Polar Express Ward Christmas Party

It's almost Christmastime again 

Ahhhh, that most wonderful time of the year.

Postcards From Peru {a mother's account of a missionary son}

As some of you know, I've had a son serving a full-time LDS mission in Peru for the past two years.

We have not seen him in person at all for TWO.  WHOLE.  YEARS.

If you're a mom, you know how crazy and hard that is!

We've only gotten to talk to John on the phone TWICE.....the past two Mother's Days.

We got to Skype him ONCE, last Christmas.

Those were cherished moments like you can't even imagine, 

where we were all huddled around the speaker phone or 

smashed together in front of the computer so we could all fit into one Skype screen.  

I didn't want to miss one single word he had to say!

{he talks with a Spanish accent now, which is truly hilarious!}

We've exchanged an email every Monday, where he tells us about the good,

 and sometimes the not-so-good things that are happening.

We tell him what's going on with everyone at home, which honestly, compared to what he's doing and sacrificing, usually sounds so superficial and unimportant.

At times he's had awful health issues, 

beginning with being sick in the MTC {Missionary Training Center} in Provo, Utah, where he learned Spanish, plus how to teach the people of Peru about Jesus Christ and the restoration of the gospel.

Then imagine adjusting to a whole new diet in a third-world country.  

Yeah, that came with a whole lovely set of challenges!

{in his emails he talks about American food incessantly!  He misses it!!}
{see the food list he sent me AFTER this was posted!}

{I don't think he'll eat chicken, beans and rice again for months!  

He just wants IHOP, my homemade Gumbo, and a whole list of other things!  lol}

He's suffered greatly for months from ingrown toenails that required surgery, only for them to quickly return on the other side of the toes.

I know, gross.  But he's the first missionary that offered a Book of Mormon to the foot doctor! lol

He's walked up and down mountainsides so much that he's worn out his shoes and pants.

So what do you do when you're 6'3", tall and slender, you need a new pair of pants, but you live in a country where the population is very short?

Yeah, even new PANTS have been an issue!

After serving the Lord honorably and selflessly for 24 months,

after spending every dime he's ever saved in his whole life {for this purpose},

after giving up everything he's ever known and loved to go off to a country and a people and a language that he knew nothing about,

He's coming home!

 NEXT WEEK!!!

We will soon be at the Phoenix airport celebrating, hugging and crying!

I can't wait!!!

Serving a mission has helped him to grow into a man, more mature and wise than the boy who left two years ago,

but he's never stopped being John!

Check out these pictures from Peru!

He's a character!!

                         

                                                                              He LOVES him some Peruvian Inca Kola 

                                                                                           {anyone know where I can get more?}

Easter at the 'Farm' House

A little late in posting this, but seriously, our Easter was so fun, I wanted to share ANYWAY.

{there are a couple of Young Women Easter handouts at the end of this post}

I got a few of the Easter decorations up.  On Easter day.

Last minute I thought it would be fun to spruce up our dining tables for our lovely big family dinner.

HAPPY EASTER! Attributes of Christ in a Butterfly Basket

Here is a wonderful little Young Women's Easter handout that I've really enjoyed since last Easter

Book of Mormon Read-A-Thon

A couple of months ago I read in the newspaper about an LDS Youth group 

who'd had a Book of Mormon Read-A-Thon.  

It intrigued me, but I was sure that OUR youth group 

would be bored to tears.....