Another Missionary Post

If you can stand reading one more post about my missionary son, then read on. If not, better skip this one.His new P-day is Monday, so now I have a reason to look forward to (what used-to-be) my least favorite day of the week. Sure enough, there was an email waiting for us when we got up Monday morning. He's in a smallish town (similar in size to American Fork) called Bernburg. He says there's a castle (schloss) in the town--with two bears in the moat. He says bears are the theme in his town. Gary immediately got on the internet and read all about Bernburg, its bears, and looked at pictures. He says he probably knows more about the city than Aubrey. Of course Aubrey will get the up close and personal view of everything!
Since we got to talk to him at the airport, then got an email two days later from him in the mission home, then an email from him 4 days later in his new area we were in heaven! But now we're back to the once-a-week communication. If you've read my previous post on this, you know how I feel about that. Gary even made the comment yesterday that waiting a week to hear from him is too long. Sigh.

This is what he said they'd been doing in the 3 days he'd been there: "On Friday we had to go shopping because no one had been using our apt. for a while (usually the trainer has already been in the city but in our case we were both new to Bernburg) and we needed some food. Then we started the work. I've done a little of everything so far. Some doors, some lessons, some street contacting (although there aren't a lot of people out on the street), and we met all the members at church yesterday." Sounds like what he'll be doing pretty much the next 22 months.

Here's what he said about the language: "I find it hard to understand people when they talk. [that's got to be an understatement, right?] Right now I'm just trying to focus and get all the words I can and realize when questions are directed towards me. They all have an accent, but my compy says that the people here actually speak pretty clear Deutsch compared to other parts of the mission." My brother says to tell him that he's the one with the accent!

As for the other missionaries in our family, one nephew (in Portugal) is 6 months away from coming home, another nephew (in Mexico) just passed his 1 year mark, and the other nephew (in Canada) says things are warming up in Ottawa--the temperature hasn't dropped below 5 degrees Celsius all week (that's about 40 degrees F. for all of us Americans).

The grandparents are pretty busy in the office. They will be speaking tomorrow in their branch (3rd time since they got there 2 months ago). They've also been called as YSA advisors (I told them it's because they are so young at heart). Dad says he doesn't know how they'll fit it all in, but I know they will do their best and the Lord will help them accomplish all he has for them to do.

I heart my missionary!

He's There!

I just got an email from Elder Aubrey Hatch who is alive and well in Germany! It was only a few sentences--mainly about his flight and how much sleep he was able to get. He did say that he's had his interview with his mission president, President Pimental, who is "so cool" and "very nice." AND, since his P-Day is Monday, we'll hear from him again very soon. Love it!

I heart my missionary!

Missionary Phone Calls are Awesome!

We just got off the phone with Aubrey. He's waiting in the SLC airport to make his way to Germany. It was good to hear his voice and laugh! I miss that laugh.

It's strange, none of us had anything terribly earth-shattering to say, there were even pauses when no one was saying anything, but just the fact that for 40 minutes we were all together (in voice) was really good. I didn't even tear up until I said the last goodbye and I love you. Then I just couldn't bring myself to hang up the phone.

(He asked me to remind him again when Mother's Day is. I told him the 2nd Sunday in May and he said, "Oh, like 2 months. We'll just do another 'MTC time' and we'll talk again."

OK, then--here's to 2 more months!)

Here are a few photos from the memory card he sent us this week:

He called this his "dramatic" pose

This one he called the "class picture"--these guys are all from AFHS

His district at the famous map: Elder Webb, Elder Hatch, Elder Redmon, Sister Swenson, Sister Scruggs

Elder Hatch & Elder Redmon in what he calls "the most patriotic picture ever"

Welcome to Spring in Utah

This is the sight that greeted me Friday morning:

Gary shoveled our driveway and walks (being north-facing has it's issues) before I took this picture. He figures we had close to 8 inches. I had to agree after going out in the back yard to check the satellite dish for snow--the snow came up above the top of the boots I was wearing. You also have to know that the last of the snow in the shady spots of the front yard had finally melted away just a couple of days ago. Notice the driveway across the street only has tire tracks--no shoveling.


Now here's the same view just a mere 8 hours later:

Yep, that's a classic spring storm here in Utah. (Notice the driveway across the street--it was never shoveled--there's the benefit of being south facing!)

I'm not complaining. I came to terms with this kind of weather several years ago, I just thought I'd document it visually.

(And no, the white car didn't melt away, like Gary said it looks like. We moved it to the driveway before the snowplow came down the street.)

A Mom's Heart

As Aubrey prepares to leave the MTC for Germany in a week, I've been having lots of thoughts.

He's been gone for 8 weeks--seems like a lifetime on some days. Other days it's like, whoa, he's been gone for 2 months already? Where did those 2 months go? I'm so pleased with what he's doing and know that it's the right thing.

But then Thursday (his p-day when he writes home) finally rolls around and the minutes take hours to get to the afternoon (we usually hear from him about 4:30 pm). I'm checking my email every 5-10 minutes from about 3:30 on--just in case his letter comes early. At last! His weekly email pops into my inbox. I eagerly read it...and then sigh. It's not enough for this poor mother's heart. I wish so badly I could talk to him a couple of times a week--not that I would get any more information (he's a man of few vocal words), and not that we had a perfect relationship, but it's like a part of me is missing and when I hear from him that part is filled up again.

I finally understand why when a missionary mom is asked about her son or daughter, her eyes light up and she will happily share how her child is doing.

It's hard on a mom, but I know the rewards are great--for not only me and my son, but for those whose lives he will touch through his service. And that makes is alright for this mother's heart.

Final Baby Bootie Count

My goal was 10 pairs, but I didn't quite make it. Life intervened during the Olympics, and I only got 8 pairs made. But to be positive, that's 8 more pairs than there were before the games, and 8 sets of little piggies that can be warm.

Some of you asked how I made them--I used this loom that my daughter got at Girls Camp. It's pretty easy and doesn't take much yarn. I bought a 5 oz. skein of medium yarn at Wal-Mart (about $2) and that yielded 5 pairs. Maren donated the other bits of yarn from her stash.