happenings

since i have last posted, a few major things have happened. things that have tried and tested my emotions, in mostly good ways. things that have been planned for a long time and things that were definitely unexpected! first things first.

one of my youngest brothers, robert, left to serve his mission. he has been called to serve for the next 2 years in the scotland ireland mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. he is currently in the preston enlgand mtc and will be until november 11 or 12. he left from the calgary airport on october 21st. let me first say how excited i am for rob! and (forgive me for saying it!!) how proud i am of him. i know that he will be an amazing missionary as he is an amazing young man. i am so glad that he made the decision to serve the Lord as a missionary. i am so grateful for the example that he is setting for my boys (as they think rob is "the man!") and the growth and strength he will gain from this experience. he is so happy where he is and i couldn't be happier for him. now that i got that off my chest, on to the more selfish side of me. I MISS HIM!!!!! i already miss him so very much!! i have been lucky these past 6 months to be able to spend so much time with rob. we jokingly called this summer our "summer of rob." it seems that he was out here, in cranbrook, boating with us, or camping in the states, or just hanging out with our family almost every other weekend all summer. i had many opportunities to have some real heart to heart conversations with rob and really appreciated the level of trust and love he has for me as his sister...but also as his friend. he is not only one of my younger brothers but one of my bestest friends, as all my siblings are! my kids also have a great love for rob and it was hard for them to say goodbye. my whole family were able to meet for dinner in calgary before going to the airport together to send rob off. it was good to be all together for one last hurrah! to share our love for each other and our great love for rob. there were tears shed as we said goodbye...mostly by us, not so much by rob (which was a good sign:). he was so ready to go!!) not only was i crying for my own heartache but also for the heartache of my boys. i think burton (who really has a special relationship with rob) hugged rob about 10 times and held back his tears until rob walked through security and was really gone. evan didn't really realize what was going on but started his crying once he realized that we really were saying goodbye. and jensen cried hardest of all - my little sweetheart. i think that he was crying for everyone else as much as he was crying for himself. as i already said, it was hard to say goodbye!
needless to say, my emotions have been very close to the surface since he left! we got our first letter from elder swainson last wednesday. it was so GOOD to hear that he is doing so well. he is on top of the world and is so happy that he is serving a mission. it makes missing him not as hard when i know that he is where he wants to be, doing what he wants to be doing, and enjoying it so much. i am again so very grateful for my little brother. and i love him so very much!!
now, on to the unexpected part of my week. i have been serving as a councillor in the young women's organization in our ward for just over 2 years. i got called shortly after we moved to cranbrook. i didn't really know anyone yet and was excited to be able to serve with girls and women (paige wasn't yet born and i was really looking forward to some girl time). as i have served in yw's, i have made life long friends that i love and cherish - with the other leaders as well as the girls. i came to love the women i served with and the young women we served. things were going great. and then the bishop called and wanted to meet with me. any time you accept a calling, you know it won't last forever. but, i must say i was not expecting a change yet - especially not the one he gave me. i have been called to serve as the new primary president in our ward.

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!

i must admit, with my emotions being so close to the surface as i previously described, i started to cry after the bishop released me from my yw's calling. not because i am sad to be moving on to primary, but because it means leaving my yw's position behind - working with such wonderful women, spending so much time with such amazing young women, and having so much fun as we strengthened and taught eachother. i felt embarassed for crying:) but i think the bishop understood. anyways, the last few days have been filled with LOTS of self doubt mixed with a few moments of thinking, "i can do this." it is a big calling - i have never been the president of anything before!!! but i have been given some great councillors to work with and, after talking to them, i feel much more able to fill the big shoes that are before me. i am grateful that i have a testimony of callings in the church - that i know they come to the bishop through inspiration and prayer. i know that this is the Lord's church, and if he thinks i can be the primary president, i will be.....i just pray i am a good one:)

so, that's it for now...really. atleast i hope that this is it for now. i think i have had enough major changes to last me for a little bit. now that i am finished writing this novel of an entry, i will finish with this.
I LOVE YOU ROB!!! and i will be the best i can be - just as you have asked us to. you are awesome, amazing, fabulous and i know you will be a greater than great missionary.