Bittersweet memories

Monday for family night, Kerry had me read a book. Doesn't sound like such a big deal, right? Wrong. He had me read "I'll love you forever". It's a book that makes me cry everytime. This time, though, I couldn't even start it before I was already bawling. Kerry had ME read it because HE was bawling. This all made Jeff bawl. That made Heath bawl. Jared Lee just looked at us all like we were crazy. Which, I suppose we are. Jeff is leaving for two years to go to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kinshasa mission... French speaking. He is SO excited. AND we are excited for him and the wonderful memories he will make, and the great service he will be doing for the people of Africa. But, I wonder how the time flew by so fast. It just seems like yesterday that he was happily dumping flour from my 5 gallon flour bucket all over himself, and his little friend. Kerry saved him from death that day by asking me to get the camcorder and come see something. I suppose that he figured I wouldn't kill them if it was on film! ;) Then he, and the same little friend, dumped baby powder ALL over his room. (as a side note, you cannot clean baby powder easily. It clogs the vacuum cleaner bag, sweeping it up just creates a dust cloud, and mopping it only makes it "gunk" up) I remember the night that Kerry killed the goose, because it "bit the boy". He went out there with great purpose to kill that goose. My only qualm was that the kids were all outside watching! Sure they would be scarred for life, I went outside to get the kids and shoo them inside. I was too late. BUT, they weren't scarred for life! I went outside and found them all cheering and dancing around because "the goose is dead"! When he was 7 years old, our bishop asked him if he was planning on serving a mission. Jeff's reply: "As long as there is breath in my mom's body!" The bishop took that as a "yes". ;) I'm happy to say that while I may have told him since he was little that a mission was what he should do, he is going because he truly wants to, and not because I've told him he should/would. I know this, because I have since changed my mind. I think that two years is too long, and that Africa is too far away! LOL Jeff insists on going anyway. I don't know where my baby boy went, but I'm proud of the man that he has become. It makes me proud to see him serve the people of Africa, and the Lord. I wish I could take some credit for the fine man that he has become, but he truly just came that way. Go forth, and return with honor, Jeff. We love you!