It's Not For Sale...

It's not for sale... This was always John's first response when someone asked him about his white Toyota truck. Looking at the picture of the truck, you'll see why this brought a chuckle.

John bought it when he got home from his mission (we won't mention how many years ago that was) and at one point, he sold it to his brother, but then bought it back a few years later. The old Toyota was just a part of John.

When we got married, we had a bit of a debate about what we would do with the truck. I had memories of my neighbor suggesting that it might be best if my brother-in-law, Tyler (who had a very similar white Toyota truck) not park in front of her house anymore. I thought the Toyota would really enjoy living out in Wyoming on his uncle's property; John thought it would be the perfect vehicle for Kevin. Now Kevin has never been a materialistic person, but as a senior in high school, I wasn't quite sure how he would feel about driving the truck. I should never have doubted...he was thrilled.

The week after we started parking it in front of the house, we found a scribbled note under the windshield wiper, "Slimbo, you're bringing down the neighborhood." Kevin died with laughter. (He didn't realize that John's friend, Mark, left the note...given away by his using John's nickname "Slimbo.")

I came to understand why John thought it was the perfect vehicle for Kevin. It would only go about 30 mph downhill with a wind at it's back. We never had to worry about Kevin getting a speeding ticket. He learned how to drive a stick shift and the importance of using the emergency break. (He only told us right before he left for his mission about the morning he woke up early to go to school and went out to the curb, only to find the truck missing. Huh! He looked around and low and behold, the truck had taken a trip across the street, luckily stopped by the street curb before rolling into our neighbor's living room. And yes, it was the same neighbor who asked Tyler to not park his truck in front of her house...hee, hee)

We got a lot of good use out of the truck. When John and I were dating, he decided it wasn't really Christmas without a real tree. We stuffed one in the back (and nearly had to tie the tailgate closed because it decided it didn't want to latch anymore) and enjoyed the smell of pine through the whole season. We brought Johnny's crib home in the trusty Toyota. Kevin and I bought John a massive treadmill that he was sure he wanted for Father's Day. It filled the entire bed. The whole way home, I kept asking Kevin, "What have we done??? Should we take it back?"

Before Kevin left for his mission, we discussed that it was probably time to say goodbye to the Toyota. We took a picture of it's best angle and John put it on KSL.com on Sunday night about 10 p.m. At 8 a.m. the next morning, we had a guy on our doorstep with $500.00 cash. John gave him a complete rundown of the Toyota's weaknesses. (Boy, I didn't know that much was wrong with it. Maybe I shouldn't have been letting Kevin drive it back and forth to Provo.) The guy listened to everything, nodded his head and asked in very broken English, "It starts? I take." Since it had new breaks, new tires and a new battery, we had listed it for $1000.00, but all of the sudden, John just wanted to sell it and be done with it. With the picture on the ad, how many offers would we get? We took the money and felt good about it.

Would you believe that we have continued to get calls on that truck for 3 weeks now?

So long, Toyota. We'll miss you guy.

Small Reassurances

On Saturday, in preparation for teaching Relief Society on Sunday, I googled "LDS Relief Society Wentworth Letter" to see if anyone had any great lesson plans. The second link that came up was titled "Kuala Lumpur Relief Society." That name looked slightly familiar to me, so I clicked on the link. It is a great blog so I read it further. On the sidebar, they welcome sisters who are visiting and generally update everyone on what is happening in the ward. One of the entries mentioned praying for a sister's father who was having surgery in Sarawak. Suddenly, it dawned on me that Kuala Lumpur and Sarawak were familiar to me because they are cities in Malaysia where there are branches of the church. This was the Relief Society blog for a branch in Malaysia!

Now, I have googled many church topics over the years, and I have never run across a blog from Malaysia! I don't think it is any coincidence and I'm comforted that the Lord shows us that He cares by sending little reassurances along the way. I'll probably know more about the goings on in the branch than Kevin will!

Martha thought it would be great to not tell Kevin I had found it, then when he is assigned there, start asking questions about people in the ward.... How's so and so doing after her appendectomy??? It would have been really funny, but of course, I cannot keep such a secret!

Yellowstone 2009

Before Kevin left on his mission, we took a fabulous trip to Yellowstone. Morgan, John's sister Suzy, her husband Neal, and their son Paul joined us and we all had a great time.

I Wanna Hold Your Hand

Whenever we have an important event in our family, we try to freeze the moment by making a plaster cast of our hands. We have one of my hand and Kevin's hand when he was 12 years old and received the Priesthood. Before Kevin left on his mission, I wanted to make one of him holding Johnny's hand. It turned out so well! You can see every detail, including their fingernails, wrinkles, and veins.

Johnny is big on holding hands. I noticed he was doing it at about 3 months but I thought it was just a reflex to grasp objects. I first realized it was purposeful when I took him for his 4 month doctor check-up. He was happy, smiling and cooing at everyone. This came to an abrupt halt when the nurse gave him his vaccinations. He was completely shocked that someone would hurt him. We had to stay in the room for quite some time for him to calm down after the experience.

When I went to check out and make his next appointment, I put him in his carseat. I heard this little whimper and looked down and he was reaching out his little hand for me to hold. It was the sweetest, saddest thing. He was fine as long as I was holding his hand.

I've never seen a baby do this, but if he is sitting on someone's lap, and someone else he loves is sitting next to them, he will reach out to hold their hand. How could anyone resist? He also wants to hold hands while he is taking his bottle, which makes holding his bottle difficult!

It is so fun to make these casts. I recommend you do it with your family too! The kits are in a bucket and are made by a company called Precious Memories. I found mine at the craft store.

Kisses

He's Off!

Today was a defining moment in my life as we dropped Kevin off at the MTC. Although I have planned for and hoped for this day for all of Kevin's life, I was not prepared for how it felt to say goodbye to him for 2 years. Kevin is so much a part of me. I can't imagine how it will be not to be able to talk to him except through letters. I can't imagine him living in a foreign country and speaking a different language. When I wake up in the morning, he'll be finishing his day. I'll go on eating the same food, interacting with the same people, and sleeping in the same bed every night. He'll be doing none of those things!

Last night was physically painful. My chest ached every time I took a breath and if anyone even looked my way, tears welled up in my eyes. I'm so excited for the opportunities for growth before him, but it's hard to think that I'm sending away my boy, and he's going to come back a man. I've loved having him as my little boy, and I'm going to miss that forever.

Little Johnny is going to miss his brother! They have become fast friends in the few months that Kevin has been home from college. When Kevin comes back, Johnny will be a bouncing 2 1/2 year old. When Johnny is old enough for a mission, Kevin will be the age I am now! (Isn't that a sobering thought!)

We couldn't love you any more than we do, Kevin. Have a great mission!