He's an Elder

EJ's first name is now Elder.

Some people EJ invited over for dinner his last night here. The guy on the left is a former missionary who served in our ward for 14 months. He was the first missionary that EJ really got to be good friends with. K is from Tonga and after his mission, he moved back here to our ward. He loves it here and we love him. He came to our house for dinner his first night in MN as a missionary, and I served pork loin and K said it made him feel happy. Pork is a celebratory food where he was from and it made him feel like he was celebrating.

Former missionary K, EJ, Elder McD, Elder W, and Bishop J (Travis, you ought to recognize this guy)

 

 

no crying yet from any of us

Just after EJ was set apart. Hayley and Matt didn't come because they had mucho homework.

These next two pictures are from nearly twelve years ago. 

I put those here because I just can't believe that those two boys are now these two boys:

They probably won't see each other for four years.

I cried during the setting apart. I sniffled and snuffled and dripped and dabbed. But all in a good way. The apron strings that I thought I had untied many years ago are still there. I don't consider myself an overly protective or overly sentimental mother, but I realized I still considered EJ my little boy. But with his setting apart as a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he's not mine anymore. He belongs to God for two years, and after that he belongs to himself. The last bits of the little dark haired, big-eyed boy have done growed up.