Engineering Week and Getting Ready for a Mission

Alot has happened since my last real post.

Jarom went to Engineering Week at USU. He made a couple of new friends, made E coli glow, climbed up a wall like spiderman, went on a scavenger hunt, saw some baja buggies (I don't think they let them drive them), built a small bridge and I can't remember what else. He didn't turn his paperwork in time, so he wasn't in the running for a scholarship, but we did end up getting to go to the Awards Banquet. His friend we sat next to at the Banquet (Steven, I think?) got a 4 year scholarship. He told Jarom, "Don't worry, if you apply in time, I bet you can get one, too. You have until December."

They served the best meal at the Awards Banquet I've had in a long, long time, and I could even eat most of it! They had turkey with mashed potatoes and gravy, a very nice mixed green salad, cooked green and wax beans and carrots, rolls with butter, a big fruit tray, ice water, lemonade and your choice of chocolate cake, strawberry cake or cheesecake.

David, Cameron, Amber and I were planning on going to the Logan Temple the Monday we dropped Jarom off at USU. We didn't realize the Logan Temple is closed on Monday. Plus, I think it was closed for cleaning for a couple of weeks. So, we went to Chuck-a-Rama and ate lunch. It was tasty, as usual, but not as good at the meal we had at the USU Awards Banquet.

We'd seen the Brigham City Temple on the way up to Logan, so we thought maybe we'd go there. When we drove up to the temple and saw orange construction webbing all around it, we figured it probably wasn't open yet. So, we decided to head home. We got mixed up and took the wrong road heading out of Brigham City and almost ended up in Paradise. That's when I told David we'd better head back to Brigham City and find I-15. We didn't have a map or a GPS and I didn't want to get totally lost.

On our way home, we stopped at Missionary Mall in Layton. They told us it would be better to wait until a month before Cameron's mission to buy everything since their 2 year guarantee starts with the date of purchase.

Little did we know that the Layton Missionary Mall has hardly anything in stock. We found that out the hard way in August when Cameron's suit and pants almost didn't come in BEFORE he had to be in the MTC. We ended up picking up all his stuff at the Orem store, because it's the main store where they ship everything. If we buy Jarom's stuff from Missionary Mall, we're going to go to Orem in the first place. Who knows, we might just end up getting everything from Mr. Mac. We'll see how Cameron's stuff works out.

Getting Cameron ready for his mission was a hassle. I should have figured that, though, because Cameron HATES shopping, especially if it involves buying clothes. Back to School shopping was not a happy time for us. He just couldn't see the sense in putting on clothes more than once. If I had him try on a pair of pants and they didn't fit, he'd balk at trying on any more pants.

Once I made the mistake of taking Jarom and Cameron school clothes shopping at the same time. I think Cameron was 8 and Jarom 6. I figured they were too old to go into the women's dressing room, so I sent them into the men's dressing room and told them to come out when they had an outfit on. I could hear them giggling and talking and they weren't coming out. I called to them, and they still didn't come out.

After about 10 minutes, I finally went into the men's dressing room (all of the ShopKo dressing room employees had disappeared) to see what they were up to. I found them both in the same dressing room, putting the new pants on their heads. I was tired and the store was closing in an hour and I just wanted this over with, so I took the pants from both of them, probably left them in the cart and dragged them out to the car. There are additional Cameron clothes shopping stories, but that's enough for now.

When Cameron got his mission call, he wouldn't let me see anything that came in the envelope for about a week. Once he'd finally let me touch it, I went through and wrote down checklists of everything he needed to do and get. Man, that's a long checklist - and that doesn't even include all the time Cameron took filling out his mission paperwork in the first place.

The only thing we didn't really catch in time was that he needed a meningitis booster and a DTP booster because he'd had them more than 5 years ago. If we'd figured that out before the end of May, when his health insurance ended, the shots would have been free. Instead, we ended up paying $122 for the menegitis shot and $49 for the DTP shot. At least he got his physical and a couple of other shots and all his dental stuff done before he turned 19, or it would have cost a whole lot more! And we know to make sure Jarom gets those booster shots before he turns 19.

Cameron had a struggle setting up a time to go through the temple for his own endowments, too. Once he finally got his recommend, the Jordan River Temple just happened to be closed for two weeks for cleaning and maintenance. He called the Salt Lake Temple, but they weren't very helpful. The only time that worked for both Cameron and I was Saturday morning, and they didn't have any of those available for months. I'm not sure if he called Bountiful or not. In the end, he waited until the Jordan River Temple re-opened and got right in.

I had wanted to get new flooring in the kitchen before Cameron's "Mission Farewell," but we didn't have the money - not after we paid for Cameron's clothes, luggage, glasses and medical and dental necessities. I suppose the new floor was not the most important thing anyway. I had to be happy with cleaning the carpet in the living room and hall.

Quite a few people showed up for Cameron's "Farewell" (not sure what else to call it, but we're not supposed to call it a Farewell anymore), but we only invited family and close friends to our house. For one thing, our house is not all that big, and for another thing, that's what I understand is being asked of families sending missionaries off now. I think Cameron was happy to see his extended family a few of his friends before he took off.

I know he enjoyed spending a few days at Grandma and Grandpa Young's house before he left on his mission. Sheri and David took him to see the latest Batman movie, he played video games with David, and visited with Grandma, Grandpa and Sheri. I think he may have gotten a haircut, too. I know he went to the DI with Grandpa a couple of times.

Then the big day came. August 22nd. I made Cameron weigh his suitcases one last time - since we'd FINALLY gotten everything. He wasn't too happy about that, but he put up with me. Then we all threw on our clothes and headed out for Provo. We picked up Meagan and Zac on the way - David almost forgot to, because Cameron was trying out his GPS and had set it for Provo, not Meagan and Zac's.

We met Grandma and Grandpa at Chuck-a-Rama in Provo and had a nice lunch. Several other elders getting ready to enter the MTC and a few who were serving in the Provo area were there, too. Cameron seemed genuinely excited to talk to them. After lunch, we took a few photos outside Chuck-a-Rama. Some of them even have a big shrimp sign in them. Most of us are squinting, because we're looking into the sun. Oops.



Cameron with Grandpa and Grandma Young



Cameron with Dad and Mom

Amber, Cameron, Jarom, Meagan & Zac

In these next photos, we're facing East and not squinting quite as much? And we have the lovely backdrop of even more cars in the Chuck-A-Rama parking lot and of Burger King across the street.

Grandpa, Grandma, Cameron, Mom & Dad
(and the UTA Bus!)

Back: Jarom, Amber, Cameron
Front: Zac, Meagan, Mom, Dad

Here's the uncropped verison of the photo,
with a VERY nice shot of the Shrimp Sign.
¡Que Bueno!

Back: Meagan, Zac, Jarom, Amber, Cameron
Front, Grandpa, Grandma, Mom, Dad

After that, Grandma and Grandpa headed home and we took off for the MTC. Cameron tried using his GPS, but couldn't find it listed. Zac ended up using the GPS in his cell phone. It worked better. Once we found the MTC, we realized Cameron still had about 20 minutes before he had to be there, so we found a nearby parking lot to wait in.

I decided it would be good to check his suitcases one more time. It's a good thing we did! We hadn't taken out the 12 pounds of books we'd put in his medium suitcase to simulate the books he'd be getting at the MTC. I wonder what the MTC would have thought of him having a big hard-bound Webster's Dictionary and a Pseudepigrapha? He had an extra Book of Mormon and Triple Combination, too, but I think they would have been OK with those. Cameron blamed me, of course: "Mom, why didn't you take those out?!" Well, I did take them out at that point. He got over it pretty quickly, though.

Then everyone else got out of the van to give him one last hug and we all piled back in the van. It was time.

Cameron and Dad



Cameron
Doing his GQ Missionary Pose :)



Cameron getting ready to go across the street to the MTC
(and squinting in the bright sunlight)

We drove past a family of several children gathered by a streetlamp dressed up in their Sunday best, taking one last photo with their missionary and several other families walking their missionaries to the MTC.

We drove up to the parking attendant booth and a man with a bright orange vest over his suit motioned for us to roll down our window. He asked if we had a missionary with us. David said, "Right here behind me," and pointed at Cameron. Cameron waved his hand and the man asked him where he was going. "San Jose, California," Cameron answered.

The man said, "You're the second one today, your companion is waiting inside for you." Then he stuck a bright pink post-it note on our windshield, with one corner folded over. I'm assuming, the fold signified the side of the van our missionary sat in. The man told us to turn left and we'd be directed where to go from there.

A few missionaries in bright orange vests stood along the left side of the street, directing the myriad of cars. To our right, was a sidewalk with at least a hundred missionaries with "Host Missionary" stickers above their name tags. Numbered posts lined the sidewalk and we were directed to park at post number 6. On the way out, I noticed there were 25 posts in all.

David, Cameron and I got out of the van and a Host Missionary hopped right up to help Cameron with his luggage. The first thing he asked Cameron was if he had everything. The second question was, "Do you have all your immunizations?" Cameron and I assured him he did. David and I hugged Cameron again, then Cameron took off on his exciting new adventure, barely looking over his shoulder to wave goodbye.

Then we didn't hear from Cameron for two and a half weeks. But that's another post and it's time for me to head out to work.

We managed to get Jarom and Amber ready to go back to school amidst all the missionary chaos. And a week after we dropped Cameron off at the MTC, I broke out in hives. I still have a couple, but they are mostly gone, thank goodness!

UPDATE: Dec. 31, 2012 - Now that I've figured out how to post photos, I've added several to this post. And I've succeeded in making a rather long post even longer! Mwhahahahahaaa! I've even figured out how to add captions. How about that? Maybe if I'm very, very lucky, Jarom will allow me to post a few photos of Engineering Week. We'll see.