Countdown Day 6

Thursday January 10, 2013

Boy what a difference a good night rest makes!  Slept like a rock.

I have hope for the day!  My mind is clear.  You know what also makes a difference?   .....about 30 degrees!  It feels practically like Spring, but it's only in the 20's outside.  Car is happier, window seals are happier, and nostrils are happier.  Now ~~~ if we could just get a storm to blow out the RED AIR and it looks like that's going to happen!!

 I should be getting my standard storm email from my Mom regarding doing my laundry and making a pot of soup......and she didn't disappoint, it came in about 3:56pm today  {Love ya Mom you make my day bright!)

Today,  Matt helped Tanner with some thoughts and an outline regarding his farewell talk.  Tanner can give talks just fine, but he doesn't particularly enjoy putting the thoughts in words and on paper.  It will be a process as Tanner's missionary letters start to roll in....to tell you the truth, I'm looking forward to it.  I really have no idea what to expect from his kid.

During my lunch break, made a quick run to the store to gather a few more items for Tanner's medicine bag and then went home to check on how things were progressing with Tanner's talk.  There were actual words on the page!   Woot!  I also got Tanner's picture ordered for his missionary plaque.  AND...we were out of tortilla chips!  Geesh, we are never out of tortilla chips.  Sam's club RUN!

Tonight I was suppose to attend Roundtable (new calling in cub scouts!), but we decided to cancel due to the wintery storm blowing in!   This unexpectedly freed up my night and allowed me to work on doing some more labeling and other prep work for before packing.  Emotionally doing pretty good!  About this time during Joshua's preparations I had already had several crying melt down's.  Rocking it.  Fa-rah rah rah rah, rah-rah-rah-rah!

~~ Texting Conversation ~~

Me:   Find the vitamins in your missionary medicine bag and start taking 2 of them today.  We need your immune system as healthy as we can get it before you enter the MTC.  Howz your talk coming?

Tanner:  Its going ok. (11:13am)

Me:     Gooood!  Pray for help honey.  Heavenly Father will help to bring ideas to your mind.  Have faith!  Love you.

Tanner:   Just threw up (11:36am)

Me:   .....uhhh, is this for real or stress related?  Figure of speech?  Vitamins too big?

Tanner:   No, I ate the vitamins and like in 15 minutes later I felt like throwing up and I did.

Me:  :  Okay!  Give it a couple of hours and try to take one, not two.

Tanner:   Ugggggghhhhhhhhhh, I think your trying to poison me.

Me:    No Honey! .....Geesh!  No one in the whole world has your best interest at heart than Muah!

Tanner:   Within minutes of eating that garbage I was barfing my guts out.

Me:    Again?

Tanner:  I haven't eaten another one, but my breakfast is gone.

Me:    Okay...like I said give your tummy a few hours to recover.  You sure are dramatic.

Tanner:   Hey, it was gross.

In Honor of this Texting Conversation

Enjoy!

Countdown Day 7

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

It was one of those nights.  You know where your brain just won't shut off.  At least for me I've found I can't fight it, so I keep a paper and pen by my bed and write down those things that are keeping me awake.  USUALLY this works, but I was up at 4:30am and the mind wouldn't shut off, so why fight it.  Just get up and get the day going.

We are down to a WEEK!  7 Days!  We gauge many things in our world according to a weeks time.  It can seem like an eternity for a small child, yet God created the world in 6 days and rested for the 7th day.   I kinda want this week to go by more slowly than usually, but  I suspect it will go fairly quickly for us.  A week from today we will be finishing up our packing and making the 3 hour drive to Provo.  Tanner's drop off time is 1:45pm on the 16th.  If there is one thing that I learned when we dropped of Joshua last September was don't go too early.   The minutes seem like hours when you are waiting to drive through those pearly MTC gates.

Entering MTC in Sept of 2011 when we dropped of Joshua

Right now a few events are quickly approaching:  Tanner and Bryon's farewell party on Saturday and Sunday's farewell.  Since both Elders are entering the MTC on the same day, it just worked out to also have their Sunday farewell on the same day.  They've been friends since kindergarten and it just seemed right to do it this way!  I love it this way.  They have the same friends and rather than have a huge sheen-dig on Sunday they decided to have a joint farewell partay on Saturday where all their friends could gather in one place.  Thanks to the Geddes family for opening up their homes to us!  They have been so good to Tanner.

Character picture drawn during their trip to CA in Oct of 2009 - Bryon, Tanner and Thomas.  I thought the artist did an excellent job of capturing their personalities along with their unique facial features.  I just love Tanner's teeth!

Graduation Day 2012 - Bryon, Tanner and Thomas (Thomas is already in the MTC and will head out to Guatemala two days BEFORE Tanner and Bryon arrive at the MTC -- go figure!!)

 There wasn't much time for me to work on missionary stuff today between work and American Festival Chorus rehearsal in the PM.  I did manage an hour break for lunch from work where I did a few errands to prepare for Saturday and Sunday.  I'm starting to feel a little under the weather, but I'm wondering if it's really my early 4:30am wake up call catching up to me?  or perhaps the bad red air days in Cache Valley? Time will tell.  I've gotta THINGS TO DO doesn't my body know this?

I was pleasantly surprised when I logged into the Missionary Portal tonight to see that Tanner has indeed been a busy boy!  We are at a 100% Pre-MTC training done!  Also when I arrived home today he was doing some research on the internet regarding his Sacrament talk.  Nice work Elder!!

Countdown Day 8

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Happy Birthday to ZAC TODAY!! 

 My nephew who will be leaving to serve in Pittsburgh Philadelphia Spanish speaking mission on February 13th!  Can't wait for his reports and letters.

This morning I woke up and started working on creating a birthday list of family members to put inside Tanner's address book for his FYI.  It's a good thing for a missionary to know - Birthdays.  They may not be able to send a birthday card or birthday wishes because of their limited time and resources, but I think from time to time when they look at that list they will see all the people that love them and be able to think and pray about that family member during the day of their birthday.

A little snippet I took from Tanner's Missionary Portal progress!  This is suggested online training for him before he enters the MTC.  People, we are making some headway here!!

Sorting through Tanner's closet.  Hummmmm, which shirt I should choose for today?

Tonight I spent the evening making food assignments for Farewell Sunday, making a shopping list, and  loading up Tanner ipod shuffle with appropriate missionary music.  Whew....I am one tired Mom.

A little more missionary swag to pack --- Yoda will help to protect and watch over Tanner on his missionary journey -- As Yoda would say "Hmmm.  In the end, cowards are those who follow the dark side."  (Yoda has been Tanner-assessorized!)

Countdown Day 9

Monday, January 7, 2013

Typical Monday at the Shoemaker household!  A letter arrives from Elder Shoemaker from Holland, I read, giggle, smile, enjoy and post onto his website for all to enjoy.  Matt and I headed off  to work.  Landon to school.  I did come home for lunch to get dinner started.  As a working Mother, I sure love the crockpot!!  My Ranch Chicken Tacos turned out pretty darn wonderful!  I found Tanner sitting in the big comfy chair in the living room enjoying a good book.  I also made a quick stop at the bank to make some last minute adjustments to Tanner's checking and savings accounts.  Making sure everything is in order.

It's been fairly cold in Cache Valley!  Our high was 18 degrees and our low was -11 degrees!   Hawaii is really sounding lovely.

Tonight for Family Home Evening we decided to watch a few episodes of "The District", which are part of the missionary list of "things to do" on Tanner's list.  We each have a list - surprised?   If you know me, you shouldn't.  :)

My List!  All things highlighted in blue are done.......

I can't function without lists.  My list has been making significant progress in the last two weeks.  I love to check things OFF!  Tanner's list is making a little slower progress, but is progressing.  He's not quite as motivated as I am about his lists.  Maybe he will grow to love lists someday. We will get there!

Landon was working tonight, but was let off a little early and was able to join  us to watch the episodes for FHE.  That was a sweet surprise, that made my heart happy.  As we watched the episodes it was interesting to me to really see the life inside missionary work.  It's wonderful that the church has put this "reality" missionary TV series together.  I haven't served a mission but I always tried to imagine what it is like.   The letters that I read weekly from my oldest son, Joshua, gives me a good inside glimpse and it's isn't always pretty.  They work hard and have difficult days.  My eyes were opened to the work by watching the videos.  Such dedication that these missionary have in their service.  I have such admiration for missionary service.

Here's more information on the BYUtv realty show "The District"

Countdown Day 10

Sunday - January 6, 2013

Today is the first Sunday of the new year.  Our church changed to 1pm.  Pretty typical Sunday morning, we all slept in!  We are down to 10 days before Tanner enters the MTC.  I thought it would be good to journal the next 10 days before he enters the MTC.  Lots of mixed emotions; joy, peace, worry, gratitude, anxiety, love.  Is there a word for all of that?  Yes there is ...it's called "Motherhood."  So I say to myself, just DEAL!

Today I gave Tanner a hair cut (along with Matt and Landon), but I have to admit it became a little sentimental as I realized it would the last hair cut I give him for 2 years.  I've always cut my boys hair ever since they were tiny.  I'm not a professional by any means, but I self taught myself over the years as a basic necessity for our family finances.  I should calculate the savings some day!

Tanner and I team taught the Valiant 11 Primary class today at church.  The Primary President gave me a call Saturday and asked as they were in need of a substitute.  We taught the importance of Joseph Smith's first vision.  It was a wonderful experience to share the role of teacher with my son.  He wasn't all that excited to do it at first, but once he got going he did a great job.

At church I was contacted by the Stake Secretary that the Stake President would be to our home next Tuesday evening to set Tanner apart as a full-time missionary.  He shared with me that we currently have 17 missionaries in our Stake that have received their calls and are waiting to be set apart.  This doesn't include the ones with papers in the works. How amazing!  This work will move forward in leaps and bounds.

The evening was spent double checking Tanner's missionary list and starting the process of labeling his missionary swag!

SWAG in all it's Glory!

As each day passes....and it will whether I want it to or not....I will treasure each moment that I have with Tanner.  He doesn't show much emotion or verbalize much to me, but I know he loves me and appreciates my efforts to help him prepare for his mission.  Our family life will be different and this is just something that I've got to accept as the hours and days pass quietly by.

Ninteen years of New Years Baby

Nineteen years ago on New Years Eve, I went into labor with my second son Tanner.  He wasn't expected to arrive for another two weeks, so the news that I would be staying in the hospital to have a baby that night was a pleasant surprise (as I was two weeks over and had to be induced with my first son).  It quickly turned to more of a "PARTAY" than a labor/delivery type of event.  All the doctors, nurses and family   cheering us on and scheming of how to have the first new years baby of 1994.  He did arrive four seconds after midnight and was the first baby born in Utah County that year.  It was a joyful day and I have sweet memories of bringing Tanner into this world.  He really was the sweetest baby a Mother could ask for.

Tanner's claim to fame - News Years Baby article

Cousin Treavor and Tanner sharing the same bassinet

All Smiles!

Tanner playing hide and seek at Grandma Shoemaker's

One of my all time favorite pictures! - Grandma Walker's backyard

Landon and Tanner enjoying a little sunshine at Grandma's.  Who can resist those TEETH and big blue eyes!  There is a whole lot of preciousness going on right here!

Tanner's 3rd birthday.  Joshua is holding back with all his might not to blow them out for Tanner.  If you know Josh, you know how funny this is!

Oregon Coast - Newport Beach 1996 trip

Love this picture of Matt and Tanner flying a kite - Newport Beach 1996

Tanner and cousin Treavor enjoying a little trick or treating!

Tanner's happy place 1996

Still........Tanner's happy place 2012

HAPPY 19th TANNER!!!

4 weeks....

The reality of Tanner leaving in four weeks for the MTC is starting to tiptoe into my thoughts.  We've been preparing since his call arrived in October.  I've been through this before just over a year ago.  I know how it works and I remember how I felt when we dropped off Tanner's older brother, Joshua.   It's a beautiful experience, yet pulls on those mother strings like none other.   I'm bracing myself.  I prayed for strength that day and I will do it again.

This picture was taken at Joshua's farewell back in September of 2011.  Just over a year later all of them have their mission calls.  Pretty amazing story really.  All cousin's, all best friends...and the greatest support group anyone could ask for in family.

 Tanner will enter the MTC in four weeks, then Treavor two weeks later, then Zac two weeks after that!  We will be a busy family keeping tabs on these four missionaries!

Tanner helped to ordain his cousin Treavor an Elder this past Sunday.  I have to admit I had to peek!  The moment was so special to me as Tanner's Mom to see him stand with those worthy to confer the Melchizedek Priesthood to Treavor.  It was a very special tender moment that I will always cherish.

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. 
 ~3 John 1:4