I met with the branch president today to renew my temple recommend (for those of you that aren't LDS, its a short interview to confirm your worthiness to enter the temple) and something he said made me feel a lot better about Tate being gone this summer.

I told him my anxieties about Tate being away from home, not having the opportunity to attend church (at least not our church) each Sunday like he does here, not having Family Home Evening (again for those who might now know, Family Home Evening or FHE, is one night a week and a lesson or activity is planned for the family that teaches gospel principles followed by yummy treats!), not having scripture reading every day...the "glue" that holds a person together and close to Christ. Anyway...I explained to him my feelings and he said as long as I'm doing what I can at home to teach him and help him gain his own testimony of Christ, the Atonement and the Gospel, that is all I can do. And no matter where he ends up in life as he grows up, he'll always have that foundation whether he always acts on it or not. It made me feel good. It reminded me of the time in my life I was out of control and ignoring everything "churchy" I possibly could. In the back of my mind I always knew that what I'd been taught growing up was true...I just had to find out for myself. The reason I always knew it was true is because my parents never gave up on making sure I had that foundation.

It feels good to renew my recommend. Its one of my favorite things to do every couple of years. I like being able to say, out loud and with such a good feeling, that I'm worthy to enter the most sacred place on earth and take part in the most sacred ordinances on earth. I wish everyone knew what I know and knew the truthfulness of the full and restored Gospel. I can only do what I can to be a good example and to share what I know at the right times in hopes that I can help someone else feel the peace and love and safety I feel in this life.

Cool...but the Wolf

So we said goodbye to Tate this morning. He left with Grandma Currie and Uncle Adam for the Las Vegas airport to fly home to Iowa for most of the summer. He's been talking excitedly for weeks about this. If you've heard Tate talk excitedly, you know he can sometimes cover 10 subjects in one sentence...so its been an earful!

He got a blessing last night to help him through the summer. Dad's house is a bit of a different environment from ours. He grudgingly gave me a few hugs this morning (he would've forgotten had I not said anything), gave his sister a LOT of hugs and kisses, and gave his dog Prancer a lecture about behaving and being a good girl while he was gone.

As he walked out the front door, he had his suitcase, his carry-on bag, his oh-so-cool shades on...and a stuffed wolf. It was like he was caught in two worlds. The world of a "tween" that is not interested in snuggling with mom or holding hands anymore and the world of a still very innocent ten year old boy that quietly still hangs on to his "little boyhood".

As the car drove away and we went inside, Prancer was FRANTIC! She jumped up on the sofa and looked out the front window trying to see where her Tate was driving off to without her. She paced back and forth on the sofa, kept checking the window and couldn't be consoled. She knew Tater was leaving and freaked out! It was cute but sad at the same time.

So we'll have a very quiet house for several weeks. I'll miss my baby!

Nomenclature

The weather man on one of our local stations is named Johnny Mountain. Yes....Mr. Mountain is extremely accurate on his forecasts. He has a slight moviestar-like appearance, looks to be in his sixties wishing for the forties again, and speaks in the ever familiar cheese-tone of weatherpeople...but ten times exaggerated. Even still...I keep turning back to catch Johnny's 5 minutes of fame each day. He draws me in and makes me feel like the wind can be glamorous, the heat sexy, and the mystery of the weekend weather as delicious as a chocolate bar. The evening forecast will never be the same for me...http://llnw.image.cbslocal.com/0/2005/10/21/175x131/images_sizedimage_294160137.jpg