This was the first time we had seen Mark since we took him out for summer visitation in June of 2007. It was fun to get to visit with him for a few weeks. At one point he had decided that he wanted to stay here with us because he had realized that our idea of family shows in our actions and isn't just a bunch of talk, but he didn't want to have to move to Alabama and we couldn't promise him that he wouldn't have to. (I guess that is a post that I started and didn't completely finish. I will make sure to explain that in a post this week!) I'm sure that there were other factors in his decision-he would have to get rid of the earrings and we don't allow our kids to have a cell phone until they can drive. That is only for our peace of mind and we don't add any texting or extras to that. Both Brian and Christopher managed to reinforce that for us by totaling a car and having to call us!! Anyway, he decided that he would go back, so he needed to get there for football practice beginning Monday, August 11th.
One thing is for certain-our food bill is going to decrease tremendously! I can't believe how much that boy eats! I made 32 jars of strawberry jelly this summer and he blew through 5 of them in a month. At least I think that it was just 5. Geno looked in the freezer the other day and said that he thought it was more. Shane thought that we should have checked Mark's luggage before he left, but sadly for Mark he would have arrived in Colorado Springs with strawberry syrup since it was freezer jam!
We took our time on the way back from Oklahoma City. I had originally planned for Mark to leave from Oklahoma City so that we would take the time to attend the LDS Temple there. Had I actually checked the website, I would have known that they were closed for cleaning that weekend! So, we just took Mark to the airport and went back to the hotel to sleep a little longer. We got up and showered and then visited scrapbook stores, malls, and other places on the way home. I was ready to just get back home, but Geno kept wanting to stop at more and more places. I knew that he had really wanted Mark to decide to stay and it seemed that he was avoiding going home without him.
1 comment:
I'm sure it was difficult for you guys to send mark back to Co...but in years to come he will reflect back to the times when he was happiest in his life and it will be YOUR shining example and unconditional love that he will remember.
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