I LOVE my Mailcarrier!

I just got a letter. I just got a letter. I just got a letter. Wonder who it's from?

Tennis Shoes

I just added the picture at the top of my blog and the more I look at it, the more I love it. BNLFAN_1 took it at the grocery store the other day(thus the slightly yellow look to it). She's taking a photography class this semester and had to take 600 pictures over the weekend. This is one of my absolute favorites.

Big Kid Giveaway Day

So it was Big Kid Giveaway Day today. It was a day of many emotions. Some were bittersweet but most were good.

First, notice the bright orange dot on his name tag. Yup. He's official because he has the dork dot. I just love this picture. It was taken just after I put his name tag on him for the first time. It tells me he is doing what his heart tells him he should do and there's no better payback as a parent than that.

I already sent him his first package. We dropped it off on the way to the MTC (without him knowing, of course). I packed a box full of green stuff (green PowerAid, green jello cups, green taffy, green apple rings, green gum, green beans... you get the picture). We all wrote him letters on green paper since he is the "Greenie" missionary. It was delivered to him tonight so I hope he knows we miss him (as if he didn't already know!). I also already sent him an e-mail that is supposed to be delivered to him as he goes to dinner. I'm just a sick mom, I know! Truth is, it is gut wrenching to walk away from your baby, wondering if you packed him enough underwear and if the other kids will play nice…

There are so many thoughts going through my head... so bear with me while I get them all out over the next day or two (in random order, perhaps). First, as Frank was set apart, the stake president had such wonderful words of wisdom for him. He asked him to consider his legacy. President Webb said the GA’s who trained him as a stake president asked him to consider what his legacy as a Stake Pres. would be and he challenged Rob to decide now what he wanted his legacy as a missionary to be. He said not to put it in terms of numbers of baptisms, but what he, as a man, will be remembered for. Is it his love of the people, his willingness to serve? To follow mission rules to the T? What absolutely amazing advice to give a missionary as he is being set apart. Pres. Webb is an amazing, inspired man.

What's great about tonight is for the first time since he got his call, there are no longer two years left in his mission... There is now less than two years.

Cousins at the Open House

Here's some of the pictures bnlfan_1 took of her nieces and nephews at the Open House. Note the trampoline... How could we let those kids on something so clearly dangerous!!! It's down now so don't call Child Protective Services.

Thumbelina

This is my baby sister. She's had quite a bit of health difficulties in the last 15 or so years, but she's doing amazing well, all thing considered. About a year ago (or maybe it has been longer?) she had a stroke and it has hampered her ability to talk. She does much of her communicating with her hands, especially her thumb. Thus the name Thumbelina.

Since my folks are in Spain (which had quite a tomato fest this past week), I thought I would post this picture she had BNLFAN take of her so they could see how well she's doing. She posed it herself...

Doesn't she look good, Mom?

Frank's Farewell

So yesterday was Frank's farewell. It was so wonderful! He did such a good job with his talk and bnlfan_1 did a fantastic job with her cello solo. We played, "O Divine Redeemer". I wasn't familiar with the song when we choose it but I listened to it a few times on YouTube and absolutely fell in love with it. Anyway, I wasn't plagued with the overwhelming stage fright I usually have as I accompany her (or anyone), so I was very thankful for that small blessing. I'm so impressed with BNLFAN and her ability to perform with such calm ease. She's a very sensitive soul and when she plays, she really tried to convey the emotion in her music. That's a pretty mature ability for an amateur musician.

We had a large group in attendance which made the day so much more special. I didn't think to take pictures, but BNLFAN was snapping away for her photography class. I will post some more of her pictures later. She took a lot, but mostly of the little kids in the backyard.

Anyway, after Sacrament Meeting, everyone came to our home for taco salad.

This is the "World's Largest Bowl of Taco Salad", as proclaimed by BNLFAN. She was so impressed with how much there was, she had to take a picture. Mom, you may recognize your GIGANTIC salad bowl. This picture was taken after the teenage boys came through the line so imagine it filled to the rim... We fed about 60 people with this bowl of salad. In addition, elle_cosette brought her famous fresh salsa (which was inhaled before some of us could enjoy it) and everyone else brought delicious desserts. My good friend and cake baker extraordinaire Allison brought Maryland's state dessert, 10 Layer Smith Island Cake (containing a pound of butter). It was amazing. Check it out.

We were planning on having people eat outdoors in the backyard (thus the rush to do the deck and plant flowers, etc...) but the weather was supposed to be windy and raining. I prayed so hard and the Lord heard my prayers. The weather was beautiful. We had bright sunshine, cool temperatures and good shade. Not more than 10 minutes after we had put down the shade tent and brought in the tables, it started to pour... I'm not talking about the usual Utah rain (which Floridians would call a mist), it was a downpour. Tender mercies.

Today is cold and rainy so we are playing games and maybe going bowling--depending on how busy the lanes are later this afternoon. One more hurdle on Wednesday and Frank will be on his way. It's been a long time coming and we are so excited for him to start this next chapter of his life.

Please write him! He'll only be in the MTC until September 22, but until then, his address is:
Elder Robert Cory Christensen
Maryland Baltimore Mission
Mail Box #162
Provo Missionary Training Center
2005 North 900 East
Provo, UT 84604

Future Missionaries

Frank Zigmunt's farewell was yesterday and it was a wonderful day... Here's a picture from the Open House. This is Frank with his cousin who is leaving in October for his mission to Paris, France.