A Call From Elder Gary!!!

I didn't take my walk this morning. I knew Elder Gary was leaving the MTC at 5:30am. His flight was leaving at 8:30am. And he was calling me somewhere in between. I figured it would take them an hour to get to the airport, 1/2 hour to check in (at least), get through security, and then to their gate. So I figured he would call somewhere between 7 and 7:30. Boy am I good.

I got showered and had Drew monitoring both the house phone and the cell phones. Nothing. Then the home phone rang. I knew it was Gary since the Caller ID said 'pay phone'. I mean, who else would use a pay phone? I answered he said Mom? I said Yup. He asked if everybody was here and I said all but Dad. He didn't want to have to call his dad at work, he said I only have 3 minutes. And we got cut off!!! I waited a few minutes to see if he would call me back. Nothing, so I tried calling the pay phone number. It was busy. I kept trying on my cell phone figuring he would call the home phone again. Yep. Lexie answered but didn't know about collect calls. I took the phone, but the instructions were already over so I didn't know what to do, so it hung up on me. I tried calling the pay phone again. He called back and we got disconnected again. He called one more time, I accepted the charges and he asked me to PLEASE call the pay phone back.

We got to talk to him for about 10-15 minutes before their flight was called! They were all having trouble getting the pay phones to work. (I'm not surprised. These kids grew up in the cell phone era. I'm pretty sure none of them ever used a pay phone before.) We found out that the families not being able to go in to the MTC with their missionaries anymore is not just because of the Swine Flu. It is a permanent thing. The day Elder Gary went to the MTC was the last day families got to go in. Now they have the mission districts go outside, meet the new missionary and his family, help them unload the luggage, say good-bye, and (in Elder Gary's words) jerk the missionary away. They are only allowed one car. We think this would be the easier way to do it. That hour in 'The Room' is torture as far as we are all concerned! My sister-in-law and I were talking at his farewell that there had to be a better way than 'The Room'. I think they found it! Maybe. (He called Wynn from his lay-over in Dallas.)

After the call to/from Gary, it was time for Tanner's first day of swimming lessons for the summer. They start at 8:00, we could make it but was cutting it close and Morgan had an orthodontist appt at 8:15. The plan was that Lexie and Grandpa were going to watch Tanner while I took Morgan. Then we realized Tanner had sat his backpack down and walked out without it. So I turned around to get it, thus making us late. I figure the phone call was worth being late.

Morgan got her braces off today!!! Her gums are swollen from not getting them good enough with the toothbrush around her braces. We'll watch for a couple of weeks and they should clear right up.

Then at noon it was time for the weekly summer movie. One of the theaters in town shows a different movie each week of the summer, Mon-Thurs, noon and 2:00. It costs me $20 for 4 of us to go to 1 movie every week for the summer. Pretty good deal I think. Drew took them last week since I was on vacation. So we watched Hotel for Dogs. Pretty cute movie. Grandma and Grandpa even enjoyed it.

I got a call from Elder Tripp this afternoon that Elder Gary had made it to Lubbock safe and sound. I don't know if they call all the parents, or if they called me because of the mix-up with the mission packet we didn't receive. We had a message on the answering machine from last Friday from President Robison apologizing profusely and wanting to 'reassure that they would take good care of Elder Jenkins'. (I have no doubt that it was lost in the US mail system. This isn't the only thing in the last few months that never made it to our house.)

So Elder Gary is in Lubbock, Texas for today. We'll have to wait for a letter or email to find out what city or town he was sent to. I forgot to ask because I was surprised they called me. I'll keep you posted. I can't wait to find out!