Draper Temple

Joseph was able to go through the Draper Temple for the first time last night.  (December 14th)  It was a very special day because it was his Dad (Mike's) birthday.  Mike was able to be Joseph's escort through the Temple.  We were able to have several family members join us for a wonderful session: Grandma Donna Gibbons, LeRoy Gibbons, Barry & Lucie Gibbons, Marty Holker, Michael & Rocio Holker, Collette and Troy Worthington (funny story about Troy...he didn't have white pants and he thought he could rent them at our Temple.  But they don't rent clothing, so he went to the only place he knew he could find white pants...a golf store!  They had to start the session without him, but he got to meet up with us in the Celestial room.) and me, Mom!  We missed my parents, who would have been there if it wasn't for my Dad's open heart surgery, and many other family members who had other commitments.

We sure love you Joseph and are so happy that this is one step closer to your mission in less than 6 weeks!

 

Papers are in!

As we speak (or as I type and you read!), Joseph is in the Stake President's office for his final interview before turning in his (electronic) papers for his mission!!  He had his Dr's physical last week, we took his missionary photo today before he left to meet with the Bishop, and now his interview with President Fenton is the last thing.  What a thrilling time!!  He is so ready to go!!  It's been an amazing process.  Everything fell into place as he had such a desire to turn in the paperwork by September 16th (120 days before his birthday).  He still had to wait until Sunday (the 18th) to meet with his Bishop and Stake President.  I can't wait for him to get home so I can hear all about it!  Then I will find out the details about how long we should plan on waiting before we receive the large, white envelope in the mail.  Did I tell you that he plans to open it somewhere up in the mountains all alone before "opening" it with family??  That's my Joseph!  :)

Joseph's wisdom teeth surgery

Last week was Joseph's first week at BYU!!!  I can't believe he is going to college!  ("Your mom goes to college!")  :)  We decided since he is living at home and won't be in a dorm this semester, we would paint his room so he would "feel" like he was in a new place.  Well...once we pulled out all of his furniture, we could see how bad the carpet was!!  Yikes!!  (His room, Mike's office and Anna's bedroom were the only rooms we hadn't replaced and they had the original WHITE/GRAY carpet...gray NOT being the original color).  I asked Mike if we could replace all three rooms, which he agreed to...since his office was the worst shade of gray!  So, our little project turned into a nightmare, lasting the entire weekend!!  (We started on a Tuesday.)  We ended up taking everything (with the help of our neighbor boys, Zach, Max and Tucker Johnson -thanks guys!!) out of the three rooms and putting it all in our family room and living rooms.  Its hard to believe you have that much stuff when you put it all in one place!!  But after all was said and done, Joseph has a nice "new" room to study in while he is going to college.  He chose a dark red color for one of his walls, which took four coats, but I must say it looks great and I love it...since it will be my office when he leaves on his mission!!  :)

It seems surreal that he is in college, but it has been kind of anti-climatic because we have been getting all the paperwork ready for his mission.  He has been waiting for this moment all of his life and it is finally here!!  Now everything is online, so we have been going through the forms, getting his dental and doctor visits scheduled, etc.  When he went to the dentist, he was told that his wisdom teeth were all impacted and needed to be removed.  I called the Oral Surgeon and he was booked out several weeks.  Joseph has a goal to get his paperwork in by September 16th - 120 days before his birthday, which is the first day possible for him to turn in his papers.  So, I knew he had to be booked out several weeks, but I thought we would take our chances.  And as fate would have it, they had a cancellation for the next morning (Friday, Sept. 2, Mike and I's anniversary)!  Joseph was in the office less then 24 hours later and the surgeon took like 15 minutes and they were out!!  I didn't realize it was such an ordeal...I guess I forgot what it was like 35 years ago.  He was in quite a bit of pain and couldn't hold any food down until later that evening.  He had a friend over the next day and actually sang with her at the piano, which probably set him back a few days!  I forgot to say that when we were in the office with the surgeon, right before his surgery, the doctor said he needed to lay low for three days.  Because this was such a last minute thing and it was really our only option, Joseph had several things planned for that weekend, including a date and the Brazilian festival on Saturday.  When the Dr told him to lay low for three days, Joseph said, "I WILL be going to the Brazilian festival tomorrow.  I set a goal for myself to go to the festival and order something to eat in Portuguese."  The Dr was a little shocked, I think, but Joseph was determined to go no matter what the Dr said!  Well, needless to say, he did NOT go to the festival.  Luckily, he started to keep some food down so he could take medication and the bleeding stopped pretty quickly.  His Dad gave him a blessing the night before surgery and everything went smoothly.  After five days of jello, yogurt, broth and juice, he was happy to eat again!  I think that meal of Top Ramen, even though its his favorite food, tasted better than ever!!

I am so grateful everything went well.  The next steps are his physical next week, his meeting with our Bishop, and Stake President on Sunday the 18th, then the waiting begins!!

How could I forget the most important thing that happened last week?!  Joseph was ordained an Elder in the Melchizedek Priesthood by his Dad.  :)  It really IS happening!!!  :)

This is a first!

I have seen many people do this and thought it was way too complicated!!  But, now that my son is getting ready for his mission, I figured it was time to attempt to create a blog!  Also, when I was at my friends house a while ago, I saw this beautiful, bound book on her coffee table.  It said Easton Family 2008...and it was ALL of her blog postings and photos for that year in an awesome book.  I immediately thought of Joseph and his mission.  What a great way to keep a journal that I can give him in a handy dandy book when he returns from his mission.  (Well, that's the goal anyway!!)