My Boy is Funny

Hyrum is a silly guy.  Last night we were at Grannie's and trying to have the blessing for dinner.  He folded his arms and made Grannie giggle, which made him giggle, which made her giggle, which made him...  He was just giggling because he liked the attention.

For Family Home Evening, we started singing "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam" and he immediately perked up.  He then would jump every time we said "sun-BEAM!"

He talks so much!  He knows exactly what he's trying to say and sometimes I can understand him, but other times not so much.

He loves his Uncle Hayden and calls him "Hadeen."  They are best buddies and enjoy playing together.  They'll play balls, they'll play cars.  They'll play outside, they'll play inside.  I love that my little guy has such a good bud.

Mother of a Teenager

Husband and I have been Mom and Dad to six children (seven if you count Baby Brown) while my parents are gone delivering Elder Shinkle to the MTC.  It's been a fun adventure.  Husband successfully got the kids to school on Monday.  I've picked them up and shuttled to an orchestra concert.  The house isn't a disaster.  The laundry isn't out of control.  We're doing good.

Except when it comes to being the mother of a teenager.

My sister Keila is a busy body.  She's in high school.  She has a job.  She's the manager for the wrestling team.  She likes to spend time with friends.  And it's been my job to keep track of her.

Last night she had to close at work.  She thought she would be done around 9:30.  I was exhausted and didn't feel well, so I told her to wake me up when she got home.  I remember getting a text from my sister Sydney at 11:10 that Keila still wasn't home.  I also remember Keila telling me (at some point) that she was home.  I asked her if she had locked the front door.

Today I was upset with myself.  Where had she been for two hours after she was scheduled to be off of work?  Why hadn't I sucked it up and waited up for her?  Why couldn't I be a responsible mother?

I asked her this afternoon when she got home.  She said 11:00.  I said, "Not according to Sydney."  Fine.  11:15.  Where had she been for two hours?  She hadn't finished at work until 10:15.  She had called me at 9:55 to tell me she was going to be late. (I checked my phone.  This is true.)  After she got off she went to Walmart to get some dinner and then came home and woke me up.

Seriously.  I remember no phone call.  I'm a terrible mother of a teenager.

Elder Bryton Shinkle

Elder Bryton Shinkle was set apart as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints last night.  He reports to the Missionary Training Center in Provo, UT on Wednesday, December 12, 2012.  He will serve for the next two years in the Nevada, Reno mission.  We are so proud of him!

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I just wanted to share some of my favorite moments from this weekend as we spent our last couple of days with him...

On Friday night we went and did an endowment session at the temple.  As we were walking in and showing our recommends, the temple worker said, "Welcome to the temple, Sister Brown...and this must be Brother Brown."  Nope, he's my stud of a brother.  Later we giggled in the sealing room when Bryton said, "Do they really expect you to remember all of that?!"  We laughed even harder when I told my embarrassing "You're not my mom!" story.

Bright and early on Saturday morning, Husband and I took Bryton to the temple again to perform sealings for some of our ancestors.  We were glad he was able to have "the whole temple experience" before he left. This time, the sealer thought Bryton and I were married, even though Tony was there with us.  Our hard-of-hearing-sealer was a hoot!  When he learned that Bryton would be serving in Reno, he said "Wow.  That will be...interesting."

Saturday was Bryton's 19th birthday.  He was the bomb-diggity and filled in on a Big Boy Mover move even though he really didn't want to.  We went out to eat at My Big Fat Greek Restaurant that night.  It was yummy.

Sunday was an action packed day.  Bryton spoke in church.  He was stellar.  He seriously sounded like he had just returned from his mission, rather than being ready to head out.  I loved how he used personal experience and testimony, supported by scripture application to teach the principle of missionary work.  He talked about how when people would ask about his mission he would tell them he was going to go teach for two years.  Later on he was disappointed with his explanation because really he will be doing so much more than that!  He will be bringing people unto Christ.  He told the story of the woman at the well who was taught by Christ.  Bryton knows that as a missionary, he represents the Savior.  After being taught by Christ, the woman went and shared what she had been taught and invited others to learn of Christ.  This is the goal of missionary work.  To bring individuals and families to Christ and for them to bring others unto Christ.  We too, must share what we know!

After church we had lots of family over.  Grams and Papa, Casey and Jeff, Trym and Emily, Teonna and Luke, Rocki and Brett, Marlene and a whole slew of children.  We ate lots of yummy food and treats and had a great time visiting. The best entertainment came when Hyrum was caught throwing rocks into the pool. Much to our dismay, we realized he probably wasn't the only one who had done it and they had been at it for a while.  There were eight golf balls and a ton of rocks and limes from the tree at the bottom of the pool.  The uncles in all their glory told the kids they would pay them for retrieving the rocks and things.  So four or five of the cousins started diving in the freezing cold pool.  It was so cold they couldn't even finish (and they were being troopers)!  So then Jeff and Trym decided since they put their kids up to it so they had better show them they could do it too!  So they finished it off.  The pool was free of rocks, golf balls, and limes.   We all had a good laugh!  And yes, warm showers and hot chocolate was provided for the martyrs.

On Sunday evening, President Reader came over to set Bryton apart.  We were able to sit together as a family, give Bryton our advice, bear our testimonies, and learn from President Reader.  Bryton was then set apart as a missionary.  We all were pretty emotional.  I think for the first time I realized that my brother was leaving for two years--really leaving!  He is going to be awesome!

We love you, Bryton!  Be exactly obedient and remember that the Lord loves you!  He will strengthen you!

I'll be keeping up Bryton's blog with letters and updates.  If you'd like to write him, here are his addresses!

MTC Address:
Elder Bryton Dane Shinkle
MTC Mailbox #211
NV-RNO 0101
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793

Mission Address:
Elder Bryton Dane Shinkle
Nevada Reno Mission
1146 Prayer Way
Sparks, NV 89431
United States