Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas!  Today was incredible and emotional, and quite frankly..... magical.  Before I share some of the things we talked about, I have to tell you how excited I was ALL morning.  It actually began last night as I was laying in bed.  I was so giddy with excitement that I had the hardest time falling asleep, much like when I was a kid waiting for Christmas morning.  From the moment I woke up, I had butterflies.   It was surreal for me.  TODAY I was going to talk to my baby...I could hardly contain my excitement! We enjoyed family prayer together, took the traditional "top of the stairs photos," opened our presents, ate a tummy breakfast, and then proceeded to WAIT for the call.  

At 11:27 am, the phone rang.  I jumped up and RAN to the phone.  Hello?  "Merry Christmas Mom."  It has been 154 days since I heard my sweet boy's voice and my heart completely melted.   As I listened to his sweet tender voice, PURE joy filled my soul.  I LOVE that boy so much.

We enjoyed the next hour visiting about life in Upper Darby and Scranton and missionary life in general.  I had my list of questions right there so as too ALWAYS know what to ask next.  :)

Did you know Elder Jorgensen:

1.  shops at Wal-mart?

2.  does his laundry downstairs in the house where he lives?

3.  walks everywhere?

4.  plays Magic on his P-day?

5. plays a lot of basketball?  In fact he bought BASKETBALL SHOES??

6.  had NO plans for Christmas dinner?  He was going to make Mac & Cheese?  (Sad, huh?)

7.   LOVED all the packages he got for Christmas?

8.  LOVED the 20ish boxes of Jello I sent the very BEST?

8.   got a knife pulled on him in Philly and talked the "crazy" guy out of stabbing him??

9.  is in a ward with 600 members but only 150ish are active?

10.  exercises sometimes in the morning?

11.  LOVES his mission and couldn't think of anywhere else he would rather be?

12.  gets along with his companion pretty well?

13.  left his butcher paper family hanging up all over his Upper Darby place for other missionaries to enjoy?

14.  lives in the Pocono Mountains?

15. told his baby sister that ANY boy that wants to date her has to email Cody to ask for permission??He was NOT kidding either.

16.  wanted us to experience the "ghetto" life so he sent home Christmas gifts from a "ghetto" store?

17.  does not like LONG garments.  They hang to his knees.  ;)

18.  can go to the Washington DC temple if a convert they baptize goes?

19.  FINALLY found his camera cord so we should be getting some pictures soon?
20.  has no CENTRAL HEAT in his house?  They use radiators.
21.  prefers city life (complete with the crazies) over country quiet life?

22.  misses EVERYONE and wants everyone to have a very Merry Christmas?

At one point, 38 minutes into our call, his phone died.  NO!!!!!  That can't be how this call was going to end.  Elder Jorgensen quickly called back and said that he lost the signal on his phone.  PHEW!!!!

We continued for about 20 more minutes and then he announced, that his time was about up.  At that point, we were about to have family prayer together when 2 of OUR cordless phones died.   ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  Fortunately, we were also using a regular corded phone so we didn't lose the connection completely.  We all ran upstairs and individually said our good-byes.  I wish I could say I kept it together but as soon as I saw Elder Jorgensen's sweet sister say good-bye with tears streaming down her face, I lost it.  I told him I was trying to be brave but I just couldn't do it.  I told him how I loved him and how very proud I was of him.  I told him that I missed him every single moment of every day and that he is ALWAYS in my heart and my prayers.  He told me that he loved me and that was it.  As I hung up the phone, the flood gates opened and I fell to my knees and thanked my Father in Heaven for blessing our family with such a great kid.  Then Scott and I hugged for a few minutes and everyone went about their day....me with a slightly broken heart again but so very grateful for the gift of hearing Elder Jorgensen's sweet voice on this BEAUTIFUL Christmas Day.

Remind me why we do this again???

Oh, yes I remember....

Because THAT'S what we do.

Couldn't of thought of a more appropriate gift for the Savior on this beautiful

 Christmas Day than to give Him my son for 2 years.