Post date: Nov 22, 2017 3:18:24 AM
WEDNESDAY - TUESDAY
Here I sit in Utah, the mother of another missionary. I dropped my 19 year old off at Missionary Training Center to serve for 19 months in the Slovakia Mission. It has been a very wild two weeks.
We started in Georgia and spent two days driving to Utah. We were piled into a truck with six people. Needless to say it was interesting and cozy.
My son has been home from his mission for two months. He is learning how to communicate and not to react. His norms are shifting. I had been super busy taking a class and getting ready to go to Utah. So, on Saturday, with a long drive ahead of us, I started up a conversation with Xan about his life. He reacted, harshly. He went off about how I wasn't there for him, how I wasn't helping him, and how he didn't want my help.
I paused, told him I was sorry, and now I had time and if he wanted to talk, he could. I told him he had reacted poorly, in a codependent manner. It took him awhile before he backed down. We ended up having a great conversation. We addressed some of the things he was worried about and set him on a path to accomplish some things.
I was able to share with him my hopes and dreams for the next five years. It was nice to have a conversation with him. Sometimes people just get busy and things have to wait until there's a better time, like sitting in a car for several hours.
We laughed a lot on our journey. With only three days before my daughter was to report, we had lots to do with very little time. It was amazing how NOT stressed I was. We just had fun together. There were a couple times I had to say, "Um, it's just a bag, pick one." It was also nice to do things together as a family.
Packing the night before was hard. All her stuff in two bags. It all fit, though. We got up early and went to the Provo City Temple to do a session together. It was amazing! After the session, we headed to Brick Oven in Provo, for our traditionally family lunch. We drove to the MTC, jumped into one vehicle and dropped my daughter off, in the hands of strangers, ordained of God, to teach and preach. It was such a relief to know she is safe.
She's my third missionary. I've done this twice before. Both times before were a nightmare. The stress and chaos drove away any good. My son, the last thing he said before dropping him off at the same MTC, two years ago was, "Don't get a divorce." It was bad.
It has been a very pleasant trip. Virtually no stress with my wonderful in-laws. No stress in my family. It is BEYOND nice to be a healthy family.
We are not perfect, we are trying. Sometimes trying is really difficult, especially if you are the only trying, but that doesn't mean you stop trying. NEVER GIVE UP! Like those who have passed before, you will make it through the hard times and find joy in this journey.