All I Want For Christmas is a...

Believe it or not, my ONE Christmas wish involves a ring...but not of the jewelry type. In less than 48 hours I get to talk to my missionary son via the telephone. He's been gone now for 7 months [plus 5 days and about 6 hours --but who's counting?]

I get the rules of having missionaries focus on their service efforts and not on what's happening at home. Typically, LDS missionaries get to call home three times the first year they are gone.

I got cheated out of phone call number one!

My husband feels pretty bad about it, maybe because I kind of blamed him for missing the call. My son called from the Atlanta airport as he prepared for his final flight to Belgium. Only problem is that he called the wrong number (Due to some wacky schedules, Dad got the first phone call and suggested that son call my work # even though I had been tethered to the home land-line all day waiting for the call.)

I will NOT miss phone call number two!!

I share the story of the first phone call only because it relates to phone call number two. Yesterday we got the necessary information so we could contact our missionary on Christmas morning. Hubby must be feeling a bit anxious given the events of the last contact so he wanted to make sure everything was working properly. What does he do? He calls the number. Yes, he does. He calls the number and guess who answers? A very shocked missionary son. Hubby quickly hung up so I could enjoy the surprise on Christmas day!

I did get an early Christmas present from a new friendship that has developed out of the Netherlands. T recently had a birthday. This sweet family threw a birthday party for my son and video taped it so I could enjoy the celebration.

Now I just wish I understood Dutch!