Stephenson Family Ties

"Laying back in the soft hay, I folded
my hands behind my head, closed my eyes
and let my mind wander back over the two
long years. I thought of the fisherman,
the blackberry patches, and the huckleberry
hills. I thought of the prayer I had said
when I asked God to help me get two hound
pups. I knew He had surely helped, for He
had given me the heart, courage, and
determination!!"
from: Where the Red Fern Grows
by: Wilson Rawls

19 months ago I was putting together a small photo album to carry with me, with photos of my beautiful daughter. She would soon be headed out to serve her mission!! She was leaving behind a brand new, adorable baby nephew. We were just getting used to the idea of having a baby among us, that was part of us. Im sure Anna found it difficult to leave him and the rest of us too. But we also knew that she was so excited to be off- serving, learning and growing in a way that only missions can do.
Im not sure when it was that I stopped carrying that album with me wherever I went….I had added picture of Elder Clark to its pages too….but I came across that well worn album this afternoon, while doing some cleaning. I reached out to touch it, and instantaneously had to stifle a sob. Instantly my emotions were clogging my throat and ozing from my tear ducts. Instantly I was feeling such gratitude--
ITS ALMOST OVER!!
SHES ALMOST HOME!!
Im finding great joy in preparing her room for her. Im pulling her boxes of ‘stuff’ out of storage, Im dusting and doing laundry and have bought her a huge, cozy new mattress!! (maybe she’ll want to stay a month or two before moving on to the next adventure in her life!!)
SHE’S FINALLY COMING HOME!!!
Everyone marvels at how fast the time has gone!
NOT I !!!
We all marvel at who this sweet woman has become in the last 19 months.
IM NOT SURPRISED!!
Rich blessing are in store for her….and for me, cause she’s almost here!!
NOTE TO ANNA:
You’ve fought the fight. You’ve fought the common malady of ‘trunkiness.”
You’ve learned so well not to live in the future- no matter how hard your mommy has tried to lead you there. You have stayed the course. You have proved that the last months of your mission can be the most productive. You have experience and abilities that you didn’t have when you arrived in Houston.
In her own words-
“I am still loving every second of being a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ. A benefit of the ticking clock is that I 'feel' it and so I feel like I am bearing my testimony way more frequently and committing every single person we meet and talking to every single person that comes across our path...because the time is too close that I won't be able to do that again....and it's fun! I love the gospel. I love life. Heavenly Father wants us to be happy...that's why we are here.”
What I know:
Someday we will go to Texas with her. To visit the places she has come to love, but more importantly to meet the people that she will love for the rest of her life!! What a joy and privilege this will be!!
But for now- when Im not living in the future….I’m going to shampoo her carpet!!