The big day

At this moment I'm having a hard time putting my feelings to words (too little sleep, too much stress and too many feelings all at once). Besides the fact that it was such a special experience that I don't know the words to express it all. Today "a picture says a thousand words" will have to do.

Johnathan and Laney Jenson

September 4, 2010

Boise, Idaho

The part that got to me the most was watching them drive away. True to fashion, Johnathan honked all the way down the street!

Just another one of those goodbye times. (see the post before this one)

Tomorrow...

First I sent him to kindergarten. He ran in to greet his teacher and new friends without looking back. I went out for some shopping therapy.

Then I sent him into the lone and dreary world when he went on his mission. He was excited and didn't look back. I read my mission journals and reminded myself of all the blessings and growth he would be gaining.

Now, I send him off to start his own family. He's still only looking forward with excitement...

I feel anxious because I know he is starting on some of the hardest years of his life, as he creates this new family, gets through school and settles into a career...

BUT I'm looking forward to grandchildren!

2 days

What you typically think of as sibling rivalry didn't exist in our house...ever! Johnathan has always been so tender with his siblings. Johnathan was 3 years old when Timothy was born. I was able to leave the hospital on time, but Timothy had to stay for a full 10 days. Johnathan cried because we had to leave the baby at the hospital. He never reverted to earlier behavior because the baby was getting all the attention. He never treated Timothy, James or Hannah poorly. He has always been so sweet, caring and patient with them.

However, a type of sibling rivalry did finally show up at our house...

When Timothy got his Eagle, he pinned the father's pin ABOVE Johnathan's pin on Tom's lapel. James says he will put his above Tim's AND he will be younger than they were when he gets it done!

But I think Johnathan got even when he proposed to Laney the day AFTER Timothy received his mission call!

3 days

Johnathan has always had a good head on his shoulders. He has been able to discern right and wrong and make wise choices. I always felt sad that some of my siblings were examples of poor choices, but what a wonderful son I was blessed with...a boy who could look at his uncle and aunt and decide at the age of 3 that he would not smoke and drink like they did.

We talked a lot about choices in our family from the time Johnathan was tiny, and it showed in his first testimony. He was nearly 4 years old, and gave his testimony by himself with no prompting. "I'm a big guy. I know the church is true. I know that my church is true. Boys and girls need to have right choices. I want everyone to be happy in the whole world. My testimony is about Jesus. So, boys and girls, we need to get right choices. I want everyone to be happy in the whole country. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

I probably should have worried about the friends Johnathan chose to hang with over the years, but I knew he was strong. He knew where he was going and how to get there. Most of his friends have been non-members. Rather than them being a poor example for him, he has been a good example for them. He accepts them where they are at and loves them no matter what they choose, but at the same time he has helped many of them overcome a wide range of problems. I guess that's where he found his talent for psychology. The van has been known as "Dr. John's mobile psychologist office" for years now!

4 days

Johnathan has always been very energetic and quick. Not only did he learn everything early, but he went about doing them with vigor. Often I have felt like Johnathan is rushing to meet the world about 100 miles per hour faster than I'm comfortable doing. Half the time I wanted to put on the brakes!

Johnathan has always been very articulate, too. He thinks fast on his feet (another thing he did not get from me). A good example of this is the talk he gave in church last Sunday. He literally remembered he was speaking when he saw his name in the ward bulletin. Those of you who were there...did you even realize that as he spoke? I only realized it when I notice he was using Tom's scriptures.

He is a deep thinker and very analytical (I think he did get that from me), but he has NO FEAR of public speaking and he has always loved to perform. His earliest role was as the son of Jens Nelson in a musical about the handcart pioneers. He has always been interested in producing films, too. While we were in Utah he produced a short film about growing up entitled "Suddenly I Turned Around." He entered that film in the school's reflection contest and it went to the state level, if I remember right. Of course, his favorite part in that was throwing the watermelon off the roof!

I'd sure like to know what happened to that little boy. I can't really have a 22 year old getting married in a few days when I haven't aged a day over 27, can I?

5 days

One thing I learned about Johnathan was that he couldn't do anything quietly!

I remember thinking one day after Johnathan first learned to talk, "There go our quiet car rides!" And I was right. It seemed that Johnathan thought it was his job to keep everyone entertained while we were driving anywhere. He talked non-stop! Many times we'd have to tell him to stop talking so "mommy and daddy can say something, too."

I especially noticed Johnathan's loud tendencies when Timothy came along and was so quiet. I would watch them play in the yard...Timothy very quiet and methodical, Johnathan very loud and wild. I can still see him in my mind, running, sliding, swinging...and yelling at the top of his lungs!

Six Days...

Until Johnathan gets married.

I've been thinking about my baby alot lately. Johnathan did everything early.

He sat at four months.

He crawled at six months.

He pulled himself up to furniture at six and a half months.

He walked at nine months.

He pedaled a bike at twelve months.

And he's been running every since!

If you ever wondered why we are so busy around here...now you know...we've been keeping up with the kids!