Coming Back Online, Catching-Up and Saying Farewell

It has been over a month since my last post and I have missed reading, posting and exchanging comments and ideas with my blogging friends.  It has been a super busy and intense month as we prepared our youngest son to become a full-time missionary.  He left last Wednesday for six weeks of language training and then he will be on to his field of labor in Mexico. If all goes well and as planned, we won't see him again for two years!  

Here are some scenes from in an around our home during the past few weeks of preparation.

 We had some very special trips to the Gilbert Temple for Josh and his mom and dad.

 All Mormon Missionaries go to the temple before reporting to their Missionary Training Center.

Josh and his dad ~ tired but happy after an afternoon and evening at the temple.

There were a lot of white shirts to wash and label so Josh's white shirts wouldn't get mixed up with any of the other missionaries' shirts.

 A friend from church, machine embroidered his name on each shirt. 

With the exception of some last minutes changes and additions, Josh had his bags packed over a week before he had to leave.   He was so very excited to get going on his adventure.  

 Last Sunday evening, we had a farewell open house for Josh.

 It was well attended and we are so grateful to everyone who came and showed support for Josh!

Our house was filled with close friends, neighbors and others who wanted to say goodbye and wish Josh well.

Josh had worked closely with the missionaries assigned to our ward (congregation) and Sunday's open house was bitter sweet because Elder McBride (the missionary standing with his arm around Josh) has completed his two years of service and was leaving to go home to Washington state.  Josh and Elder McBride had become pretty good friends.

There was lots of food and laughter, but the best part was the warmth, love and generosity showered on Josh.

Tuesday of this week, Josh was "set apart" or officially made a full-time missionary with a simple but beautiful blessing by our Stake President.  Our Bishop was also present...

...as was Charly

...and I.  

It was a very spiritual and memorable evening.

Here, Josh is pointing to Mexico, where he will be serving.  This world map hangs outside of our Stake President's office and has pictures of every full-time missionary serving from our stake (diocese).

It's fun to look at the map and see where all the missionaries are serving.  

 Very early the next morning, Wednesday, Josh put his luggage into the car...

 ...and we headed for the airport.

 Here, Josh is waiting in line to check his bags...

...before heading up to his gate.

There were at least four other missionaries on Josh's flight to Salt Lake City.  Josh met this young man in a scripture study class he took at a nearby community college and found out they were both headed to the same mission on the same day.  It was fun to meet this young man and his family and take turns taking family pictures of each other's families.

A picture with mom...

...one with dad...

...and then one with all three of us together.

After that, it was time for Josh to head through security and off to love, serve and help others for the next two years.  

When Josh arrived in Utah, his big sister met him at the airport, then with her husband and children, they took him to the Missionary Training Center (MTC) in Provo, Utah, where he will spend the next six weeks.

We were so pleased that Tiffany and her family lived close to the MTC and could be part of this happy family event.

Josh enjoyed seeing his sister, brother-in-law nieces and nephews, but their visit was short and then...

Elder Joshua Jones entered the Missionary Training Center to become one of over 88,000 Mormon Missionaries!

Now Josh is gone, and while our houses seems empty at times, we are happy that he has made this decision to serve a full-time mission.  It will change his life for the better in so many ways, and we are so very pleased that he has chosen to take this wonderful opportunity.

Meanwhile, I am back online in the Blogasphere and am looking forward to reconnecting with my friends and catching up on what has been going on with you!  

See you again soon and enjoy the week ahead!

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."

--Matt. 28:19-20

Seasons

This scripture from Ecclesiastes is one of my favorites.  It tells us that our lives will not always the same day after day, month after month and year after year.  Events happen in the world, in our families and in our own lives.  Changes occur.  People we love die or leave and go far away.  New people come into our lives.  Our bodies grow older,  Our health gets worse or it improves.   Change is inevitable.  Nothing stays unchanged for long.

Change can be good, or it can be bad.  It can be easy or difficult to deal with.  It can create anxiety and stress or joy and happiness.  Often it creates all of the above.  

Right now, our family is moving from one season of life into another.  Charly and I have had children in our home for over 33 of our 35 year marriage.  Now, within a short time, it will just be the two of us again.  Meanwhile, our youngest is transitioning from boy to man.  He is learning that with adult choices and actions, comes adult responsibility.  We are learning how to help him this important lesson because all of our children are different and a lesson easily learned by one, is not so easily learned by another.  We are also learning to ask for and rely on the power of faith and prayer as well as the love and support of friends and family.

In the midst of the changes and lessons and moving from one season to another, I am finding myself more and more anxious, stressed and exhausted when I should be happy, joyful and energized.  

Because of this, I have decided to step back from my blogging a bit for the time being.  I need to concentrate on other things just now. This doesn't mean I am leaving my blog or will never post again. What it does mean is that I will probably not be posting as often.  I hope to still visit the blogs I enjoy reading, make comments and keep in touch with online blogging friends I have made over the past several years.  I just may not visit and comment every day, or as often as I have been. My focus will be on the face-to-face every day relationships of family and friends.

I hope to be back spending more time in "blog land" again in a few weeks or months, but for now, there are other priorities I need to attend to.

I hope that my blogging friends will keep stopping by to make a friendly comment when I do have the time and energy to post.  I still enjoy sharing my world and seeing what is going on in yours, so I will be back ~ soon I hope.

Thanks to all of my friends for your understanding.

  

Metal Mouth No-More!

In September 2010, Josh was a Freshman in high school, excited to get his braces on and begin his journey toward a perfect smile.  The orthodontist predicted that Josh would be in braces only 18 months - two years at the outside. 

Three-and-a-half years later, the orthodontist was still insisting on keeping the braces on until everything was aligned and Josh's smile was just right.  Two other times, Josh was scheduled to get his braces off only to be told, "Hang-in there, Josh.  One more more month to a perfect smile."

This morning, finally, the braces were removed and the results were unveiled.  We were not disappointed.  I would say this is quite a handsome young man, although I could be prejudiced.  After all, he is my baby nearly grown, young adult son.

Congratulations, Josh on your perfect smile!