We knew Bailey was to be set apart by our Stake President Sunday evening, at the Stake Centre in Nanaimo and that meant we had to leave home by 3:30...
It was Fast Sunday and because the Kramers never seem to plan ahead, we pile in the van and are half way to Nanaimo and in the middle of telling everybody to shut it and stop fighting (awesome kids awesome) when it dawns on us that NO ONE HAS EATEN a thing all day....
We make it to the Stake Centre a few minutes before the SP and the kids realize there is a baptism happening down the hall....The rug rats start begging, like kids on Christmas, to crash the Baptism...Not for the experience but for the refreshments....ummmmm NO!
They then start goofing off, minus the almost missionary, completely ignoring our STOP IT's....
We are a moment away from low-blood sugar psychosis when Pres W walks in, and everyone suddenly has stepped out of a Mormon Ad poster....{angels singing}
We file into his office and the fact that Bailey is really, really going to be a missionary hits us all, as we find enough chairs
Excited, sad, neurvous, happy, honoured, humbled...
Grateful for a SP who knows us well, our hearts and our journey...and knew what we needed to hear to calm our fears and open minds to the blessing at hand.
Pres W and Grant set Bailey as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
{Sweet Words}
She would be helped and protected and my heart knew she could do this and so could we...
Bailey was ready to go fourth and serve.
She was now a missionary and we were now a missionary Mom & Dad....
The low blood sugar psychosis hit as soon as we got back in the van, and we relented and stopped for dinner...(the ox was in the mire, we need to work on that, I know ;) )
The ride home was peaceful and I could not get over how green everything is on the island right now, and the sun breaking thru the clouds, it was a little piece of heaven on earth.
Before we knew it, morning came and we were on our way to the airport....
It was humbling and heartbreaking to say goodbye....joy and sorrow at the same time. My hardest mom moment yet...
Watching all the rug rats say tearful good byes made me sad and grateful...I saw the depth of their love for each other for the first time and felt joy for that and sadness for their hurting hearts...
And within moments she was headed thru security and my tears just flowed...
Humbled by Bailey's courage as she left to serve The Lord, her desire to serve him, overcame all her fears..
It is a brave thing our missionaries do...
She made it thru 4 airports and security and customs and made it to Utah, where my sister took over :)
Sad to see her go, but thrilled she can serve.
Today I'm fine....I may or may not have sobbed as I picked up her dirty laundry and made her bed...but I'm fine ;)
bring a tear to my eye! She's going to do wonders. Love your family!
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