Ethan is home

Josh, Boaz and I drove up to Salt Lake City this past weekend. Craig had to work on Saturday, so he couldn’t go. (He was sad. But when you start off being employed at broken organizations, extra hour at the beginning are a given.) We left on Friday and that gave us Saturday to do some errands. We had a lazy morning and then went shopping. 

Shopping with boys is seriously no fun. They both hate it, but we went to Mr Mac to look for missionary clothes, so Josh was interested. I had talked to Carl that morning and gotten shoe recommendations, so off we went. The shoes were my biggest worry. It’s a walking mission. I wanted quality shoes that would be comfortable and would last a while. 

Ten white shirts; black, gray, navy pants; three colors of socks; the baptismal package: white pants, one pair of socks and a tie; two pairs of shoes; and a pouch to carry his passport later and we were set. I was experiencing a bit of sticker shock, but Josh was excited to have a majority of his shopping list conquered. 

Saturday night we had a nice chatty sibling dinner at Deb’s house. It’s always fun to just talk. 

Sunday I wanted a picture of the three cousins connected to Trujillo, Peru. I stressed until I got it after the meeting. 

Ethan blew me away. He had always been the one to hang back and observe. I was amazed during his talk. He spoke more words than I think I have ever heard him speak in his life. I’ve not been around, true. He explained how his mission had changed him. He talked about his previous confidence being shattered and how he came to rely on God as he learned to communicate. And I was destroyed. I thought about Josh going through all that in a different hemisphere. I remembered how hard it was for me. I remembered the stories Craig told about his mission. I know I want him to go, but tears leaked from my eyes as I thought about him struggling so far from home. 

Once self confidence is replaced by confidence in God, the mission becomes everything we always think it is. 

Here is the picture. 

The process of moving has brought back the beard. But he does have a new haircut. Again he will mourn as he becomes clean shaven some time in the near future. 

I missed Kayla, but got a picture of the cousins. 

Cody won the battle of wills. I did t get him to smile until after I put away the camera. 

I enjoyed watching Josh, and he pulled Boaz along, as he interacted as an emerging adult with his adult cousins. They are a good six years older than Josh. Nicko is tens years older, but he was working and couldn’t make it. Well I guess Raven is just a year older than Josh. And Alysa is maybe two years older, but this group of cousins have all grown up together in Salt Lake City. Josh stepped into the club. 

I am grateful for the family I have. We are weird and broken is places. But we are survivors and our kids are amazing.