Tick-tock, tick-tock...

The time is just not going fast enough for our missionary son these days. It just feels like July 22nd will never get here. Work is even slow.

Here are a few pictures to show how he is spending his days.

Josh and Sadie went to Summerfest and were the oldest two people in the "get your face painted" booth. They are official Borg now.


We call the new biking look "Gore!" How do you like it?

Sister Crookston bakes awesome chocolate cake. Joseph had the first corner before we new it.

Breakfast is sooooooooooooo much fun--well, at least Jo was enjoying it.


Only 31 days till he leaves.

Signing off for now,
The Mama

Argentina Bahia Blanca

He's off to South America to the Argentina Bahia Blanca Mission.  Josh is to report to the MTC in Provo, Utah, on July 22, 2009.  WOW!!!  Not anywhere we were expecting.

Got to get back to our company and son.  More later.

Signing off for now,

The Mama"

P.S.  Josh's dance partner and friend, Heather, wins the guessing contest.  She guessed Argentina.  Congrats, Heather.  You win a selection of candy bars.

THE CALL HAS ARRIVED!!!

We've been waiting on pins and needles every day since Sunday for the mail to arrive.  Thank goodness the mail is normally here between 11 a.m. and 12 noon.  Monday it didn't come till 4 p.m.  Yesterday I personally gave up hope when it didn't come, and had settled on the fact that it would come sometime next week.  

Lo and behold, today at 10:55 a.m. Joshua's  mission call arrived via U.S. Postal Service.  The postman knocked on the door and gave it to him personally.  Of course, we immediately called Jeff to ask him to come home for the opening.  You see, we asked him how he wanted to handle the opening of his call.  At first he was adamant that he could wait to open it once he had it in his hands. Since submitting the papers every couple of days he has changed his mind on the matter going from "everyone should be here," to, "I can't wait--only my immediate family."    Only yesterday Josh informed us that he was not going to wait for people to gather for the opening of the letter.  So today we were prepared for Jeff to leave work immediately to come home.  

I am happy to annouce that he changed his mind yet again, and has decided to wait for his friends and relatives to gather for this exciting moment.  Joshua will be opening his call at approximately 9 p.m. MST.  I don't think it will actually happen until closer to 9:30 p.m. since he is scheduled to work until then, but he thinks his boss will let him off early.

If you would like to be here for this joyous occassion we would love to have you here.   Anyone not able to attend please check back here around 10 p.m.  I will post the details of the call--a.k.a. the location and date of departure-- then.  Thanks for all your support of the years.

Signing off for now,

The Mama 

We just checked and YES, the papers are with the Church Headquarters.

YEAH!!!  It is really happening.

Have a Fantabulous day, and we'll be back later.

Signing off for now,

The Mama

Today is the big day--well, the first big day.  Today the papers can finally be submitted to church headquarters.  Woo Hoo!!!

We'll let you know when the call comes.

Signing off for now,

The Mama

Hold Everything...that is until April 15th.

Alright, alright, alright...let me explain.  I got a call this morning at 8:30 a.m. from the Stake President.  After working with the computer for a while he found out that the paperwork can not be submitted until 3 months before the availabitility date.  Since Josh listed that date as July 15, 2009, the paperwork will have to wait until April 15th.  

Needless to say, Josh is a bit dissapointed at this news.  It feels just like hitting those really tall speed bumps in the Macey's parking lot.  They catch you unaware, give the car quite a jolt, but once you are on the other side of them you just slow down and proceed forward at a slower pace.  You still get where you want to be, it just takes a little bit longer.   

We were told that mission calls are coming back after the papers have been submitted within 10 to 14 days on average.  With the new submittal date it dawns on me that there is a good chance his call could arrive on my birthday, April 27th.  That would be only 12 days.  Let's wait and see.

Signing off for now,

The Mama

The Paperwork has been submitted!

Well, the time of waiting has come. Yesterday was the interview with the Stake President and all of Josh's mission paperwork was submitted. He passed--so far. Now we await "The Call." I think he is going to explode with excitement and anticipation. His mother and father are quite excited as well.

All these years of talking about and planning for a mission. It is hard to believe that the time is here. At the risk of being too sentimental, I will only say the time went by much quicker than I ever imagined.

I remember when Josh was a little tyke. One day I found him atop the back of our brown couch with a stick in his hand pointing it up high. I asked him what he was doing. He said he was Samuel on the wall with Jesus warning the Nephites that they were bad and needed to repent. He was such a cute, confident Samuel.

Please submit your guesses for where he will be called. There will probably not be a prize for a correct or close guess, but it is fun and helps to fill the waiting time.

Signing off for now,
The Mama