The Beginning

Hi! I am a Mormon mom! I grew up in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and have a strong testimony of Jesus Christ. I would like to share my thoughts, feelings, activities and testimony with you. I have a husband, Jeff and three kids. Clay is 19 and is serving a mission. Chad just turned 18 and is away from home at college. Kelsey, 14, is a freshman in high school.

As a mother of young kids, I couldn't wait until the day they would be gone and I wouldn't have to drive someone somewhere, or follow up on homework, and my house would be quieter, I could choose the music that I listened to, and no one would say "I'm not eating that!"

We took Clay to the Provo missionary training center on March 4th, 2009. I have always been sure that he would serve a mission, and I knew I would miss him, but the reality of having him gone I was not prepared for! Tears would pop up in my eyes without warning. I missed him!

Six months later we took Chad to college. We helped him set up his room in an apartment with 4 of his friends and one stranger. The next 3 weeks were very quiet at home. Kelsey spent a lot of time saying how much she missed her brothers and how bored she was! We don't get to communicate with Clay except through emails and letters, but with Chad we can text and call whenever we want to. However, I still missed him.

Every noise I hear outside or inside my house, my first thought is "is it Clay or Chad?" then I realize it can't be either one! It's a very strange feeling. But I finally realized I'm not missing them as much as I miss knowing what they are doing! Does that make sense? I want to know what's happening, where they go, if they are happy, what they are eating and every detail of their days! Is that different from missing them? I don't want them to leave what they are doing to come home; I want them to have these wonderful experiences! But they are boys and neither one will write the details of their days!

I sure wish I had a crystal ball so I could watch them!