The Best Gift Of All

Woke up this morning ready for a good day, it's Christmas Day and the anticipation of being able to talk to Elder Williams is undeniably overwhelming. Checked all the phones in the house 2 well maybe 3 or 4 times just to make sure they worked, in fact Eric bought a new home phone this week just for the occasion ha ha I guess he might be just a little excited too. After all the phones were checked and double checked by me then Eric woke up and did the same routine I did, nothing is stopping us from talking to Blake today. I made HOT CHOCOLATE, a butter braid (thank you Haleigh for reminding me to set it out last night) We ate a little, but honestly we just wanted the phone to ring, it's like waiting and watching your garden to grow, we each had a phone next to us staring at it. Finally just like clock work, the phone rang on the exact time he said he would call 10:00 am, all three of us answered at the same time and when his voice came on I cried, unable to speak, Eric took over and talked to him for a bit, Haleigh, Jeremy and Kayla took turns talking to him, we even took off Reckers diaper knowing he would cry on cue when so Blake could hear from him also. Finally composed as I could be I spoke to Blake, he sounded so good and had a lot of fun explaining everything he is doing he lives in a very small village with no running water, they take a bucket shower a couple times a week from water that the Reverend of another church fills and gives to them, they also have no electricity so most of the lessons they teach are either during the day or they teach by candle light. I remember reading one of his letters saying "this is exactly what I wanted my mission to be like" WOW if I knew if would of been that easy to tame him I would of sent him to a small village on an Island in the middle of nowhere along time ago ha ha ...... note to anyone with struggling teenagers.
Blake sounded so happy, finally he sounded like he belonged, like he was more certain than anything else in the world that the Mission in the Dominican Republic was custom made for him. For a mom sending a child off to teach the gospel is the very most rewarding gift you can be given, however it is the hardest thing I have ever done I miss him so much but know he is being blessed, he is becoming a man, fully aware of what he has left behind here in Gilbert Arizona yet still willing to give up 2 years of his life, knowing that the Savior gave his life for him, he knows it is the least he can do to show his love and dedication to the Lord. When he gets home it will be an awesome reunion and he will look back at these two years with fondness and remember them as the best 2 years of his life.
So tonight as Eric and I sit in a quiet home just the two of us, we are so grateful once again for our wonderful family and for the 1st phone call from the DR. It was so dang hard to hang up knowing I will not get to hear his voice again until Mothers Day, but I am trying to be strong, I broke down a couple of times while talking to him but hurried to get it together. Life is once again good in the Williams home and we all found out today that the best gift of all came for us over the phone in a simple conversation today with Elder Williams...... (3 months down, 21 left to go but only one more Thanksgiving and one more Christmas)