us where he was going.  Much anticipation and an entire house full of people excited for him.  He opened the envelope and started reading.  He would be serving in the Iloilo, Philippines Mission!!!  Yay!!!  And, he would be leaving to go to the MTC (Missionary Training Center) on July 2nd.

Missing Mr. B who was at work.  Mr. T and Mr. B said goodbye the night before.

 July 2nd still seemed so far away.  Mr. T had gotten his call in May.  We had gobs of time right??  Man, 3 months flew by fast and the next thing we knew...... it was time to say goodbye!  FOR TWO YEARS!!!

These are the photos of that day.  I even included the one's of me with my face all cry ugly.  Does anyone look attractive when they cry?  I mean, really truly cry?

Anyway, the hugs started and oh my goodness!  It was hard!  So excited for him but hard saying goodbye.  Mr. T had asked me to make scones for breakfast before he left.  I made him his scones and had to laugh.  He was so excited to go that he could hardly eat.

After the goodbye's were said, we drove away and then I really lost it.  Levi was sitting next to me in the truck and looking at his Dad, he had the most disgusted look on his face and said, "What is wrong with HER'!  Which then made us all bust up laughing.  Thank you Levi for always making me smile and laugh.

And then.........  the waiting begins.  The waiting to get letters.  Is he okay?  He'll get a companion/roommate........ will they get along?  Does he miss me yet?

The missionaries can receive letters and packages all week long but they only get one day which is called their P-Day (Preparation Day) to write home.  On their P-Day, they do their shopping, laundry, write letters, clean, etc.  I didn't know when Mr. T's P-Day would be so everyday I would go and check my computer to see if he'd written.

And then........ he did!  Friday is his P-Day!  The first letter I got, I jumped up and down screaming for joy!!!  Yay!!  I got a letter!!!  Oh my word.  And then.......  oh my heart....... I'd have to wait for an entire week before I would get another!!!

Yesterday was P-Day.  I got his second letter.  That one week between his first letter and second letter was the longest week of my life!!!  It felt like a month!!  I'm told, that it gets better and time starts to fly by.  It better!!!

When I got Mr. T's letter yesterday I had to go to the grocery store right after.  I wanted to run up to everyone in the grocery store and give them a hug and say, "I just got a letter from my son"!!!  Oh yeah!  Friday's have most definitely become my favorite day of the week.

Some moms make an entire new blog for their sons/daughters who are on missions and post their letters and photos there.  I thought about it but then thought, you all have watched my son grow up.  You'll want to see and hear from him too, right?!  Just agree with me because we all know I'm a little obsessed right now with all of this.

So, for now, Mr. T is at the MTC for 6 weeks learning the language he'll be speaking over in the Philippines and then on August 7th, he'll fly over to the Philippines where he will spend the rest of his two year mission serving the people.

Oh my dear boy!  My stars I miss you but I am ever so proud of you!!!  I pray for you in all of my prayers and you are constantly in my thoughts.  You are my baby.  You will always be my baby.  Don't care how old you are.

I'll love you forever, and always.  Love, Mommy

Where Have I Been?????

Wanna know where I've been?  I'll tell you where I've been.  No where.  It's Blogger's fault.  Blogger got stinky and for some reason I wasn't able to post on my blog and I got fed up I tell ya!!!  Just fed up!!!  The other day, I was looking for something on my blog and lo and behold, I was able to post again.

I am so grateful that Blogger could find it in it's little heart to come back from vacation and get back to work because I've missed my friends on here!!!  All I can say is, Blogger better have gone on one heck of a memorable once in a life time experience vacation for the trouble and headache it has put me through!!

So, I'm back!  I know you've all been sitting here on the edges of your seats waiting for me.  Next post, the major event that has had me consumed for months and came to pass a week ago.  Get ready for it........  indoor plumbing........ it's gonna be big!!

Window

 

 

A few months ago, we painted the interior our house.  You know how it is.  One project leads to another.......  New paint means the old curtains don't match which means, yes, new curtains.  Trying to decide which curtains exactly that I want has taken some time and then when I finally found the curtains that I like OF COURSE they are super expensive.  I could make my own but I still have Mr. C's quilt I made him for Christmas that is sitting here unfinished too that I need to finish.... 

I'm sure if I had a sewing room I would get all sorts of sewing done and if I had a knitting room I'd get all sorts of knitting done and a library, reading and other rooms for all of the other things I like to do.  Please don't point out that I have a laundry room and laundry still doesn't get done or a kitchen and meals still don't get cooked like they should.  Those aren't hobbies.  Well, not for me anyway.

There is a point here to the whole lack of curtains.  It has meant that my windows aren't covered so during the day the sun comes glaring into the front room and the puppies enjoy basking in the sunlight and in the evenings whilst I am laying/lying (KRISTEN WHICH IS IT) on the couch I have been seeing spectacular views out my front window. 

Come the heat of summer our piano teacher will hate having that hot sun beating down on both him and natives.  Maybe it will be incentive enough for him to make me some new curtains...... I wonder if our piano teacher can sew......  hmmmm. 

Anyway, I've enjoyed the view!  And that, my friends, is all I've got to say.

The End!

Well....... for the moment.  Hee!

Spring?

This past week and this week are so weird!  It's February.  As you can see from the photos, it is freezing cold and we are piled under several feet of snow.  Very typical for this time of year. 

Very typical.  Not sixty degree weather where The Natives are playing outside in shorts and t-shirts and we are going for walks that feel like spring time!  Okay, well, the shorts thing.  Several of The Natives wear shorts all year long which makes me wonder if maybe in my sleep I did drop them on their heads but even I am going around without a coat soaking up the sun. 

This past week has been ugly at our house so having lots of sunshine to even out the ugly is nice.  The week wrapped itself up nicely with Mr. B, our oldest Native getting into a car accident.  Thankfully, he is okay.  The car, not so much.  We thought that was enough drama considering the week we'd had and then yesterday, I went to wake up two Natives only to be hit in the face when I opened their bedroom door with a smell that sent me running and heaving!  What in the world was in their room?!!!  CLEAN IT!  FIND IT!!  After much cleaning we found the source......  last week when our washing machine leaked (yes, yet another drama) we didn't realize that it had leaked through the wall and into the Natives room and the carpet mildewed......  ewwww.  Today, out comes the carpet and much scrubbing of concrete with bleach.

In between it all, I am finding time to get a little knitting in and some time outside with the two younger boys.  Mr. J and Levi are enjoying the warmer temperatures as well.  Rock collections are growing, bikes are being dusted off and tires pumped back up, the river is being explored, bird feeders attended to, bees are house keeping and out and about looking for who knows what since there aren't any blossoms, little green heads are poking up out of the dirt........... 

I love spring.  Only, it isn't spring.  We are all wondering what this means..  long spring, hot summer?  Or nice reprieve and then we dash into a cold long spring?  Best not put my wood stove and hot cocoa away until I get the, "Spring is officially here" memo.

The Many Faces of Video Gaming

All shot in less than a minutes amount of time.  Who says playing video games isn't physical when you've got a face and mouth working so hard like this?!

After...... The Recital

After the recital, The SM always takes The Natives out for ice cream and donuts.  I could take the time to write something under each of the photos but quite frankly, they speak for themselves.  What is there to say about eating ice cream?  Nothing because our mouths are full and my Mum always said it was rude to talk with your mouth full.

The End!

Levi Wisdom

 

We have all been missing Julie lately.  I don't know that we've ever stopped missing Julie, but for some reason, probably because it has been a year ago on the 7th of this month that we lost Julie we have all been feeling it sharply.

Last night at the dinner table Levi said something that I have been thinking a lot about because it struck me and was an incredible way to describe the pain.  He said,  "I miss Julie.  When Julie died, it was a loud hurt.  I couldn't stop crying".

A loud hurt........