It Begins Again

Happy, sad, excited, scared, lonely, anxious.....the feelings are all here once again.  Boyd got his mission call yesterday and I am so proud of him.  I will worry and miss him like I do with Cortnie, but with faith all will be well and things will be okay. 

It has been another rollercoaster ride.  Boyd decided it was finally time to apply for his call about a month ago.  He met with the bishop and was found worthy to be a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  Bishop released his paperwork and we began to get it all ready.  He had his wisdom teeth pulled last summer and met with the doctor and got clearance from them both. It took him only one day to complete the paperwork then was back at the bishop's door.  He was so excited when he walked out and released that this was getting real.  President Miller was the next step.  I took him to Kingman for the appointment and he was really quiet.  I talked to him about his feelings and he was pretty nervous.  I was worried that he was not ready and did not really want to do this.  However, the smile on his face upon exiting President Miller's office was larger than life.  I knew then that he was prepared and finally exited.  He was relieved to have the interviews over. 

President Miller told us it would take about ten days for the call to come. I was not sure whether to believe that or not as that is what Cortnie was told too and she had to wait another week.  We figured if it came it would come on Wednesday or Thursday.  The mailbox was empty on Wednesday.  We kept teasing him though about it coming when it really had not.  He is such a fun person to tease.  Anyway, Thursday he was the first one home.  I really wanted to be here when he opened the mailbox, but he was alone.  I texted him from work and asked him if the call had come...and he said "maybe".  I knew that it had.  I hurried home (as everyone else was already there by this time).  I asked him where it was when I got home and he said he had hid it.  Funny kid.  It took us about an hour to get everyone on the computers or phone and then we were ready.

Boyd was still playing around.  He asked us all if we were ready and I asked him if he was. He started to get up and said "no, let's wait one more day" then laughed and sat back down.  He was a little bit nervous but soon the envelope was opened.  Brittnie was standing to the side of him and slowly inched her way over to where she could read the letter. She saw before he did where he was going and covered her mouth.  He began to read:  "Dear Elder Beatty, You are hereby called to serve as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Virginia, Richmond Mission."  I could sense a tiny bit of disappoint as I knew that he really wanted to go foreign...but it was okay.  He continued to read...." You will report to the Missionary Training Center is Mexico" - we all started to scream and laugh and he threw back his head. We knew what that meant - he was going to be speaking Spanish.  He was so hoping to not have to learn Spanish either.  He kept reading to find out that he will enter the MTC on July 30th. Since he goes to Mexico, that means that we put him on the plane in Las Vegas to travel by himself to a foreign country where he will be all alone - well kind of. 

As we spend the rest of the night calling everyone and posting it on facebook, he became more and more excited. I think our Sister Missionaries were more excited than anyone - especially Sister Toyn. She just left that MTC about three weeks ago. She is so excited for him and was telling him all about it tonight and what to expect and who to see.  Another tender mercy that Heavenly Father gave to me by sending them here. They will help train him  - he will go out with them and they will speak Spanish to them.  Boyd said last night that he knows now this is where he is supposed to go.  He will probably freeze his little tail off but he is excited. 

He will be  great missionary.  I have known that for a long time, but it is still not easy.  I am just going to get one home (61 days to be precise) and then the other will leave. Boyd still seems so young to me and has never left home for more than a week.  He is such a big teddy bear and really watches out and takes care of me.  I will so miss his big bear hugs and his kisses.  He is the most loving boy a mother could ask for.  Once again, my faith is being tested and the tears are starting to roll, but I am trying not to show that side to him.  The time will come for that all too soon.  I just pray that my Heavenly Father will keep him safe in his arms and watch over him.  Two years will be a very long time.  I am proud of you son. 

Fun Pictures

Not sure who they all are...but thought you might enjoy some pictures.  Also, check out the song on facebook under my name. 

Beautiful Day!

It is such a beautiful day!  The sun in shining, it is a little bit overcast, I am enjoying a wonderful weekend with my three children who are home and my husband and I love very minute of it.  We got to go to a temple dedication today to see the dedication of the Gilbert Arizona temple and the spirit there was so strong.  I could not keep the tears from rolling down my cheeks. I wish that I could bottle up that spiritual feeling and open the lid to pull a little bit out when I am feeling down and not quite so happy.  It is so uplifting to go to church each week, but to see a prophet of God and listen to his words was incredible.  I wish I could hug him just like a couple of the little kids did today.  It was so awesome!

I love weekends like this one. We all worked in the yard yesterday and no one even complained about it.  We have lots of yard work to get done to make it look better at there and I can not do it alone. I am so grateful when my children will pitch in and throw or rake manure or take out the trimmings.  It is just so fun to work together.  There is nothing that I enjoy more than spending time with my family.  Spring Break is coming up and I want to do something even though we do not have very much money.  I want to just get away and spend some time with them - but still reserve my Tuesday morning to talk with Cortnie.  That is another high light of my week.  I really could not be happier right now and am so grateful that I am allowed to be.

I have two new "daughters" that I have adopted even though they may not know it.  We got sister missionaries about ten days ago to replace our elders and they are straight from heaven.  I have so much love for them and want to take care of them all the time.  Maybe it is because they make me feel so much closer to my daughter.  I am not sure but I just want to make sure they are happy and love having them in my home.  They make us laugh and smile and give me big hugs - hugs I miss from my own daughter. They take Brittnie out on lessons with them and she will even go.  My whole family just loves them to pieces.  They make us laugh and bring such a spirit with them.  Yesterday they showed up to help us do yard work too. It was starting to rain slightly when they got here, but they did not care. They pushed the lawnmower and trimmed the train all while the rain was drizzling down. It was so awesome to look at the rain coming down and their smiling faces as they continued to work. They want to come back tomorrow and help us some more - on the day off!  I just want them to feel loved and hope that they do.

Cortnie is doing well. Can you believe that there are only 73 days left until she comes home!  It does not seem possible but yet I am so excited. I  want her to finish strong and keep telling her that.  It is hard to believe how fast it has gone by.  She is such a trooper and has the best companion. They work so well together and it is fun to hear their stories.  We each have a countdown going that allows off to mark off one more day each morning.  Rob and I are going to go back to pick her up. I really wanted all the kids to go too, but it is the last week of school and Boyd can not miss finals. He graduates the week after. We are going to Disneyland a couple of weeks after we get home though so that will be awesome too.  Exciting and busy times lie ahead for our family over the next couple of months.

One more piece of excitement, Boyd has turned in his mission papers. They actually were electronically sent in this morning and should be back within about ten days.  I can  not believe it will be that soon and I hope for his sake it will not take three weeks like Cortnie's did.  I can not believe I will be sending another one off this summer.  I am so excited but yet so sad.  I worry about where he will go but know it will be where the Lord wants him. Rob and I have told him we would like him to go to Fiji, New Zealand....anywhere exotic so we can come a couple weeks early and pick him up.  I just want him to be happy and ready to serve.

My life is wonderful.!  I am busy and sometimes wonder how I can do it all.  My sisters are sometimes very needy but I am fortunate enough to have a good presidency and we work well together.  I just want everyone to feel the spirit like I did this morning.....to know that the temple allows us to be together forever!!  What a blessing that is