Boxing Day

So if Christmas Eve was perfect, and Christmas Day fun filled exhaustion... what do you do for Boxing Day?

After installing the bathroom door lock, much of Boxing day was spent recuperating.  We gathered wood.  We showered.  Some napped...

Oh.. and the big guys.. Caleb, Duncan, Elowen and Esther went to feed the Elk... on a sleigh.

I've since heard phrases such as, "That was the best ever"... "I want to do that again!" ... "That was the  most fun."... "Sam was hilarious!"

... so much fun it's its own post!

But other than Elk...

We continued the excitement with colouring

We pulled off some high fashion.

There were a few trips to gopher hill.  

Sledding happened a few times each day.

But when it was too cold to sled any longer they headed inside to entertain themselves in other ways.

... playing with the spinning top... body style.

We tidied a bit and mopped the floor while we listened to an audio book and prepared to end the day with a live facebook chat with a favourite author.

Some may have nodded off a bit while listening to the book.

A successful day when people are exhausted.
It's possible some hot cocoa and apple cider were partaken of... but I have no photographic evidence..

Two days into the visit.
What will we think to do next?

Such a lot of fuss

Christmas bells, Ice rinks, Friends visiting and goodies couldn't top this Christmas surprise.

It was 'given', jointly to Caleb and Elowen.  However neither of them took it home with them.  Neither of them installed it... but ...

both of them were ecstatic to receive it and to use it while they were here!

It was the most sought after installation after Christmas.  

Patrick wasted no time and read the instructions and went straight to work...

... installing the lock on the bathroom door. 

Dec. 26, 2019

Week 9 -- Feliz Navidad

This week has been crazy.

Christmas as a missionary is a little strange all are days are focused on Christ so when there is a day dedicated to him it's not much different then any other day. But it was fun to spend time with members and party with my zone. 

As for the rest of the week... Where do I start the last three days of the week (not including Sunday) I had blitz's in three different places all day we went to so many houses looking for people to teach and we found a lot mainly for the English sisters but every one matters. It has been an exhausting week it has been really hard to come home from a long day of blitzing and then stay up and help my companion with his district leader duties but it has been fun.

I can't talk about the people I am teaching specifically but they are making great progress and we have one on date to be baptized. 

Speaking of baptism the ASL elders had one this week and we attended. It was such a spiritual experience to seen some one get baptized it always is and it is really cool to watch the ceremony in ASL we had are zone leader translate for us.

Élder Noble

Just a funny trick of the light... a flashlight only... but perhaps the force is stong in this one.

A Christmas gathering

Some p-day silliness on Christmas day.

We had a fun visit on Christmas day.  He called a few times through out the day.  We were able to put on a fun show of ringing our bells for him and his companion.  We even took him out on the sleds for a quick romp in the snow.  

https://www.facebook.com/jordan.hunter.5473/videos/2523164034476461/

https://www.facebook.com/jordan.hunter.5473/videos/2523214311138100/

https://www.facebook.com/jordan.hunter.5473/videos/2523284097797788/

Christmas Day

Christmas Bells...

...were ringing.  This was a hit Christmas morning.  We kept it a fairly sensible and simple Christmas.  We had decided on one fairly large family gift... I had had a few ideas but none that truly included everyone... Then while up late one night I stumbled across Merry Bells..  I was intrigued.  I watched a few videos and hmmed and hawed... I finally caved and made the purchase at over 50% off.  I had almost forgotten about them until the package arrived.  

Who knew they would take over Christmas!  They were played almost exclusively from dawn to dusk and even later... and they were played almost daily for the next two weeks.  

They became proficient in next to no time!

They mastered all the songs in single note and moved on to harmonized ringing!

Then they decided to increase the difficulty... the sped up the songs!

Ring a ling .. ding dong..

Partway through the day the Walkers arrived to join our festivities and Whittaker had requested we play a game.  A ridiculous hat wearing, oven mitt wearing, fork wielding, unwrap a chocolate bar that has been wrapped 50 times kind of game.

While all of this was going on, some of us worked on the 1000 piece nativity puzzle and enjoyed a video chat with Miles.  We even paused the game and played some bells for him and his companion.

No holiday is exempt from chores... especially when chores mean keeping us warm!

The exhausted but happy sledders had used up every bit of daylight careening around on the sleds and finally called it a night.  The sled made one last trip across the yard filled with firewood.

After a long winters day of sledding and ringing bells, a warm winter's evening of fun and games was enjoyed.  It had been a day of fun and lots of nibbling on goodies and treats.  We had left over soup from the Ranch nativity and all the extra cookies plus martinelli's juice.  Walkers, Caleb and the girls and of course us, filled our little house with fun all day.

Bell ringing really happened all day long and included all.

Christmas Angels

Christmas Eve has become the highlight of the season... as it should be.

It was made even more special this year because of our special guests.  Caleb and Esther and Elowen arrived on the afternoon of Christmas Eve.  We were eager for their arrival and to begin enjoyng their visit.

We began with the bonfire and the Nativity at the ranch.

This year 230 people enjoyed the camaraderie and the unseasonable winter warmth.  

Shepherds, Angels, townsfolk, census takers, wise men and the holy family.  

The warbling tones of the violin streaming Silent Night, Holy Night

Mary singing a lullaby to her newborn infant.

Testimonies born of a Saviour born to redeem the world.

Afterwards... a bit of silliness... Cookies and cocoa and some clandestine rearranging of ornaments on the Christmas tree.

Then back to the main house to enjoy soups and visits... with some amazing masseuses.

We tried to get a photo of the lanterns that lined the driveway from the bonfire to the barn.

A spectacular first evening of a visit!

Dec. 24, 2019

Week 8 - Surgery and Christmas Devotional

Week 2 in Texas

Any way this week was a lot of the same. we did the same service projects as last week. We had a Christmas devotional this week and all the missionaries that are going home this transfer shared there testimony's, turns out are zone leader is leaving this transfer he is such a cool guy. 

I taught my first lesson in Spanish without help from my companion and I about passed out I was so nerves but I must have taught with the spirit because they want us to come back. 

Other then that we didn't do much. I had an ingrown toenail removed witch made walking way less painful. 

I'm looking forward to Christmas

I love all you guys have a great day

I'm trying to get pictures but it will probably be next week. 

From Élder Noble

Week 7 - Weekly

He never had an interest in social media of any type...  and now he has a facebook account.

Hola hermanos

This week has been hard, but a whole lot of fun.

Munday was my last day in the CCM it was bitter sweet and on Tuesday at 1 in the morning, I left.

That's when the fun began Tuesday around 10 I arrived In Texas for that day we mainly went through all the rules again and some orientation on the mission I met the mission president and his wife, they are super out going (I'm sorry if my emails don't make much sense gramerly learning Spanish has payed a toll on my englesh) after we did all the orientation all the elders stayed with the AP's for the night.

We then met are new trainers/companions my new companion is Élder Condie he's from Saint gorge Utah. We went to lunch with a member (brother sedgely) he told us about his conversion story and how he joined the church he has a ton of miracle story's he is quite a character. 

After we moved all my stuff in we went trackting and met no one we had two people cancel on us and we biked about 12 miles just to find out are contact was stuck in traffic so that was fun. 

As for service we had two

Daly bred:

We handed out food and to the homeless and sorted out all the donations that we received. 

Other then that did do much that day

Shilow farms:

We cleaned up a ton of trash weeded some garden beds and taught a lesson to the man in charge. 

Whiteboard:

This was more an activity more then a service we went to a streat corner and asked people as they past by what is happieness it was really fun. One of the people tryed to Bible bash with us but we can't so we stud there and he told us why are church was wrong and we should only believe in the Bible. So that was fun. 

Other then that my first week in the field was really fun. 

If any one that gets these emails knows some one that wants to get them please send me there email and I will add them to the list. 

Also if there is anything else you would like to know please let me know and I will be happy to add it. 

From Texas 

Élder Noble

He is serving in Denton, Texas.  His P-Day is Monday.  They have all their cleaning, laundry and tasks taken care of early in the day.  His call this week came early and was cut short because the ASL (Sign Language) elders had arrived to take them shopping for the week.  The ASL elders have a car while the spanish elders go everywhere on bikes. 

Arrow of Light

Whittaker had a grand finale for his almost 11 years of scouting.  He earned his Webelos and Arrow of Light award in under six months.  It is typically is done in two years.  It helps that he has sat through eleven years of Scouting meetings and likely completed each rank more than once in that time.

Scouts should start at age 2... they're adorable then!

Although I won't miss the required uniforms and patches and redundant parts of scouting... the boys had a lot of fun.  Now we will have fun doing new things.  

Onward, Upword, Forward... etc.

Week 6 - Texas Time

 No P-day this week.
So no phone call or emails from Miles
He traveled on Tuesday.
Monday is P-day in Texas... he missed it.
Wednesday was his P-day in Mexico... he misses it.

Thankfully... President Chapman sent out these photos at the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport

The missionaries from Mexico CCM (MTC).

Then they all went to another gate in the airport to wait for the missionaries arriving from Provo.

So here they are.  All new missionaries for the day.  Arrived safe and sound. 

And tired!... He had to be up at 3am for his flights.

Next contact should tell us where his first assignment is and fill us in on how traveling went and how he likes the change from Mexico to Texas.

https://www.facebook.com/brian.highfill.3/videos/10220968924156291/

Week 5

He woke me up....

It was 6 am here.

He was off to the temple again.

He called again later.

We were running all over town.

He ran errands with us and waved to people at Ridley's, Cub Scouts, and the thrift store.  He was passed around for a bit at the church to say hi to friends.  Liam had a chance to tell him that he had chosen to honor Miles as his Eagle Scout Mentor.  He has a pin waiting for him when he returns to add to his uniform.

He seemed a bit down.  Said he and a few others hadn't felt too well that week.  Also a missionary from his district had gone home and the rest were just somber about it.

He's eager to be headed to Texas next week.
He's packing his suitcase... says that I'd approve of the schedule.  They leave Tuesday at 3am but have to have their luggage all packed and weighed by Sunday evening. 

His Spanish is really coming along.  Thankfully.. .'only Spanish' doesn't apply to calls home.  He joked about some of the lessons that they had in Spanish that week and the silly phrases they came up with since they could only use their limited vocabulary.  They did a lot of mock teaching and then there were some actual teaching done via skype.

Til' next time.

Moonrise

I've made no secret that the sunrises and sunsets are worth watching here.  So much worth it that I bring up the lack of comfortable (that means warm... preferably indoor near a large clear window..) places to watch the colourful sky miracles on a regular basis.  Our home is in the wrong position.  It should have faced just a few degrees further one direction or the other for the sole purpose of having a window that faced due east and west for proper sun rise and set viewing.  

The new nook does offer a lovely place to watch the sunrises.  But we yet lack a sunset nook... and a place to build one.  

Sunrises are all well and good.. but much of the year... they are earlier than I tend to rise... so I miss most of them.

Sunsets however I am never asleep.  Often instead I'm in the middle of supper or dishes; what a difference such mundane tasks would be if the view could be enjoyed while tending to the tasks.  

So I was thrilled to be returning from town earlier than usual one evening and was able to catch this lovely moonrise while driving down our road.  

K-9 Storytime

On some of our long days in town... there's some waiting time between errands and activities.  We've discovered some things to do to pass the time.

This was a short but fun activity.  The library allows children to sign up for half hour sessions of reading with 'rescue dogs'.  

Emerson thought it amusing to choose cat books to read to the dog.

Derby; The Finish Line

We made it... to the finish!

The final derby.  

The district decided to put on a final shindig derby to celebrate the end of the scouting legacy.  Since it was an unofficial Derby.. they could race any car they had ever made as long as it still met the qualifications of weight and rules.  Also siblings could also race a car.  Emerson was so excited!

They did not win, but they enjoyed the races.  

I do wonder at all this finality... The wards still own the tracks, timers, scales.... the boys love racing the cars.... perhaps there will be derbies of a new sort in the future.

Week 4

This week... I forgot my phone at home when we left for town....


I missed Miles call.

He sent the following message.

HolaComo la va?Yo es bien.No familia a llamar mi propio.Mi todo por mi vender.Que TristeVolvere a son punto cuatro.Adios.

And then almost two hours later another message came...

"I'll be on tomorrow.. for only 30 minutes at 5:30 my time.. Please be on :(."

My forgetfulness was to be rewarded with a special call.

Never imagined that it was a Thanksgiving day call.  Apparently all the missionaries were given a 30 minute call for the holiday.

So we had a chance to visit after all. 

A short visit while we were at the Ranch.  He said hello to everyone.  Patrick was home and this was his first chat with Miles.

He's played a lot of ping pong and he finally got a haircut.  As he sat in the chair, the hairdresser asked (in spanish) what length.  He said she asked a couple other things that he didn't quite catch so he just nodded his head.  She began cutting off the sides.  When she discovered his scar, she began chattering very quickly and he caught the words 'two scars' and 'how' and 'when'.  He tried to explain.. it's one long scar from when I was a baby.  The other hairdresser came to look also.  She didn't cut anything off the top.  So he's tidy but very frizzy up top.

There were some rules about clothing that changed this week for missionaries so he was excited to learn he could wear the new tie he had purchased in  Mexico.  It's a weave and is straight at the bottom instead of pointed.

He says his shoelaces are wearing out... oh boy.. only 6 weeks in.

He was so excited to get a package that we sent... some spicy frito chips!

Only a short call and he is a bit nervous to start the next week of only  Spanish.

Week Three

This weeks call was fun... which is more than Miles had to say for his week.  He says there's really nothing to talk about or report... he does the same thing every day!

So what made the call fun.  Well I watched as he interacted with about a dozen other missionaries in one of the classrooms.  We chatted for an hour and he was outgoing and laughing and interacting with all of them.  This is the same boy who attended three years of seminary in Utah and never spoke to another person in all that time.

I was able to chat with the whole group even.  Somehow we began talking about what sorts of things they missed from home.  Unfortunately they said the wrong things.  There was a mother on the phone!!  They listed things like, candybars, pop, video games, listening to music, ...

I asked if they missed anything else since I bluntly told them I could not condone any of the items on their list as worthy of being missed.  The conversation went down hill.  They began discussing specific snack items they wished for.  Then one elder mentioned that there is a care package delivery service from the Mexico Costco.  Apparently one can go online and order items and they will be delivered to the MTC the next day.   I promised to look at the website.  (not much miles would be interested in ... although some spicy chips might excite him, he's not really a sweets eater)  He did say that he would take some of his favourite frozen chimichangas if they had them... they didn't.

The conversation of food and eating turned to discussing cafeteria food.  Apparently Miles is very observant... or stalkerish... He went around the room and told what and how each of the elders would select in the cafeteria on a regular basis.  Such as one elder eats the same 3 vegetables every day and will only sometimes choose the main dish.  Another elder always drinks the same thing with every meal and has the same breakfast every day.  Another doesn't like anything spicy.  His companion is a picky eater he said... but not like normal picky... he eats only healthy stuff.  Miles says he's known as the one who likes the spicy stuff and eats pretty much anything... just isn't a fan of the eggs.

I remember emails from Caleb often told about the foods that he ate at member homes through out the week.... perhaps their days really are repetitive and the food is all that stands out sometimes... or maybe it's a guy thing.  Miles and Sarah's friend Sammy left for her mission last week... I'll watch to see what sorts of things she emails about.

Other noteworthy items that came up during the chat with Miles this week were that since pets aren't allowed at the CCMa (MTC Mexico), the cat that wanders about and they've named Mess Hannigan, is an amigo (friend), not a pet.  They also name the spiders... the very large spiders.  Chester was hanging out on a plant just outside the classroom door where he was  chatting and he quickly took the phone outside to show me 'amigo chester the arana (spider).   I questioned the lack of spanish naming.

Elder Soares came to Mexico and gave a great devotional.  He says there was a swarm of elders after the sisters had shaken his hand and they gave up and left.  He said that the devotionals have been fabulous and he admitted... that he does use the notebooks that I tucked in his bag and has almost filled one with notes from devotionals.  (He claimed he didn't think he'd journal anything or take many notes.)  (I would sing.. mother knows best here... but Miles voice in my ear would remind me that an evil disney character sings those lyrics and I wouldn't want to be confused with evil)

So that was this week.  No photos.  I didn't even capture photos while chatting with him.  The grass is green.. the sky was blue and the temperature was warm.

Week Two

Another phone call... this time early in the morning.

I tried to take notes this time, rather than relying on my memory.  I also told him to send photos... or I would resort to more screen shots of our chats.

His call was early because he was off to the Mexico temple for most of the day.  He was looking forward to seeing a bit more of Mexico City.  He commented on the insanity of traffic and the lack or the seeming lack of any traffic laws.  He says there are motorcycles everywhere and he could reach out the bus window and touch a truck only inches away.

He says it's a very colourful place.  Even in November, very green grass, lots of flowers, blue skies and really tall palm trees.  He said there is a flower he really wanted to take a photo of, but it's on top of the palm trees and there is a rule that missionaries can not be more than ten feet from the ground.  So he can't climb the tree.

The drive to the temple showed the crowded city.  Homes that are colourful like the flowers... and close together.  A year in Wyoming with wide open spaces has definitely made him appreciate distance.  (And I still think we have a few too many close neighbours... wouldn't mind being located a 'little' closer to town... but less neighbours.)

I suggested that he was due for a haircut.  His response... 'well, yes... but I have to call and schedule an appointment with the MTC hair salon... in spanish.  Everyone has an appointment their final week here... so I may just wait.

He may look like this without the palm tree in the background in another 3 weeks!

(This is the screenshot I took when he went outside to wait for the bus to the temple)

He has had to sew buttons back on already.  He lost one off his suit coat on the plane.  And he means, LOST.  So his suit is lacking one button.  He is proactively resewing on the other buttons with stronger thread.  

Another fun tidbit is that every week they are given a topic and must write a talk for Sunday.  None of them know who will actually be called upon to speak in church so they all have to be prepared.  And yes the talk needs to be in Spanish.  He says so far his talks are rather short.  He can't just reuse the week before because the topics are totally different.  On Sunday, the mission president will just point to a name on his list to choose the speakers for the day.  Prayers are also selected this way.  He is beginning his third week and says that after he completes his fourth week he isn't allowed to speak english anymore... even when it's just him and his companion.   

(My spanish learning is no where close to good enough to keep up with that pace!)

Another week of classes and good food... He'll check in again next week... Loves to hear from people and wonders what people want to know... when he sits down to send an email, his mind is blank... ummm.. this week was a lot like last week he says.  So ask questions.

He returned from his trip to the temple... They used translation headsets since it's of course in spanish.  He also took and sent some photos.  

Just as fascinating as colourful flowers apparently are how large the spiders are.  hmm...

The Mexico City Temple

Up close detail on the temple.

Elder Vance and Elder Noble

I may have taken some screen shots anyway.  I couldn't resist.

Week One and a Half

Receiving phone calls instead of emails has been very different.  I have to pay attention to what we discuss if I'm to make an accounting for those who ask how Miles is doing.  I found myself just enjoying our conversation and being able to see that he is well with my own eyes.  A video call each week is really something.

He still finds it warm even though he also says it rains a great deal.  The rain is a warm down pour though.  He says the first rain storm, he did not have an umbrella and the 'biblia roja' (spanish booklet that each missionary was given for their first 2 weeks of study) was in his shirt pocket, as almost all other missionarios were.  He however learned a valuable lesson in red ink booklets in white rain soaked shirts.  Thankfully after laundering he did not have pink shirts!  He said he thought to rinse it first before throwing it in the laundry and it came clean.

His campanares (companion) is Elder Vance from South Carolina.  He took Spanish in high school and isn't struggling as much as Miles with the language but it is very helpful.  Miles says his biggest hurdle is keeping up with how much memorization in Spanish is required each week.  He has begun to remember more each day.  In fact he says some words have become easier to recall in Spanish than in English.  He was telling us that they had gone to the .... (he paused trying to think of the words. . and then just continued)  we went to the tienda and the infermeria.  (tienda is shop and infermeria is clinic)  He used his weekly peso allowance to buy an umbrella and some book covers for his new scriptures en espanol.  Then to the infermeria to have a tetanus shot that somehow he still needed.

His days are all similar with meals and classes and devotionals each evening.  He says they've been teaching people.  Carlos, Pedro and Charlie.
His maestro often role plays with them and refers to himself as Fernando.. so much so that Miles couldn't remember what his actual name was.

The boy who for 18 years has had the best sleep habits.  Faithfully retiring and rising early... the past six months have been a trial.  From one day to the next his bakery job schedule would have him working a midnight shift and then a day shift.  His sleep habits destroyed.  He still had the habit of rising early and that just created a greater sleep deprivation.  He now has a new sleep issue.  With his scheduled life and a companion to consider, he is busy until he can go to bed at 10:00.  Later than he is accustomed to but not ridiculous.  However... his natural body clock wakes him at 5am.  He struggles with trying to return to sleep for the next 90 minutes as he waits for his companion to get up.  He is not to rise before 6:30 or to get up without his companion.  So he says he lies abed... waiting.  He would be allowed to rise earlier if he could convince his companion to get up with him... however his companion already likes the idea of an afternoon siesta... it doesn't happen but he'd like it.

Miles still comments on the yummy food and says he has had the BEST salsa verde of his life.

Until next week.... well the next p-day.. Wednesdays for his Mexico stay.

Week One

Sunday October 27th.  7pm

Miles was set apart as a missionary.  (Our stake president was heading out of town the next morning.)
Duncan had a board of review to approve his eagle project, then we headed home... except that.... there was a small issue with .... underwear.

Nothing is simple in our lives... that's how we keep from being boring!  We had ordered underwear for Miles in three different styles.  He chose the one he liked and we sent Caleb to pick up more of his preferred style.  Caleb was coming up the week before he needed to travel.  All worked out and Caleb brought the requested items.... but unfortunately with the busyness of the weekend and the rain and snow... we neglected to remove the items from Caleb's truck.  The underwear returned home with Caleb.  We did not realize this until Sunday afternoon.  So... we had 30 hours until time to take Miles to the airport and no way to connect him with his underwear.  Mailing them to Mexico was not an option since they said no packages for his six weeks.  hmmm.... dilemma.... But... within a few minutes of our discovery... we had a phone call from Aunt Tina... "Are you feeling ready.. is there anything we can do before he leaves...?"  Well... "Do you have some new underwear laying around?"

AMAZINGLY.... within 20  minutes Aunt Tina called back.  "YES!!"  Apparently Neal.. the only cousin that is the same size as Miles had some unopened packages of underwear and said... swing by and grab them!  Problem solved..

Home by 9pm and all is well..

Monday October 28th.

We began with a final farewell breakfast with Miles.   By the time breakfast was over.... we were giving Duncan an Epi-pen and hurrying to the clinic.   (that's its own story!)  After a mere 6 hours we returned home.  Final packing and a quick dinner of chicken nuggets and tater tots.. hardly a send off meal!... we headed to bed so we could get up early.  We also knew of another dilemma which we were facing...

A blizzard.  The temperature had dropped... a LOT! and it was beginning to snow.  A winter storm warning was in effect... for exactly where we needed to head.  We began to calculate.  In good weather we could drive to the airport in just over an hour.  Since it was an international flight he needed to be there two hours early.  Since it was not good weather we opted to plan on two hours for driving.  So the flight left at 7am.. We would need to leave by 3am... 3AM!!  Further issues... if the storm became worse... and it looked like it might... the road through the canyon that we needed to go would be closed.  The only way around would take 5 hours of driving in good conditions.  I began to wonder at 7pm the night before if we should just leave then and risk being stranded at the airport instead of stranded on the road and not make it to the airport.  Then it dawned on us.  The flight from Jackson would take him to Salt Lake and then he had an hour layover.  So if we woke up and were ready to leave by (gulp.. ) 3am.. we could check the roads and decide.  Drive the scary winter canyon if it's still open... OR.. just drive the 4 hours to SLC and meet the connecting flight.  So we went to bed with a sketchy plan.

Tuesday Oct. 29th

3am!  the roads were not closed but the blizzard was still blowing.  After a few minutes of trying to decide which felt better to us and trying not to fall back to sleep.. we opted to go for the canyon.  It did take us the two hours to get to the airport.  Often we could go no more than 20 miles per hour and visibility was poor.  We saw only 2 other cars during our drive going the opposite direction which I took as a good sign that they had made it through where we were headed.

At 5:30 we parked at the almost vacant airport.  We braved the strong winds and the blowing snow and lugged his baggage into the airport.  After a whopping ten minutes he was checked in, his luggage tagged and sent to board.

Farewell time had really arrived.  I insisted on one more photo and he hugged his brothers.  (Miles is NOT a hugger.)

I went over a few last minute reminders as he entered the security line... only one person ahead of him.  Then suddenly he was through security.  We stood and watched as he removed his coat, shoes, suitcoat, and his passport belt!!  Everything on the conveyor belt he then collected his things and I relaxed as I watched him put his passport back on and then dress again.  A final look before he headed to his gate.

The boys and I began to walk away... when I stopped suddenly... "I never got a hug!!!"  Miles had joked with everyone over the last few days... Oh... I'll have to hug everyone at the airport I don't have to hug now.  And then I missed out!  I couldn't believe it!  I wondered if they'd let me through security for a hug.

5:45am and sitting in a practically empty airport... the blizzard still angry outside we opted to wait until his plane took off.  We figured we would wave as he exited the airport and made his way into the blizzard to the ramp that would take him to the door of the airplane.  Plus it was still dark and stormy outside and if I needed to drive home in the canyon, I would prefer it wasn't dark.

So we waited.  We read all the Jackson Hole brochures and used the restrooms.  We weighed ourselves.  We admired the artwork and the sculptures.  We tried out all the options in sitting areas.  We examined the baggage claim carousels and watched the workers outside in the cold loading luggage and de-icing the plane.  Until at last... people began to walk up the ramp to the plane.  We watched carefully for his green trolley..  so glad he had a distinguishable trolley in the dark morning storm.

Finally!...  It's him!  We began to wave.  He didn't look up.  We waved more frantically!  He didn't look up.  As he came closer to the door of the plane the line stopped.  Just for a moment there seemed to be a traffic jam on the ramp.  We were jumping up and down and waving.  The line began to move again... and then... he looked up as he approached the door... and waved!  It was so slight.. we wondered... did he really wave?  I had been videoing so we watched it a few times and we decided someone waved.... but was it him!??

The plane took off and we returned out into the storm.  Walking against the wind to our car now covered in snow.  The sun was only just beginning to rise.  We found some breakfast in Jackson, stopped at the grocery store to stock up and then returned home.  The road was still open and we still took it slowly since it was now deeper and still windy.  Exhausted, we stumbled into the house around 11am.  By the time we unloaded the groceries and stoked the fire we realized that not only had Miles made it to Jackson but he had arrived in SLC and taken off again and was soon to land in Los Angeles.  We had traveled 50 miles and back from 3 am to 11 am and he had traveled 990 miles.

We napped and watched Bedknobs and Broomsticks and then Mary Poppins and then rearranged the house.. (another story!!)  As the afternoon wore on, I realized I had no way of knowing if he had made his connections or if he had arrived safely... did his luggage travel with him or get lost?  Did he have any issues at customs?  Did he speak to anyone the entire day?  Did he know I had put snacks in his bag?  Around 2pm I had a text from the airlines saying due to the fires in California some flights were canceled and vouchers were being offered... Now I was even more concerned.. I answered all calls that came that afternoon... I dealt with 3 offers for time shares and hotel stays in Vegas, I dealt with credit card offers and non existent extended car warranties.

I was very tired and was getting ready for bed when at 9pm, the phone rang.  I knew it was him.  It was a very short call but exactly what I needed.  He said, he was very tired, and hot!  He said travel had been just fine, the internet wi-fi was down but they let him call.  And he said... yes!  he had waved.  Then he said, "good bye, I love you."

The next few days were busy!... Wednesday is our town day so it was typical busyness.  Thursday we had co-op school and halloween.  Friday, Patrick was home and we stacked 6 truckfuls of wood and worked on the chicken coop and filled the day with winterizing tasks.  Saturday we continued to work on things that had been put off too long and now were done in the cold and snow.  It was music Saturday and I had cookies to bake for the evening.  At one point while I was doing a batch of cookies I heard my phone ding but I knew that if I went to respond I would burn the cookies.  Twenty minutes passed and finally the cookies were finished.  I checked the phone.  It had been Miles...

The message said, "hola."  then a message a few minutes later said... "Well I have to go now."

Oh no!  I hand't realized he might have Saturday for talking!  I had been keeping an ongoing email to send him.  I had planned to send it Sunday so which ever day was P-day he would have it waiting.  So I went to my email to send it and there was an email!

Holá to day is my first P-day I have been in the Mexico MTC for 4 days.

Por favor Email me all the Email addresses that Yo need to include in mi Weekly Email.
Yo hope you are all doing well. I'm doing fine Yo love the food it's muy delicioso (sorry Mum Yo talked about food). The language is hard but I can now introduce myself and offer a prayer, the goals for this week are very daunting but Yo know Yo can do it. Yo have been taking lots of classes. in spanish and Yo have been challenged to use as much spanish as possible so Yo am sorry if Yo don't make much sense.
With Love your Missionary in Mexico

 I quickly sent off my bits and snatches email that I had and he replied!  He was still on.  We had a short chat before he had to go.

Things he shared in our chatter.

• Wednesday will be his P-day, but there are lots of internet problems at the Mexico MTC.  
• He gets along with everyone well.
• Language learning is hard.. Pray for me!

• The food is great!  He likes everything so far.

• There are so many faces and names to learn.. but he's having fun.
• He has to give a talk in church in Spanish the next day!

• He gets fresh pineapple with every meal!

•  He also sent a photo of his district.  

 Then he had to go.  I peppered him with more questions so hopefully we will have a newsy message on Wednesday.  (Also I hope his time on Wednesday is early in the morning... It's such a busy day for us.)

Not quite a full week gone, but exciting to hear from him and know he is doing well.