[12] 1 Month to Go!

I missed the official mark, but in exactly one month (from yesterday) my older brother Michael comes home from his mission! He has been working really hard in California. I'm so proud of him and I can't wait to see him!
When he turned 18 in August, he started school here at BYU. Then, at the October 2012 General Conference, President Monson changed the mission age to boys leaving 18 after high school graduation and girls at 19. He immediately started his mission papers and got them turned in. The next Wednesday, my mom found his mission call in the mail. She immediately got in the car and drove to Provo to meet Michael in between two of his classes. She met him in front of the JFSB and handed him his mission call. He put it in his backpack and continued to class. My brother doesn't love attention or big events focused on him, so after class he went back to his dorm room in New Heritage and opened his call by himself. By this time, my mom was back in Highland grocery shopping at Wal-Mart. She got a call from Michael and he told her where he was going: California Roseville Mission leaving in February. She started crying hysterically in the middle of Wal-Mart and had people staring at her while she finished her grocery shopping.

       The few months went by, and it was finally time for Michael to leave. The day before he reported to the MTC, I asked him to go longboarding for the last time together for 2 years. We went on a great ride and while we were talking and riding, I realized that he was ready. Hearing him helped me feel confident in him and relax myself.
       We took him to the MTC the next day, and that is the last time I hugged my older brother. Now, I am going to hug him on January 2nd, 2015. He is going to be very busy, though. He comes home on a Friday, wants to go skiing the next day, then starts school that Monday. Hopefully he will be able to snap right back into things. My dad was signing him up for classes and we were able to coordinate and make it so my brother and I have 2 classes together next semester! Wow, 1 month can not come fast enough!