Tucson Arkansas

Mike took these pictures yesterday before the kids had to split up again. It was taken at Alpine Market. I had already left to take the divers home. Mike had the older kids drive there so he could fill their car up with gas before they drove back home. I love how much my kids love each other. I hope they always feel this way. I hope they are always this close. I am so lucky.

My babies ~ Jorja, Stockton, Maysen, Preston

Aysha spent the night here and went with us to 9:00 church this morning. It was also Isaac Johnson's mission farewell. He did a great job. Audrey also came with us. She was in town for the weekend. We had two benches again!

Jorja & Aysha

The bishop had asked someone in our family to announce where Stockton would be going. Jorja is wanting as much experience in front of people as she can get, so we asked her. She keeps saying Stockton is going to Alabama. I asked her if she could remember Arizona. DON'T say Alabama. If you think you are going to say Alabama, we can ask Preston to do this. She said she would be fine. Mike sent her a text of what exactly to say. Brother Tanner called up Bob and Leann Perry, Kelsee and Jorja. Leann announced where they were going by singing a song. It had several verses. She is disappointed they are going to Oakland California and not Thailand. Kelsee announced she is going to Indiana, Indianapolis. Jorja then announced that Stockton would be going to Tuscon Arkansas. I immediately did a face palm while Dad yelled out ARIZONA! Jorja laughed and said, "Whoops, Arizona, he's going to Arizona. I knew it started with an A." Mike asked her why she didn't just read the text he had sent her. She said, "That would be embarrassing!" So, Jorja just created a new mission.... Mike and I went over to Isaac's house after church. They had lots and lots of yummy crepes. Isaac seems really excited. He said the last little bit has been boring waiting to go. I love the timing of Stockton's mission. I won't have to run up to Utah State to buy him suits. We can get through gingerbread season and the holidays before we start focusing on getting what he needs for him mission. We will have an entire month to do that! Plus, we get to spend his 19th birthday with him. I'm so excited!

Tucson Arizona

Ahhhh!!!! Today was finally the day when we were able to find out where Stockton will be spending the next two years of his life. Mike and I went to the store this morning and got stuff for French toast.  Stockton had planned on opening his call at 11:00. I had mentioned this on Facebook before, but about 10:00 I put a message that we would do a Facebook live at 11:00. I wanted the family members who weren't here to be able to watch him. Right after I posted that message Stockton and his friends decided to go down to the lake. They left at 10:30. I was so close to posting, "Update: Stockton is out skipping rocks. We will go live when he gets back." Haha. They pulled in at 10:58. Nothing like cutting it close. I don't have any pictures during the actual call, just some after. If I could change anything, I wish I would have handed my phone to someone else to record Facebook thing. Still, it worked out great except the video is too long to make it on this blog.

Mike brought up an iPad that he was able to download his call on it. It worked really well. I don't think Stockton missed the call not being in an envelope. Stockton was so cute when he was reading it. You could tell that he was emotional. I don't see him like that very often. Time seemed to stand still when he started reading his call. I wanted to yell out, "Wait! I'm not ready yet." But decided that wasn't a good idea. Stockton will be serving in the Arizona  Tucson Mission. He will be English speaking and leaves January 30th, two days after his birthday. I was actually quite shocked with his call. I thought for sure he would go foreign and speak a different language. He is so dang smart, so I knew he would be awesome at it. He checked the box that he was extremely interested in learning a foreign language and extremely interested in going on a foreign mission. The first thought that came to my mind when I heard this call was someone must need him there. Stockton had the same kind of thoughts. He told me that he thinks he could've done well in a foreign place so there definitely must be a reason he's going so close to home. Mike's Aunt and Uncle live in Tucson. Scoop called them to tell them Stockton would be serving there. Scoop said that Carter was so excited. He had never heard him that excited before. The mission home is in Carter and Marveen's ward. He said they would look out for Stockton. (Marveen is Grandma Honey's youngest sister.)

Stockton with his call

 Amelia & Abby in their unicorn shirts

 Stockton and Jorja watching Raising Arizona to prepare for his mission.

It was so cute. After Stockton read his call, Preston brought him a globe and they sat down and looked where he would be. Amelia brought the globe. Ange said, "I think it will break her heart if he gets sent to the other side of the world." I'm glad people think of things I don't think of. I'm going to always love these pictures.

Stockton & Preston

We had Stockton's favorite Cold Stone cake to celebrate. I didn't get a picture of that, but it said Called to Serve on it. I was taking the divers home and had to hurry on out of there. Noelle needed to be back at 6:00 to go to Homecoming. Now that's a real friend! I dropped her off at her house right at 5:58. Cutting it close, but we made it.

Zoe, Gavin, Noelle, Dani, Stockton, Connor, Gage, Daedan

I made the divers listen to the BYU/McNeese State football game on the radio. I'm sure they loved it. Ha! It made my drive great. Once I got home I wasn't sure how to listen to it. I asked the Alexa on our thermostat in the hallway. It worked. I just sat there and finished the rest of the game. After awhile I wondered why I didn't listen to it in my bedroom. We have one in there too. Mike, Jorja and Preston got home right as the game finished.

Stockton texted me tonight to let me know that Donovan Mitchell was at the football game. I asked if he was there. He was. I told him, "I have never been prouder of you in my life." He said, "That really says something after the big-boy thing I had this morning." Haha! I couldn't figure out how to watch the Utah State game, but Stockton kept texting me updates. I tried to get Sling TV to work, but couldn't figure it out. Mike was feeling sick and was sleeping, so I didn't want to wake him up. He definitely wouldn't understand. :)

Jorja had a friend Aysha sleep over. They were out until just past midnight when I texted her to let her know that even if she had a friend sleeping over she still had a curfew. Aysha is going to go to church with us tomorrow. Jorja will like that.

On the way home I was able to think a lot about Stockton's new mission. I am so happy. I kept thinking of all the good things about Stockton serving so close to home. It will be so nice to send him packages without stressing about how expensive it is, or if he will even receive the packages. Christmas and Mother's Day phone calls will be a lot easier to coordinate. I like knowing that he is in America. He is going to be such a wonderful missionary. I'm so excited watching him excel in this next phase of life. Stockton had told me earlier that the scariest mission to him would be English speaking in America, and that is what he got! I think Heavenly Father knows when we need to be pushed out of our comfort zones! Despite this being scary for him, Stockton is so excited. This is going to be one crazy ride!