39...and counting

No I am not talking about my age.  39 days until Elder JJ Merrell returns!!! It was confirmed today that he will be coming home on November 14th.  I can hardly believe it.  We are all so incredibly excited.

On a side note, he was transferred to his last area.  He spent 13 months in the SEATAC ward this past year.  He was in other locations for 3 transfers and was just transferred back to SEATAC.  So yes, he will have spent over 14 months in one location.  What are the odds?  He loves the people he has met there and they will always be in his life because of this.  I can not wait to meet them...especially his second mom and dad.  I will be forever grateful for the love that they have shown my son.

Prom 2011 - Kaitlyn

Kaitlyn went to prom the past 2 weekends.  Saturday was the Spring Formal or "Mormon Prom".  The theme was "Putting On The Ritz".  She had a blast with her group.  She has such good friends.  She is beautiful and is an amazing daughter.  It was fun doing her hair and getting ready.  It was also bittersweet because it is her last prom.

 

Two weeks ago was school prom.  It was held at the Phoenix zoo and she had a good time.  

request for help

JJ emailed me last week and said that they are having a dry spell.  He is wanting to know what all of you RMs (or anyone else that has done any missionary work) did to find investigators.  So leave a comment telling me what the best things you have done to find people that are looking for the gospel.

Thanks so much!!

Almost 1 year

We just received a call from Sister Wie where JJ and his companion have a basement apartment.  He is staying for another transfer.  He has been there for 10 1/2 months.  I love that I know she is watching over him and it does my heart good.  I have talked to Sister Wie a few times and I can not wait to meet her when we go back for a mission tour. 

Life Happens....

Well a little update....life has a way of taking an occasional unexpected turn.  This month has had one of said turns.  John is now working nights Monday through Friday (which I absolutely hate!) from 3 pm to 11pm.  I am working 6:30 am to 2:30 pm (I get home at 2:45).  Yep...do the math...that's a total of 15 minutes a day that I am able to see him.  Why the change you might ask?  because out of necessity.  As a parent, there are times that you do things you do not enjoy or want to do.  This is definitely one of those times.  We are now homeschooling one of our children and with such, someone needs to be home during the day.  Since I am no longer at home during the day, John changed his schedule.  The things you do out of love for a child.  As such, time is a very precious thing.  Every minute counts when we are all together as a family.  Time is very limited.  The lesson I have learned is as a parent, you have to follow through and make the most of a tough situation.

JJ Update

We got this picture from JJ in an email today.  This was a convert that was baptized this past weekend.  He really love his mission and is doing well.  He has gained quite a bit of weight because he and his companion live in the basement of an couple.  Brother Smith and Sister Wie feed them all of the time and non stop.  We spoke with them at Christmas and Brother Smith said that Sister Wie will probably relocate to AZ when JJ comes home.  It does this mom's heart good to know that he is being taken care of and looked after.  He also gave us a date for his return home....11/14/11...9 months 7 days...but whose counting?

Way Past Time to Update

I have been very negligent of my blog - like a year past due.  I am not even going to try to update...way past due and I don't have a good enough memory for that.  So for now...where are we?  We live for emails from JJ.  It is funny to me how it can either make my day and send me into a bubble of happiness or the depths of despair.  If there is a zone conference, Monday holiday, or change in their schedule, we have to wait a day for his email.  We are surviving the rat race called life can. 

I have been busy on my days off to do room makeovers for the girls and I will post pictures when they are complete. Hopefully before much longer.