The best two (only two more days!!!) years

Of course, since it was his last P-Day (day off) in the mission field, TMFKATB went and changed things up. Over the course of the last several weeks, his letters arrived later and later.

Not today. His letter hit our inboxes right at 12 Noon (10:00AM his time). Clearly, he had things to do today, like packing, and spending a chunk of time going back and forth with his parents who he is seeing in 48 hours was not at the top of his list. He entitled his letter "The best two years" and it was pretty much perfect (says his totally non-biased father). He highlighted a final busy week, peppered with fiestas de despedidas because the Latin people know how to bid farewell to someone, and saying difficult good-byes to people he has grown to love enormously. So it's been an emotional week and he's ending it the same way he started it. When he got to his new assignment behind the Zion Curtain, he was thrust into a trio, working with two companions rather than one. He's going out the same way, as his companion was called to a new leadership assignment this past Saturday, and so TMFKATB finds himself in a trio once again. He's taking it all in stride, as he tends to do.

As he closed his letter, he talked about some of the things he's learned over the course of the last two years. He bore witness of knowing that there is a God who is aware of each and every one of us. He bore witness of knowing there is a Savior, fighting for each of us, continually cheering us on. He bore witness of how lives can be changed, not the least of which has been his own. He called this service his best two years.

It no doubt has been. I know I felt the same way when I was in his shoes. On the last night of my own missionary service, laying on a bed in a hotel room in Ft. Lauderdale, FL., I pondered what I'd been able to do during my two years and I thought it would never get any better. Those were two amazing years. They were awesome but were the foundation for the rest of my life. In the thirty years since then, there have been too many bests to count. Too many.

One of the bests, though, has been these last two years. I know it seems crazy that going nearly two years without seeing (I now we got a three week reprieve but that was not a fun time) or being able to speak to your child could be described as best but it has been. Watching him grow and seeing the young man he has evolved into has been an experience I wouldn't trade for anything. This has been an amazing two years for us. TMFKATB's two year mission service is coming to an end. But there's more good coming. I can't wait to see where it takes him. And us, for that matter.

All good things must come to an end. But if they decide

to go on, I'm not going to stop them.

~ Clarence Fountain

Bimbo. Himbo. Whatever works.

I love this.

P.S. Watch this space for an update or two on Wednesday. TMFKATB comes home that day. Allegedly.

A late start

An effective reminder that it's colder for
him in the Zion Curtain than here in the 'Stan

TMFKATB has been really good about his weekly letters being sent at the same time every week. It's rare that he deviates and when he does, it's weird and it seems to send our schedules into disarray. Today's letter was one of those that arrived quite a bit later than normal. Fortunately, the reason for his tardiness was simple (in his own words, 'lazy') and not concerning, like being hospitalized when he was in Mexico.

Not only was his letter a little later than normal, it was pretty brief. He'd had a busy week and saw blessings come into the lives of some of the people they've been working with, so that made a busy week even better. There's some buzz in his mission about a worldwide meeting for all missionaries on the 20th of this month as everyone is trying to figure what it might be about.

He's managing the cold and snow. Funny that our climates have switched completely. We have yet to experience any real snow to speak of and he's seen more in the last month than he'd like to see in a year's time. Through it all, though, he's got a positive attitude, still happy to be learning and growing. It's a good perspective to have as the new year dawns.

Blessings

As far as weeks go, this has been a good one, dare I say a very good one. Seeing CAL graduate and hearing her talk excitedly about her post-graduate internship has been so rewarding. The stunningly patient and mighty fine SML and I found ourselves counting our blessings with two of our children now official degree carrying college grads.

We continued counting blessings today. We are holed up with Our Lady of Awesome and her family for a couple of days before we move on to Phase Two of Vacation Shenanigans 2015. We joined them at Church for our sweet baby Jane's blessing. For those of you not of the 'peculiar people' faith (us Mormons), the blessing of a baby is like a christening, minus the baptismal part. What an honor it was to join my son-in-law Awesome in the blessing! It was particularly sweet that Jane wore the same dress that her mother wore when she was blessed as a baby.

It should come as no surprise that I let the man tears fly when the little church choir and congregation closed the service with "Silent Night," accompanied by both the piano and organ. Surrounded by family, a new baby, and the spirit of Christmas made it easy to count our blessings. Hence, the tears o'gratitude.

And now our day is winding down. I'm listening to my daughter negotiate dinner options with my two and a half year old grandson. From what I'm hearing, he has a bright future in hostage negotiations. My son-in-law is holding his daughter, our sweet granddaughter, and all seems right in the world.

Another belated update from TMFKATB

Since I spent the last six days in the bizarro world that is Dubai (more on that in an upcoming post), I was unable to get the update from TMFKATB posted.

What did he have to say? In his letter, he brought us up to speed on his new companion and the new leadership responsibilities he has. He's training a brand-new missionary and leading a group of missionaries. He's busy and really focused and that showed in his letter. I also noticed that now that he's been in an exclusively Spanish area, the syntax of his letters are becoming more Spanish-infused again. It's not as bad as when he was in Mexico but it's happening again. Can't help but smile at that. Frankly, I can't help but smile whenever I think about what he's up to during this two year period of mission service.

Perhaps it was because I was up for twenty six hours hours yesterday, fourteen of which were on an airplane, I didn't take  note of the date (17th). It was the one year anniversary of our son leaving on his mission. It's flown by. It's been an amazing experience for us. I can't even begin to detail how his service has blessed our family. I can just attest that it's been incredible and to see the changes in him, wow, just wow.

I wouldn't have it any other way. And if his second year goes as quickly as his first, he's going to be home in no time.

Fatherhood

These three...

Fatherhood.

There are very few words that inspire moments of sheer terror in the mind of a man like that word - fatherhood. The word is defined as the state of having one or more children. Whether it's one child or nine (not nineteen, have we learned nothing from the freak show that is The Duggars?), becoming a father is an extended ride on the scariest, terror-inducing, exciting and most fun roller coaster on the planet.

Fatherhood is a cacophony of awesome.
Fatherhood is moment after moment of heart-bursting pride.
Fatherhood is moments of gut-wrenching pain, mostly the pain you wish you could absorb for your children.
Fatherhood is messy - countless ties ruined by projectile vomiting, shirts stretched wildly when acting as the shoulder to cry on, knees on pants torn up sliding to stop someone from hurting himself.
Fatherhood is anxiety-inducing. Seriously, why is she dating that boy? Why did the state issue him a drivers license?
Fatherhood is joy, sheer joy. Dancing with your daughter at her wedding. Sitting and cheering with your daughter in the cheap seats at an MLB game. Watching your son walking down a jetway to serve his fellow man for two years.
Fatherhood, while it may spark moments of terror, is, in a word, AWESOME.

It is a wise father that knows his own child.

William Shakespeare

You're welcome to argue just how wise I am but I can tell you this. It has been the joy of my life to get to be father to my three children. I'm glad I know them. To be their father is the highest honor I will ever receive. Other than being good to their mother, nothing else matters. Nothing.

Happy Fathers Day

This Is The Place

Brigham called it and so did The Boy

Since The Boy returned from his eight months of missionary service in Mexico, our family's collective goal has been to get him back to full health so he could return to the service he loved. It's been hard for him to be home, caught in a limbo world between his life as a missionary and life at home, the last place he expected to be. We've been walking a thin line too, trying to give him space but being ever mindful of getting him better and wanting to keep him close.

Suffice to say, we were all extremely relieved when his infectious disease specialist (yes, we had to go to that level) cleared him last Friday to return to service. Interestingly, in his approval note, the doctor noted that The Boy would need to stay in the continental US. We had not said anything to him about that. With that approval, the waiting game was on for a new assignment.

A couple of days after The Boy got home, he announced that he knew he would be reassigned to either Idaho or Utah. I, for one, scoffed at either. I knew he'd be assigned in the US, as a SpanAm'er (Spanish-Speaking American assignment), and having served as a SpanAm'er in the Florida Ft. Lauderdale mission 30 years ago, I selfishly (albeit silently) hoped he might be assigned to my old stomping grounds. I think a father-son duo who think they are Cubans may have been the thing to push the stunningly patient and mighty fine SML over the proverbial edge, so it was not to be.

We learned yesterday what is to be. The Boy will follow in the footsteps of his pioneer ancestors and will settle into a desert valley nestled against the Wasatch Mountains. Upon his arrival into what became known as the Salt Lake Valley after a heinous trek, Brigham Young looked out over the vast expanse and declared, "This is the place." The Boy can now say the same. He has been assigned to serve in the Utah Salt Lake City South Mission as a Spanish-speaking missionary. He is excited and we are relieved. It's good to know where he'll serve the balance of his mission.

Now some of you may be shaking your head at a mission call to Salt Lake City. 'Isn't that the mothership?' you ask. Indeed, it is the headquarters of the Church and it is home to a whole slew o'Mormons, to be sure. It's that, for sure, but it is also a place with opportunity to serve, grow, and learn, like any other missionary assignment. I heard from a friend of mine yesterday as his son had served in the same mission as a Spanish speaker. He said, "Even though we were subject to wisecracks and disbelief that accompany a call to SLC, it was a great blessing for him and for us." Amen, brother, and thank you.

So now we wait. We have no idea when he leaves. This call was extended via phone, rather than the white envelope that normally is associated with a mission call, so there's a lot we don't know. We've got a few things to figure out in the coming days. Good times, my friends, good times.