Oh my goodness. It happened.

Ever since Josh left for his mission more than four years ago, Craig has been talking about us serving a mission. 

Honestly I had no idea how we would make it. 

He planned out what would need to happen financially. 

A month after Josh left on his mission, Craig lost his job in Cortez Colorado. He found another job, but not at the same level. Hospital administrator jobs are not really plentiful. 

We stayed through the end of the year and let Boaz finish out his freshman year. We had just closed on our beautiful house in Mancos. 

I had a job that I really loved at Fort Lewis College in Durango. 

We made it work, but we tightened our belts. 

Craig found a job before the end of the school year in Salmon Idaho. It was closer to Idaho Falls and his mom. She was getting older and we wanted to be closer. We ended up being there on weekends for the last six months of her life. We are grateful for that time we had to be with her. 

We weren’t able to sell our lovely house. We carried it for two years thinking we would be able to sell eventuality and get out the equity. For part of that time we had a young couple stay in it and they paid about half of the mortgage. 

When we finally ended up selling, we made nothing on it. In fact we ended up having to pay a bit to the bank to get rid of it. 

That part of our financial plan obviously didn’t work. We were a bit angry. Houses were selling in three hours in other parts of the country. And our house languished for years. 

We began again. 

A year ago Craig lost his job again. This time Boaz had one year left of high school and he was part of a group of the best friends he had ever had. 

It seems that small town politics are more important than having a healthy business plan. 

He found a job in Boise. But the family stayed in Salmon. We decided to keep Boaz here to finish out his senior year. Boise had large town politics. And Craig was missing out on Josh and Boaz’s last time together. We decided to have him come back. But again, hospital administrator jobs were non existent. So he took a job at half the pay. 

It was absolutely the right decision, but hard to take on a pride level. A much better work environment. Craig made an eternal friend and nourished existing friendships. 

With all that we thought we could make it and then Craig lost his memory for a day. He spent the night in the hospital. After insurance we owed $6,000.00. There was no way we could see past this latest blow. We gave up on our plan. 

With the financial setbacks we faced, we couldn’t see a way forward with our desire and plan to serve a mission.

Then Craig was called to teach the missionary prep class for Boaz and his friends. It was hard to ignore the teaching of have faith and things will work out. 

He decided to look into it once more and found a way. That way involved miracles and a knowledge that Christ was in charge. He always saw a way forward. 

We turned in our papers. A lot of things to get ready. A very specific time line to hit. We wanted to leave after Boaz and get back before him. 

Craig posted this when we got our call. 

We had been interested in Peru ever since Josh was called there. Craig had listed Iquitos at first and Josh told him to take it off the list. It is in the Amazon Jungle. 

When Josh was in the MTC in Lima, a missionary asked if they needed to worry about safety. The teacher said, “No, not in Peru. Wait, are any of you going to Iquitos? No? Then you have nothing to worry about.”

Josh was a bit freaked out when we opened our call. But we feel confident that is the place we are called to go. 

There are pink river dolphins, sloths, monkeys, and jungle birds and butterflies. As well as huge spiders, piranhas and anacondas. And mosquitoes. Lots of them. 

We will be fine. 

Bug spray and permethrin will be our friends, even though they are toxic themselves. We must learn to use them safely. 

We listed we wanted to be the office couple. We had that call for maybe two weeks. Now we are MLS missionaries. Before we would be in Iquitos. We would have a nice apartment and have access to what Iquitos had to offer. As a city of 600,000 people, that would be a lot. We knew what to imagine our mission would be like. Now we have no idea where we will be or what we will be doing. Craig now is required to learn Spanish. (He is studying every day.)

One of his favorite quotes is: “the true church is not only to comfort the afflicted, but to afflict the comfortable.” Harold B Lee. 

So we have compiled papers for our visa applications. Peru is now one of the hardest countries to get a visa. We are also getting our shots. I wasn’t vaccinated  as a child, so I have to get every shot listed. 

This past Monday I got stabbed three times. Next month I have to get stabbed three times again. We are taking the oral typhoid vaccine for the next week. 

Those were the first two critical things on my list. I will look at the list again later. 

I am still working and next week our office will be moving. One vital thing at a time. 

Elk in the river

On Tuesdays part of our office goes to Challis for the day. I don’t really enjoy it. It is always crazy. Sometimes crazy busy and we don’t have time to think. Sometimes crazy not busy and all the stuff I need to do is back home in Salmon. 

The road to Challis follows the Salmon River. I like to watch for eagles which we frequently see. They perch in various trees that line the banks. 

On October 11th we saw a group of elk standing in the water. 

They are rather fabulous. 

Friday Night lights

Craig was Jim Bob’s substitute on the radio for the high school football game. We had to leave work early and head to Firth. (Back to our old stomping grounds.)

Craig did a good job calling the game. I did a good job staying off the air. I had no desire to be on the radio. 

Our poor team finally got one touchdown in the last minutes of the quarter. Firth scoured nine, I think. So that was about 63 to 7. Sad score. 

But we had fun. I was looking for any orange I might have in my wardrobe. Slim pickings. Not my favorite color. 

An experience for sure. Not really ever on my bucket list. But. He led off all the same. 

General Conference weekend

I have been making cinnamon rolls every conference weekend since the boys were babies. I wanted them to look forward to that weekend. 

Cinnamon rolls were especially for conference. All three of my boys look forward to the tradition. 

This year all of my boys were in different states/countries. 

So no cinnamon rolls. 

But Emma came over for the Saturday sessions. We made pudding. I was super excited, but realized I was out of corn starch. 

After a trip to the store where no corn starch was to be had, I decided to use arrow root powder. I looked at the conversion table. Before I put the butter and vanilla in it was thick. A bit goopy. I was worried. After the butter and vanilla the thickening was gone. 

So I had vanilla soup. 

Super bummed. 

But Emma and I had a fabulous time watching conference. 

Selfie in the kitchen. 

Avisha snuggling with Emma. They both are missing Boaz. 

Craig and Thea

I got home after Craig left for his trip. He headed to Las Vegas to meet Thea. She and Alex came to the mainland for an Oakland Raider’s game. 

It was much needed time for father and daughter. 

Happy smiles at being together again. 

She had a plan all worked out on where to go and what to see. Craig loved it, but his legs were a bit tired. 

Silly picture at the Titanic museum. He was there over Conference weekend. 

Work trip in Sun Valley

I went on an overnighter for work with most of the girls. We met early and drove the four is hours to the resort of Sun Valley. 

I wanted to make sure we weren’t rushing to get there, or perhaps risk getting stuck behind traffic on the windy mountain roads. 

We had a bit of time to look around before check in. 

I was tired of wearing black for work. The pink isn’t really my color, but it was comfortable and not black. 

Wendy H, me, December, Katrina, Lorrena, and Bren. 

Josie joined us in this picture. 

We lived in this room for two days. Hours and hours. We were too tired to go see what was out there. We stayed one night, had meetings until 4:00 and got back on the road racing the sun. We didn’t want to meet the deer and elk on the road at dusk and after dark. 

We just missed Terry. 

The doctor had his own meetings. We saw him and his wife for dinner and a few times times in between sessions. 

I learned a lot. But I knew I was going to be quitting soon, so I didn’t panic at the information overload. Also I was pleased to see that I knew quite a bit. 

Craig’s fishing trip

I wasn’t anxious to get back in the canoe. So Craig took it out to the lake September 24th

He came back with dinner. 

It was yummy. 

I was happy to stay home. The weather was getting cooler too, so there is that reason as well.