Tonga!

Tuesday, June 25th



Ok, today was probably, no, definitely the hardest day of our mission so far. When I turned on my computer this morning there were emails all over the place. “Mom, call me! --- I need to talk to you! --- Grandma, call my mom.---It’s Baby Time!!! --- SHE’S HERE!!!! ----- This baby is so darn cute!!!” Kimi had her baby while we were sleeping!!!

I couldn’t decide which email to open first, so I started with “SHE’S HERE!!!” It took FOREVER to open and then there was a picture of Kimi holding our precious new granddaughter. I cried. She’s really here and mommy and baby are so beautiful! How can I be so far away?? I remember feeling exactly this way when Dave and Alisha had Parx and we were in Ukraine.

Alan and I opened each email and looked at the pictures that Mike had sent. Then we tried to call but couldn’t get through to Kimi’s room. We called Tiff for help and she gave us another number that worked. When we reached Kimi she was tired but SOOOOOOOOO HAPPY!!!!!! Everything went smoothly, it was an easy delivery, no problems with the tumor, and our little Grace is just perfect. Every prayer was answered, so even though I am sad that I can’t hold her and love her and her parents in person, we are so very thankful for the blessings we have all received as a result of our serving this mission. Heavenly Father has been so generous and mindful of us in every way. Strangely enough, our being on a mission makes this separation doable somehow. There is a peace and comfort that I know we would not feel if we were not here. Thank heaven for modern technology, we can see Grace and talk to Mike and Kimi any time, that eases the pain a little too. Once we got off the phone with Kimi nothing else seemed to matter any more. We just wanted to go home to contemplate being grandparents one more time.
I did have a couple of things that I needed to get done though. I emailed my report about our experience with the Pacific Partnership to the Area Office and the people involved here in Tonga. It was a relief to get that done, although I could not attach any of the pictures I wanted to send. I will have to send them in separate emails.

Once things settled down and we had had time to think about the great blessing that had just come into our lives, I remembered waking up 3 times in the night thinking about Kimi. I wondered if I would recognize the Spirit if I was prompted to know that she needed me. I GUESS NOT!! Perhaps it was because she didn’t NEED me, everything was going smoothly. Or maybe it was a tender mercy, trying to tell me that Grace was making her way to earth and to our family. Which ever, I am grateful I experienced it but sad that I didn’t act on it. Although I couldn’t walk clear across the campus in the middle of the night to check the email!!

This afternoon I tried to put the Pacific Partnership 2013 pictures in an email and send them. I couldn’t get ONE TO GO! After 2 and a half hours I gave up and came home.

I haven’t been feeling the best today. I think I got over tired last week and now I am trying not to get a cold. By the time we went to bed I had started with a bad cough. I think I have turned into my mother, everything goes straight to my lungs. I took some medicine and went to bed.