And He's off to Serve the Lord

Christmas break was like no other I have ever experienced.  I did most of the Christmas shopping while Alan was in Utah picking up Josh from BYU.  Which meant all of his things had to come home with him.  I won't lie, that first day he was home, I cried and cried.  I guess I knew it was the beginning of the end of our family life as we knew it.  Nothing would ever be like it was.  It would be different.  It hit me like a ton of bricks and I was done for.  I cried through church, I cried when we got home.  I cried all day.  I was a mess.  My eyes ended up being the size of a mini marshmellow.  I finally settled down and decided that I would not loose it again!

We totally enjoyed Christmas. Being all together and sharing in the joy that the season brings.  Immediately after Christmas, we started shopping for Josh to get him ready for his mission.  The Sunday after Christmas, he talked in church.  The next afternoon, Seth received his Eagle certificate in the mail and because Seth really wanted Josh there to present him with his Eagle, we threw together an Eagle Court of Honor for the following Sunday. (Josh's last Sunday here.)  I can't tell you how much stress that put me under.  I thought I would loose it, but I held it all in.  Even when Seth turned around and gave Josh a mentor pin!

Here are my men!  So proud that I have two Eagle Scouts!

We prayed so hard for Josh to get his Visa but it did not come.  I got a call from President Salmon, our Stake President, informing me that Josh would be going to Provo Missionary Training Center.  He was sad about that, and understandably because he had his heart set on going to the training center in Madrid, Spain.  He will still get there, just not before he is trained at Provo.

On Tuesday the 7th of January 2014 he was set apart to serve as a missionary to the people of Spain.  What a wonderful experience that was.  I particularly loved hearing the thoughts and feelings of everyone in the room, including my husband and my children. But it was something else when Josh got to share his feelings and testimony of what he is about to go do for two years.  As he shared his thoughts, all doubt of him being ready vanished from my heart.  He is ready and he will be a great missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The next morning we all got up early and took him to the airport.  It is surreal to a parent to think of sending your child off not being able to touch him, call him (only at Christmas and Mothers day) or see him for 2 years.  And knowing that you are sending him off to experience one of the hardest, tiring, rewarding experiences of his life; one he will treasure and cherish the rest of his days.  He will be so far away and in a culture he knows nothing about and a language he will barely speak for the first little bit, but many before and many after will be doing exactly that.

We watched his plane leave and came home to the driveway covered in chalk with this on it.  If you can'd read it it says, "Elder Josh Hamberlin is off to serve in Spain (Espana)! with a big drawing of an Elder with scriptures in his hand.    

And the lawn filled with hearts and sayings.

Here is the Elder and the Scriptures. 

And hearts made out of rocks! 

 There were also two boquets of flowers and a bag with items in it for me (mom).  

What a blessing to have such thoughtful people in my life.  I had many text me and send me messages on facebook to let me know they were thinking of me.  I ended up being emotionally and physically drained and took a two hour nap after lunch.  All in all, I am grateful to have those two and a half weeks behind me.  I am sad that he is gone, but so grateful that he is where he is at.  Alan commented the other day that Josh should be in class at that time.  Then he said he wished that they could write us more often so that we might know how he is feeling and doing.  I agree.  But until then we will wait for those Preparation days when he can write to us and tell us what he is experiencing.  I have thought a lot about my own experiences when I was a missionary and the wonderful memories and experiences I had.  I would not trade them for the world.  I hope he feels the same.