Caroline's Call. Part 2.

After the mail truck drove on down the street, I walked out to the mail box. I wondered if the car driving by had any idea how our lives were about to change. I wondered if the neighbors who might have seen me knew that this was no ordinary trek out to the mail box. Of course they had no idea.

I reached in the mail box and pulled out the white envelope.

What?

There was a white envelope but it was the one from church distribution or church mail or something really insignificant like that that we always get for our stake. I was so disappointed.

Surely there had to be another white envelope so I looked again, and pushed back further in the box, there it was!

As I pulled it out and held it in my hand, seeing that it was addressed to Sister Caroline Raines, I had the most amazing feeling come over me that whatever was in this envelope was truly inspired and a call from God.

Of course I hurried into the house and again called everyone! The Call had come. 

I was to jump in the car, check Margaret out of school and head north to pick Kenneth up from work and head to Rexburg.

The only problem?

Scott was going to go with us and he wasn't answering his phone. He was taking a Final Exam down at BYU Provo and couldn't be reached! Aggghhh!

I suppose that's a pretty good reason to not answer your phone, but it was hard to be patient for him to finish that test! 

He finally called about an hour and a half later. I went and got Marg and when Scott made it to Lehi, we piled in the car and went to get Kenneth.

Actually, Kenneth had driven to work and was going to meet us at the Arby's in Centerville. We left at the same time and we actually arrived in Centerville before Kenneth!

The poor guy was so nervous/anxious he somehow got on I-80 and was headed in the wrong direction. He had stopped to get gas but how he got on I-80 from downtown Salt Lake is beyond me. We had a good laugh over that one.

We finally all met up together. Lauren and the kids came over to the Arby's parking lot and gave us all a good luck hug and kiss and we were on our way. Kenneth and I in the Honda. Scott and Marg in the Subaru. 

Two cars so we could leave one with Caroline that she could drive home with all her stuff after she finished all her finals the following Friday.

Whew! 

By the time we were finally on our way we were a bit worn out! 😀

The next three and a half hours were spent riding in the car like this.

With this little baby sitting right on my lap.

We did stop in Pocatello to use the restroom and I had the thought, what if someone breaks into our car and steals it? What if we lost it on the way? I wonder if anyone has ever lost their call before they opened it? I sometimes think too much.

Caroline kept calling and asking us if we could please hurry! I told her we were going 80 miles an hour and we were doing our best! She even timed us when she heard we were going to stop for a bathroom break. She told us 6 and a half minutes was too long. Hahaha!

Lauren kept calling and asking why we couldn't just carefully open it and peek - she said Caroline would never know. Hahaha!

It was an eventful ride to say the least and a bit nerve wracking holding that envelope!

We made it safely and were so very grateful. Caroline ran down the stairs of her third floor apartment. We all hugged her, showed her the white envelope, and headed up to apartment 605.

Caroline's Call. Part 1.

Waiting for a mission call is just plain nerve wracking. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.

These days, however, with the efficiency of online applications it can happen relatively quickly. Ten days for Caroline. Ten days from the time Kenneth pushed "send" until she received her call. That really is a quick turn around time when you think about it, especially compared to the days when it could take weeks -even months to get a call.

Because Stake Presidents have access to the missionary website, we could see that under Caroline's name it said "assignment made" - it didn't say where, but we knew the big white envelope was most likely on its way.

The problem???

Caroline was in Rexburg and the call was being sent to Lehi. It wasn't necessarily a problem, really, but we all wanted to be together - if possible - when she opened it.

So we waited for Wednesday. The day the calls are delivered in Utah thanks to the amazing efficiency of the Church and the U.S. Postal System.

We had a plan.

If the call came on Wednesday, December 17, like we hoped it would, then Kenneth and I and Margaret and Scott would hop in the car and drive up to Rexburg. It was finals week. Caroline couldn't come home until Friday and I don't think any of us could have waited until then anyway. We aren't the most patient people when it comes to things like that! 

So we waited for the mail lady to decide our fate.

Our mail is usually delivered by noon. I was trying to keep busy, so I decided to run a few errands. It was much better than looking out the window every 5 seconds!

Caroline called a few times. I called her a few times. I was so anxious for the mail to come. Caroline was DYING! Hahaha.

I decided to go back home around 10:45 and as I was driving home I could see the mail truck down the street by the Dixons home. 

I calmly drove home, but boy, did I ever want to go plead and beg and cry with the mail lady to just give me my mail right then and there! However, I also figured it is probably against the law to ambush a mail truck so I resisted. 

I called Caroline. The mail truck was in the neighborhood! I called Lauren. The mail truck was in the neighborhood! I called Kenneth. The mail truck was in the neighborhood! Yes, I am a bit cray cray.

I checked the mail box just to make sure the mail lady hadn't all of a sudden decided, after 20 years, to reverse her route and do our side of the street before she did the other side. She didn't. The box was empty.

So here was my dilemma. 

How could I know if the mail arrived without me sitting and staring out the front window or running out to check the mailbox every other minute or so? 

And then it hit me. 

I would send the grandkids a little note telling them I loved them. It would be fun for them to get some mail, AND that way I could put their letter out to be picked up and raise the red flag. Then if the flag had been put down when I looked out the window from then on I would know the mail had come.

See, I told you I was a bit crazy.

I kept checking out the window. The flag was still up, but within about a half hour, I heard the truck next door. I ran to the window and there she was. Driving past our house straight to our mailbox just like she does every day. I opened the door and decided not to run out there and scare her half to death, so instead I took her picture and waited for her to drive on.

Oh happy day! The mail had come!

Talk About A Shock.

Caroline has been called to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the JAPAN Fukuoka Mission.

This is shocking on a variety of levels.

1. She always said she wasn't going to go on a mission. She didn't feel like it was something she was supposed to do. I totally understood.

2. We ALL thought she was going State side. I was secretly hoping she would stay in the U. S. because of her history with kidney stones.

3. JAPAN?

4. My brother served in the Japan Fukuoka Mission. I mean really, how weird is that? First Scott serves in Kenneth's mission? Now Caroline in her Uncle's mission? Weird and cool at the same time.

5. Like Kenneth's secretary said. . . "Fukuoka Japan? That isn't even in the realm of guessing!" Hahaha. Yes. We agree. No one guessed Japan.

Caroline is so excited and ready to go. It's amazing how the Lord blesses your heart and comforts you with the knowledge that this is a call from God.

We have a lot to do. She got her call 10 days ago. Her "farewell" is in about 18 days and she goes into the MTC in 38 days. 

She is so grateful she gets to go soon and doesn't have to wait for several months. 

My Sweet Caroline is going to be an AWESOME missionary!

It Will Do.

It isn't finished, but it's close. At least we have somewhere to store some of our "stuff" while everyone is here for Thanksgiving.

Evidently I like green and red. 

Perfect for this time of year, at least.

We Have Shelves.

This project has been slow and awful.

We started it in July. 

JULY! 

There really isn't a painted stripe in there. Just bad lighting.

Now for the door and baseboards. 

I may or may not be freaking out that Thanksgiving is in 5 days.

Twenty Years Old.

My Sweet Caroline turned 20 yesterday.

She is a joy and is such a strong woman. How strange that the term Young Woman doesn't apply to her anymore!

I wanted to send her something fun since we couldn't be there with her so, of course, I searched Pinterest for ideas.

I don't think there is anything my Lina likes better than ice cream, so we sent her an ice cream party in a box with instructions to just add ice cream. 

It was fun to put together and I think she really loved it.

The only problem?

It was 1 degree in Rexburg yesterday with a wind chill of -13. 

Honestly, that place is COLD! 

I think they enjoyed the ice cream anyway. Freezing cold or not.

We sure love you Lina! 

We will make a cake for you next week when you are home! 

Today.

This is happening.

We have lost a coat closet but have gained a second pantry.

I think it is a good trade.

The old closet door faced the hall and was difficult to access. Moving the door to open into the kitchen area will make it much easier to reach all those things like pots and pans and crock pots we don't have room for. 

I  am excited!

We (well, mostly Kenneth) are trying desperately to get it finished today so we can have things somewhat put together before Thanksgiving.

I will share what the finished pantry looks like.

Hopefully that photo sharing will take place before Thanksgiving!