And He's Off!

Yesterday Nicky officially left home to serve his mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He did ten days of training from home, and now he is safe and secure in the Mexico City Missionary Training Center for the next five weeks. He'll be having a rigorous education in the Spanish language, and then in August he will head to Puerto Rico!

(That's the first time I've written his mission location on the blog). 

We spent all day Wednesday getting him packed and ready to go. We bought him two pairs of mission shoes a few weeks ago, and the stinker never tried on the black pair (we bought them online), so when he finally put them on, he was shocked that they didn't fit. That left us scrambling for another pair of shoes at the last minute. 

Then I kept thinking of things like, "Oh! I better put tweezers in his luggage!" (he stepped on a cactus two weeks ago and still has some spines in his foot - which makes me nervous). And "Oh! He might need a Sharpie to write his name on stuff!" Early yesterday morning I was worried that his apartments might not have a can opener. Is my son smart enough to buy a can opener if he needs one? I'm not so sure. What about scissors? I made sure to get him some toenail clippers because I know he won't buy any! He'll just gnaw his toenails off or wait for them to break off on their own. 

I packed him a bunch of stuff I know he'll never use - like an umbrella and an apron. We packed one large suitcase and one small suitcase, which is less luggage than he is allowed (two large suitcases and one carryon), and he still had a bit of space. I hope we didn't forget anything. If Nicky had his way, he'd just have a backpack with one change of clothes and maybe a toothbrush, and that's it. 

I had no idea how I would feel sending him off. I was okay until it was time to say goodbye, and he got teary eyed and a little emotional, which made me get teary eyed and a little emotional. Truth be told, two years is dang long. 

Dang.

Long.

I know I'm not the first mother to do this - I'm not special - but holy moly. What a unique heartbreak it causes to send your child out into the world. A friend said to me today, "Your child is right where you want them to be, yet it's still so hard to let them go." Amen, friend. Amen!

We were told that he would be able to email us to let us know he made it to Mexico City. The email finally came at 9:11 pm. He's fine, and he's happy. And I’m relieved, and I can’t wait to hear from him again. 

I wrote back and told him that if he has a liquid Code Brown, there is Imodium and Pepto in his suitcase. Does my kid know what to do if he gets diarrhea in Mexico? Probably not. Will he listen to me? Probably not. But at least I tried. The care of his bowels is entirely up to him now. 

His toenail maintenance is entirely up to him now.

His can opening method is entirely up to him now.

Can this boy live without his mom? I hope so, and yet, I hope not. 

Home MTC: Finito

Nicky just finished ten days of “home MTC” prior to leaving for the Mexico MTC. He had to live missionary standards at home while doing daily classes to train him to be a missionary. 

I heard various things about “home MTC.” Some say the missionaries have too much down time. Others say that they’re too busy. One person said, “It’s like living in COVID again and being quarantined.”

All three statements are valid. They do have too much downtime while at the same time being way too busy. And it definitely felt like COVID as far as being online Zoom all day but also trying to find creative things to do during downtime. 

Nicky went stir crazy. He’s not one to sit still, so he got really antsy during “home MTC.” It felt like I had four-year-old Nicky with me again… “What are we going to do today, Mom?” “Can we go somewhere?” “I’m bored.”

I tried to think of something to do with him each day during his long break. Unfortunately that break took place during the hottest part of the day and my most tired part of the day. 

I took him to run errands, I took him to visit friends, I dropped him and Scotty off at a bike trail with their bikes a couple of times, and I even took him to get a pedicure (he’ll have the cleanest toes in the Mexico MTC!) 

Last week someone asked me, “What do you think the purpose of home MTC is?” to which I replied, “I have no idea!” But a few days later, I decided the purpose of home MTC is to drive the missionary and their parents to the point of “get this over with!” so that all parties are ready for the the missionary to go! 

It wasn’t all bad, though. We got to have Nicky around for the 4th of July, and we got to witness his first week and a half as a missionary up close and talk to him every day. We got to have some time with him without his social life taking priority (he was stuck with US for once!) It was really special having a missionary in our home. 

He’s ready to go, though. 

Blogging from the ER

This evening I’m blogging to keep busy while Eva is in the ER. She got bit on the face by a dog, so we need to get a good cleaning and have some skin flaps sewn up. I think with this incident, I’ve finally hit my breaking point. My stress level was pretty high today already because I’ve been trying to get all of the last minute things done for Nicky’s mission (we take him to the airport at 4:30 Thursday morning) so this might put me over the edge. This is the third time Eva has had stitches in her face!

Anyway, here’s a distracting questionnaire:

Which vegetable do you trust the least?

Iceberg lettuce. It goes bad so quick. You always have to beware of an iceberg salad mix or shredded lettuce in a bag. 

What is the most recent concert you’ve been to?

The last one I remember is Mat and Savanna Shaw two Christmases ago.

What’s your favorite Star Wars movie?

Um…

Have you ever eaten something off the floor?

All the time. And I am not ashamed.

What would ten-year-old you think of you?

She would be horrified that I’m fat and old.

Do you ever talk to yourself?

Definitely!

Do you know how to whistle?

Yes, but I’m quite a mediocre whistler.

What’s your favorite smell?

Honeysuckle

What was the last thing you couldn’t get off your mind?

Mission things and camp food.

Do you believe in ghosts?

No.

Do you believe there’s meaning behind your dreams?

No.

Can you speak more than one language?

No.

If you could pick up any skill in an instant, which would you choose?

Playing the piano or speaking Spanish.

What’s one superpower you wouldn’t want?

Reading minds.

What song would you pick to walk up to bat to?

Lil Boo Thing

What’s the best part of your day?

When Zoe and Eva are asleep.

What do you consider to be a “green flag” when you meet someone?

Equal conversational give and take, listening, and remembering my name.

What’s your favorite condiment?

Fry sauce, Best Foods mayo, and Chick-fil-A sauce.

How do you like your eggs?

Scrambled or over easy with toast.

What conspiracy theory do you believe in?

Elvis and Michael Jackson are still alive.

What would your Spice Girls name be?

Stinky Spice.

If all your furniture came to life like in Beauty and the Beast, which one would scare you the most?

The bidet.

If you had to pick an actor to portray you in a movie, who would it be?

Jennifer Coolidge.

If you were invisible for ten minutes, what would you do?

Go around pulling up the pants of sagging young men.

The Camp Rundown

Last year I was called to serve on the stake girls camp committee. I ended up volunteering to do the food, and I loved it! Nine meals for 150 people! It’s a daunting task, but somehow it suited me. 

Normally our stake has alternated between stake camp and ward camp each year, but this year they did stake girls camp again, so we had the same committee (save for one person), and we tackled camp together once more! 

Last year we went to a really fancy camp with a big industrial kitchen. This year we went to a camp with a storage room and a few old fridges. It happened to be the camp my in-laws served their mission at, so it’s a very familiar place.

Our camp theme was from 1 Corinthians 14:33, “For God is not the author of contention but of peace.” The theme was chosen by the Youth Camp Leaders. 

I was in charge of the food again, but this time the stake only provided three meals and the wards took turns providing the rest. 

Since my sister-in-law passed away shortly before camp, my girls and I came home Monday night so we could attend her funeral on Tuesday. Then we went back to camp on Wednesday. I came home late that night, and my girls stayed until Thursday. 

That actually made it easier to tackle the food because I was able to prep a lot of it at home in between camp days, and I was able to haul it up in two different loads. 

I didn’t interact much with the young women at camp. I mostly hung out in the pavilion organizing food and helping the wards with their meals. I kind of prefer it that way. I’m not great working close with the youth, and I don’t like facilitating activities, so I’m much better utilized in the food department. I will cook all day long! Just don’t make me entertain or supervise teenagers!

Like last year, I brought a few joyous gifts to share at camp.

This year my fellow camp committee members were out to get me. They came prepared and set me up for a startle! I knew something funky was going on in the storage room, and I figured I’d find mannequin heads in the refrigerators or something. Little did I know I would walk in and be greeted by this fine specimen:

Yes, I screamed. 

The worst part was not knowing who was in the costume! It was Denise, our stake camp director. 

After she got me, she spent some time running around camp.

I got a good laugh out of the whole thing. She walked like Big Foot, but not on purpose. She was in socks with floppy gorilla foot covers, and it made her take on a Sasquatch-y gait that I found hilarious. 

We had some good times!

That night I loaded up everything I could and drove home (everyone else left the next morning). 

On my way out of camp, I pulled over a few times because the sunset was really pretty. 

I had a great camp experience. I missed a good chunk of it, but I’m glad I was able to be there for two of the days. 

Fourth of July Happenings

Our 4th of July was a little unique this year because we had a missionary in the house! Luckily, they gave Nicky’s district a P-Day for the 4th so he was able to spend some time with us celebrating the holiday. 

We started out early at our ward breakfast. Scotty and Daisy went to the stake center park at 6:30 am to help set up. Nicky went over around 7:00, and the rest of us went at 8:00. We enjoyed our time with friends and neighbors. Nicky was thrilled to get out of the house and socialize. He and Cam are the cutest missionaries.

After the ward breakfast, we had our traditional  neighborhood parade. We were boring this year and didn’t decorate our bikes or do anything other than show up. The kids walked the route while Scotty and I went and watched from the old elementary school. 

I didn’t even get any photos, but luckily my friend Sara sent me this one:

The parade ends at the local park where everyone meets up for carnival games and treats. 

After that we all needed a reset so we went home for a while and some of us napped. We wanted to go out and do something, especially since Nicky is so stir crazy from home MTC, so Scotty had the idea to go to the Bingham Copper Mine. We’ve been trying to go forever but just hadn’t made it work. Scotty was able to book us some tickets for 1:30.

We drove to the line and took the shuttle to the viewing area. Last time we went was when Nicky was about three years old. 

One of our kids did not want to be there.

But I won’t say who. 

Other than ONE child, everyone enjoyed the experience and thought it was pretty cool (and honestly, that one child probably thought it was cool, too, but she can’t say so).

In the evening we went to my mom’s house and had dinner, played games, and watched fireworks. The kids like to ride around her cul de sac on scooters while the fireworks are going off all around us. 

It was a good (but long) day, and it was fun to share it with a missionary!

Currently (4th of July Edition)

Reading: nothing. I still can’t focus on reading.

Wearing: a 4th of July shirt and red shoes. I love seeing everyone dressed in red, white, and blue on the 4th. It’s so fun! And an excuse to be a little tacky. 

Today at our neighborhood 4th of July party, I was talking to a lady from Australia, and she was telling me how excited she was to go to Walmart and buy all the Americana accessories. She was also very excited to get to light fireworks because they are illegal in Australia (to light yourself). 

Annoyed by: fighting kids.

Craving: birria tacos.

Listening to: thunder! We have a bit of a storm rolling in.

Buying: finger nail polish remover.

Eating: string cheese and beef jerky. 

Laughing about: my friend Denise in this gorilla costume.

Singing: “Praise to the Man.”

Suffering from: heat exhaustion. I’ve been out in the heat a lot this week, and I’ve been getting headaches and feeling a bit nauseous from it. 

Proud of myself for: being 5 days soda sober. I’m trying to go soda-free for the duration of Nicky’s mission.

Missing: sweatshirt weather.

Enjoying: my freshly flossed teeth.

Sick of: politics.

Hoping: to catch up on sleep over the next few days.

Wanting: to go on vacation. 

Wondering: if I’d make a good rodeo clown. 

Feeling: tired. 

Cooking: nothing. I’m on break after the heavy amount of cooking I’ve done this past week. 

Avoiding: helping Daisy get her driving hours in. 

Needing: to clean my room. 

Grateful for: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

This Post is Boring (and ten other random facts)

Fact #1: We have a missionary in our house! Today is Nicky’s 4th day of home MTC. He is doing well but getting a little stir crazy. He has online classes and trainings all day long, and he is a boy who has to move! I always say he’s like a high energy breed of dog that needs to be walked several times daily. So it’s a challenge for him, but he is also loving it. He likes his companion, and he has been in some classes with a girl he knows from school who started her mission the same day.  

Fact #2: We got Nicky’s flight information for next week. He will be going to the Mexico MTC. He is seated on the plane right between two sister missionaries. His reaction: “Jesus is real!” 

Fact #3: Nicky’s thoughts on home MTC - he has liked getting to meet his companion and the missionaries in his district. He thinks three days of home MTC is plenty, and after that it gets old. He’s excited to meet people in person. He says his mind is tired but his body needs to get up and do something. He jump ropes in the garage when he’s on break. Today during his longer break, he begged to go somewhere, so I took him to visit some of his friends. 

We also went to the car wash and the grocery store. Not exactly what this adrenaline junkie needs, but at least he left the house. This evening I suggested that I drop Nicky and Scotty off at a bike trail. He is having a hard time not being able to listen to secular music, but he has found a few songs by the Tabernacle Choir that he considers “bops.”

Fact #4: He has already split the seams in two pairs of his brand new mission pants. 

Fact #5: From a mom’s perspective, I think home MTC is nice because I get to be with Nicky and witness the start of his mission. It’s kind of cool to be there for the beginning of it rather than sending him off instantly. I agree with Nicky that ten days is a bit long, though. I feel bad for him for having to stare at a computer screen all day. He gets to have p-day tomorrow for the 4th of July, so I’m excited to get to do some fun things as a family. 

Fact #6: Along with home MTC, we’ve had girls camp and a funeral this week. It’s been quite a wild few weeks.

Fact #7: I saw my kitchen table at the DI the other day for $25. Any takers?

Fact #8: I am so tired right now from all that’s been going on. We had three weeks of theatre camp followed by eight performances of Matilda Jr - the last of which were on Saturday. Our Strawberry trip was squeezed in between performances 4 & 5. Then Sunday was Nicky’s “not farewell,” Nicky started his mission on Monday, and the girls and I went to camp. Then we came home that night for the funeral, which was on Tuesday - Scotty conducted the service, and I spoke. Then we went back up to camp Wednesday. I came home late that night, and the girls stayed until Thursday. At camp, I was in charge of three meals for 150 people, so every spare minute for the last three weeks has been spent making lists, shopping, prepping food, and packing. 

Fact #9: Somehow I got it all done, and I stayed mentally stable. My mind is definitely fried - I can tell my cognitive function is way off - but I didn’t get too stressed. I just had to stay way ahead of the game, make very detailed lists, and let my friends help me. I’ve never liked to ask for help, but this week I did. I knew I had to. 

Fact #10: I’m a little worried that now that all of these big things are done, I’m going to slump into my summer depression. I’ve been running non-stop since March, and now things might slow down a bit. Between the change of pace and the heat (which exhausts me), I might be out of commission until after Halloween.