Hello sweet friends! happy Friday!
I have been getting lots of emails lately asking me when I will be posting my She Matters Fall retreats and i Just wanted to post on here to let you know why they haven't been announced yet and WHEN they will !
First off! Yes we are going to be doing 2 Fall She Matters Retreats! wahoo! (and then of course some next year in the winter/spring of 2015.. both here and in Mexico again).
We have tentative dates set for these two falls retreats..
September 9th-13th & November 11th-15th
However.. we haven't officially launched them yet because of a family matter.. and to give you a little more insight.. read below!
We are LDS (Mormon), Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. When our sons/daughters reach a certain age .. (boys 18, girls 19).. if they choose and they have the funds, they can serve a 2 year mission for the church.
This means that they are assigned an area in some part of the world, to serve the community (by doing community serve) and proselyte about The Gospel and Jesus Christ, for 2 years. We don't get to see them at all during this 2 years period, And only get to speak to them on the phone twice a year (once on christmas and once on Mothers days). We can communicate through email. however they only have one day a week they have access to email us as their focus is REALLY on the mission. They don't watch TV, go to the movies, listen to music /radio (except of course hymns). EVERYDAY of their life for 2 years is focused on Christ. They get up at 6:30 am, and go to bed at 10:00 everyday. Each day is spent in the community they are assigned to, doing service projects, helping those that can't do things for themselves (member and non members of the church).. and also spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
They have a companion they are assigned to live with.. and the two of them together.. spend each day doing the work. They fix their own meals, do their own laundry, etc.. as they are living on their own. They usually DON"T have a car.. only their feet or if they are lucky.. a bike for a form of transpiration.. so they spend each day walking or biking in the community looking for people to serve, and sharing the gospel of Christ. They are on their own! Lol.. SO when they leave on their 2 year missions.. it's kinda a big deal lol.
Our oldest son, Braden, is graduating May 22nd from High School.
He is already 18 and has chosen to submit his papers and put his availability date June 10th! He has to go through a process before he can send IN His papers, which includes physicals, eye doctors, getting a passport (as they don't know where in the world they will be assigned too). Having their wisdom teeth pulled, interviews with our Bishop and stake presidents. Once all of the requirements are done, our local Bishop submits his paperwork to the Church headquarters iN Salt Lake City Utah! Because the church has over 80,000 missionaries out.. sometimes the process of getting their "call" takes a few weeks. These young missionaries don't get to decide where they will be called or when they will leave. All of that information comes in the form of a Letter.. from the President of the church.. letting them know they have been officially "called to serve a mission" for the LDS church. It then states where they are going, and what date they have to enter the mission field. Which can be anywhere from 3 days.. after their "availability date" to 6 months!
Bradens paperwork is all done, he just has one final interview with our Stake President.. and THEN the papers will be turned in and we will hear back within a couple of weeks where he will be going.. and when he will leave! AHH! so exciting!!
(this is the picture he had to submit with his paperwork.. he is so excited!)
A lot of bradens friends and close cousins, already have received their calls (as they were a little more on the ball with getting all their paperwork done lol)..
(braden with his closest friends.. gonna miss all of these boys!)
and they are headed all over the world! Sweden, Haiti, Paris, Ghana, Alabama.. New York.. you name it! It's a really neat thing to get your call and kinda of a fun big deal. Usually friend and family gather together at the house.. the day they receive the letter (usually later at night so everyone can be there).. and they open the call in front of everyone and find out where they will be serving for two years!
SO.. why am I telling you all of this? well.. because we have NO idea as of yet, when braden will be leaving.. we don't want to announce our retreats and then find out he is leaving the week of the retreat.. or the week before.. or the week after! usually the weeks before and the week after is a hectic one because of trying to make sure they have everything ready to go, they also have a "farewell" at church and speak to the members in Sacrament Meeting usually the weekend or so before they leave. Family and friends come in to town to say "farewell to them" for 2 years.
So we are still waiting.. (not so patiently.. lol) for Braden to receive his call! Much more because we are excited to find out where he will be Serving the Lord.. for 2 years... but also so we can know pretty much what our schedule is and what we can expect for this summer/fall etc. We can't even plan a family vacation with our kids.. because we don't know when he will be leaving. Darn kid! I was hoping he would have had his papers in back in February.. but it's taken longer than expected and that's okay. He's only 18... I am sure it would have taken me a lot longer! Lol..
So there you have it!
We are REALLY excited for Braden to go on his mission. He is excited as he has been saving for years to go. (the boys/girls who go on missions have to pay for their missions themselves.. it's not paid for by the church).
What would be even MORE exciting is if he went somewhere where one of YOU live and you could be his "mama' for me while he his gone! Maybe having him over for dinner once a month.. or taking him a plate of homemade cookies once in a while.. from his "mom".. lol. It's so scary to send out your 18 year old son on a mission! They are assigned a companion.. as I mentioned before.. (they always go in two's).. but as I also mentioned, they live on their own, have to figure out their own meals, laundry, etc lol. They usually only have bikes or their feet as their forms of transportation (unless they are in a rural area that requires a car to get from one place to another).. so they are just out there.. facing the world on their own! Lol.. so if my son and his companion come to your area.. will you watch over him for me? lol.. pretty please!?
that is why we always love to feed the missionaries that have been assigned to our area.. because I know that their mama is probably worried as well and hoping they are taken care of too! lol
so.. okay enough talk! lol
I could ramble on all day.. I am a nervous wreck at the thought of my 18 year old possibly leaving for two years in just 2 short months! I kinda secretly am hoping he is assigned to leave in mid summer.. so we have some time with him to plan one last vacation as a family.. or just have him to hang out with! lol.. Our kids are REALLY independant and always have been.. but for some reason I find myself getting SUPER emotional when I think about him leaving for 2 years and not being able to talk to him or see him! lol.. go figure! BUT SOO excited for him and can't wait to find out where he will serve.
so.. in short.. ONCE he receives his call (again.. hoping now it will be no longer than a month!).. we will announce the dates officially! I do currently already have a waitlist with people who have emailed and expressed interest.. but I will of course be posting it here, sending out a mass email, putting it on facebook, isntagram. etc. If you would like to get an email as soon as I know the dates and signups are ready to go.. you can email me at christy@scarletlime.com and you will get the notice first.
Our She Matters retreats tend to sell out within just a few hours.. so feel free to email me if you want to be on that list!
Okay.. so that's it! a short story made long.. lol
thanks for being so patient with this! I know we had planned on announcing them a while ago.. but we had also planned on having braden have is papers turned in a while ago too. (again.. gotta love teenagers)..
I hope you all have a wonderful DAY!! happy friday and have a wonderful weekend!
xoxo
