Tuesday, June 28, 2011

ja dura

Today we received a card in the mail from my mission president('s wife). I had the best mission president and wife. My original mission call was to Portugal Lisbon South, which included the Cape Verde islands. Before I entered the MTC it was announced that the islands would be separated and become its own mission. While in the MTC the mission president for the Cape Verde mission was named, Daryl Hobson. I remember joking with my companions about how close his name was to my father's Darryll Dodson and how it would be funny if he were to be my president. But we all thought there would be no way that we'd get called to Cape Verde. Yet a few days before leaving we found out that two of the three of us would be going to Cape Verde. From the first time I met President and Sister Hobson I knew that they were special. They were, they are. I always enjoyed the opportunities I had to talk to them and get to know them. I especially felt a connection with Sister Hobson. She was like a mother to me while I was there. My mother had died 6 months before I left on my mission so I really needed someone and Sister Hobson was amazing. I will always be grateful for them.
I stopped by our house today. It was kind of deflating. It's a disaster. Hand prints all over the walls. Dirt. Holes. Water. And what is up with the weather? More rain today. The house had to be tarped. Please no more rain. But it is progressing. Two steps forward and one step back.
The older girls are asleep right now and Julia is here on the couch with me. She's smiling and cooing and kicking the laptop. I love this age; it is so adorable. She just looks like she's trying to talk to me. She is so beautiful and such a doll. Cassidy never took to a pacifier or sucked her thumb, Molly only started sucking her thumb at about 9 months and still does but never took a pacifier, Julia is already jawing her fingers all the time. So interesting how they each found their own thing, in their own time.