A first for Josh

Craig and Josh took the dog to the park. She was so happy. Her very favorite thing. 

While there, they met a senior in high school. He is very involved in our little school. And very good at many things. He ran cross country and was in the play with Boaz. 

He came right up to Josh and said, “You must be Boaz’s brother!”

Boaz has always been Josh’s brother. He wasn’t too sure how he felt about the switch in roles. 

He’s home. For now.

Josh had been in quarantine for almost 4 weeks. With no social media to reach out to people. We were lucky because he was an office elder. Secretary to the president and in charge of transportation. So we were able to talk to him frequently. 

He told us probably this Thursday. Then we got an email last Saturday that they would be leaving Sunday, Conference Sunday. 

He wold stay over in LAX and then be in IDA Monday at noon - ish. 

We were all super excited. 

The big welcome home parties were off limits. No big gatherings during the Corona Virus lockdown. 

We got up early and headed to Idaho Falls and stores. Deb saw him in SLC and told us he was one of the elders who didn’t have his luggage. There about 7 who left everything in Peru in the interest of getting all the people home. 

When we got to the airport, we couldn’t go into the lobby. There were two other missionaries coming home on that flight. We all huddled in the entrance, trying to stay six feet apart. I didn’t have any signs and felt kinda bad about that. The other families did. The other two families chatted a bit, but we didn’t join in. 

We watched through the two glass doors to try and catch our first glimpse of him. We knew Th is was not the ideal return for a missionary. But he was part of a whole world wide movement of returning missionaries to their respective homelands. He had just finished his 17 month. So he has the option of going back out. 

I saw him and went and stood in front of the glass door and waited for him to come out to me. When bot doors had opened, and I saw him clearly, I started to cry. One elder came through first and I didn’t even acknowledge him. I only had eyes for my son. It was a hard moment for him. Honestly, it was a very hard hour for him. Emotions running across his face and through his heart. 

I insisted in one picture. Only one. It’s not a good one of Craig. But all my men were together again 

Josh and Boaz were sizing each other up, trying to see if Boaz had grown taller in the past 17 months. We had to wait until we got home and the shoes came off and back to back showed an amazing thing. 

They seems to be the exact same height. I’m sure relief filled Josh’s soul to not have a taller, younger brother. 

The first item of business after the airport was Chick-Fil-A. Craig’s family joined us and circled the cars around us. A weird family celebration with out hugs and touching. Josh chatted with Bridger who had returned from Brazil a week before. He tried to make sure he chatted with everyone. 

Since he had no luggage, I knew that meant no garments. So I called Deseret Book that was in the shopping center and ordered him some new ones. The store was only open for curbside delivery. We were so grateful they were open in any capacity. Josh literally had just the clothes on his back. 

After that we went to get him a cell phone. The store had just 20 minutes before closed to have customers in the store and we got him a cell phone in the parking lot. The salesman was very kind and did all he could to make it a somewhat normal experience. But he got his phone and is now able to interact with people again 

Last stop to Walmart to get him a toothbrush. We added socks and sundry other items. 

We headed back home. 2 1/2 hours to a home he had never seen. He reached out to some people before we hit the hour long cellular hole where there was no signal to be had. 

He called the Stake President and was released over the phone. Another hard moment.   

He was anxious to meet the dog. She has welcomed him in as one of her people. 

He has a list of movies. Last night we watched Marvel’s Endgame. It was fun to see his reaction. 

He has enrolled in an online institute class. He has met the sister missionaries serving in our ward and has an online appointment with today at 4. 

He has reached out to his buddies who are in the same boat as he is. He has reached out to his friends from the mission. He pulled out his trombone and is getting reacquainted wi Th the piano. He and Boaz have gone running with the dog. We are trying to keep busy in the same space. 

I am so grateful to have him home. So blessed to be his mom. So happy to have him under our roof, for as long as we can get him. 

He has reclaimed some of his clothes that Boaz had been enjoying. He is waiting for news on his luggage. He is waiting for his life to begin again. 

A weird and wonderful time. 

Online school

Last week was our regularly scheduled spring break. Today Boaz started school. He went to school, got books and instructions.  Now he is working from home. He has a group chat for math, and he still helping his class figure out the work. 

Craig and I are still working. Craig is a hospital administrator and I am a pharmacy tech in training. 

Today I came home to this. 

We are figuring out this new thing. He’s missing out on the social aspect of school, but I’m glad he is back to work. 

Corona Virus and missionaries

Our missionary is coming home and then to be reassigned. He is part of the logistical team and is too busy to really process what this means for him. 

He called today from the office. He had a short time to enter the missionaries information into a database (?). His first step, but probably someone else’s twentieth. We don’t know when the exodus will happen. We don’t know where he will be reassigned. Really, he doesn’t either. He just knows he has a ton of work to do before he can worry about that stuff. 

He is sad. Sad to be leaving Peru. Sad to be leaving his investigators. He has one with a baptismal date and others he is working with. He is sad to leave his bro’s. He is sad to see things come to an abrupt end. 

I am sad for him. But so grateful to know the Lord is in charge. I have been seeing pictures on Facebook of planes full of missionaries on their way home. The Lord’s Army is moving out. It devastates  me on one level. It fils me with pride one one level. It is awe inspiring to see the strength of the Church line that. 

I just saw a video on Facebook of two elders singing Do You Want to Go Teach Someone (to the tune of Do You Want to Build a Snowman from

Frozen). I couldn’t figure out how to link it. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax9mjeiS9vY&feature=youtu.be

And I laughed and cried. 

I imagine I will laugh and cry when I see my sad boy when I see him next. There won’t be a crazy welcome ho e party at the airport. Just a small wick grab and go home. But he will get time to finish. Maybe we have have the triumphant return then. 

Beauty and the Beast

Boaz steppes our of his comfort zone in a big way this year. He was talked into trying out for the musical, Beauty and the Beast. 

This was my first experience with a musical. He went to practice for months. We wouldn’t see him until 7 and then during the performances it was 9:30. His whole world became dance practice and singing. I have no idea how he stayed up with his school work. 

I was a back stage mom twice and we had tickets twice. Craig and I were astounded at our shy boy up on that stage. He put his heart into it and shone. Of course I am his mom and know my bias is clearly on display. But honestly, he was awesome. We got some pictures by stalking Facebook. 

This was the picture in the playbill. I am in love with this picture. I am so grateful for the talent and skill of the photographer. 

He was a candle seller in the opening number. 

Lefou was played by a girl. He actually connected with her glasses one night and felt horrible. 

Singing. 

He was a dancing spoon. He complained about the dancing during practice, but he did a great job. The spoons were strapped so tightly, it must have been uncomfortable. But they had to stay put. 

Working themselves up to storm the castle. 

Distracted by Babette and burned by Lumiere. I had no idea he could jump that high. 

The girls loved making him a bit uncomfortable as they practiced their flirting skills on him. 

He came alive on the stage. He emoted . His face was expressive. He sang his heart out. He made good friends. I hope he does it next year. I am also dreading it a bit. But I will try and be a bit more involved. 

I am so proud of him. 

New job

When we returned from Hawai’i, I started a new job. I am a pharmacy tech in training. I work 40 hours a week, all standing on my feet. The first week was brutal. My feet ached even when I had them raised in the recliner. But on the third week, it’s bearable. They are a bit tingly on my fifth day, but they are good. 

So I haven’t walked the dog in three weeks. I need to get back to that.  She is going a bit stir crazy. 

I started just before the Corona Virus panic. It is a crazy way to learn this job. We can’t seem to catch up with the demand. I am trying to learn on the fly. I can do drive thru, registers, dispense and fill the robot. I am working on learning the computer screens for problems. 

I like the people I work with. There is one other new tech like me. And one pharmacist quit. So we are short handed. 

There is no hand sanitizers, Clorox, disinfecting wipes, rubbing alcohol, and we are super short on toilet paper. We have had out of state people come to shop in our little isolated community. But our shelves don’t look like the pictures posted on Facebook of more populous areas. 

The panic is crazy to me. I am so grateful the Lord has prepared us for home church. We can break out the wheat and have some food storage. This came so fast. 

I am also grateful I have a job to go to. I know I am not productive when I am home alone. 

Hawaii

Thea lives in Hawaii. Our Christmas, birthday, anniversary to us and Boaz was a trip to see her. I haven’t posted the pictures yet. It’s been about 3 weeks since we’ve been back. 

It was great to see Thea. She lives on Oahu. We played in the ocean and stopped at the Dole Plantation. I loved the flowers. 

Boaz gives scale to this plant. 

A pineapple flower. 

A baby pineapple. 

A Chocolate tree. Notice the pods. 

Close up of a pod. Deliciousness comes from this!

We went from all out winter to this. 

The people of Hawai’i Th ought it was cold. It was lovely!

Craig begins the camera. 

Our memory trip was a boat ride with snorkeling. I love this company. 

I loved the crew. 

The navy seal is in the royal blue. The retired army is in the black. He was a bit more reserved. 

Craig pulled in a barracuda. 

Fantastic excursion. It was fun for me to get back in the water and remember how to trust it again. 

Thea got me a lei. Smelled marvelous. 

We saw someone we knew at BYUH. Boaz and I walked around the campus. Super cute. 

Last day of having toes in the sand. 

Loving Hawai’i and not super happy to head back to Idaho. 

This is why.