Big News! Crazy Times ahead!

Well, I am so excited! We have had a great bit of news this past week! It is about Justin, and I am pretty sure that all of the family already know, but I just had to share some thoughts with the rest of the blogosphere.

I was with Elizabeth and Ian at our Stake Youth Conference, which was held at Arkansas Tech, in Russellville. We had a really uplifting weekend. It is always good to have that large a group of kids from Church get together and discuss the truly important things of life. I know my 2 had a good time, and the friends that Liz brought along are also excited about the chance to hang out with so many good Christian teenagers.

The entire focus of the conference was the Atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ. The classes and speakers were amazing, and the spirit we all felt is hard to describe for someone who has not been there before. One of my favorite mini-classes focused on the way that our Savior's very infinite Atonement was also very, extremely individual. For all of us together, but for each of us, separately.

My big news, however, came on Thursday afternoon, as we were waiting to go into the cafeteria for dinner. I had found out that Justin's missionary application was far enough in the process that he should be getting his mission call this week.

Before I go on, a note to explain.. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, it is typical (not required, but anticipated), that young men will choose to serve a church mission sometime shortly after their 19th birthday. These missions are for 2 years, at the missionary's expense, and they can be called to anyplace in the world. Young women may apply for a missionary service after their 21st birthday, and the call is 18 months.

Justin, (my oldest son, for those who may not know my family), has been looking forward to being a missionary from the time he could remember singing "I hope they call me on a mission", sometime between 3 and 5 years old. We always knew that his diabetes would be a factor in where he would serve.

This past year has been one of great frustration for us in this regard. Because of his diabetes, Justin cannot serve a mission, unless he has insurance coverage. My insurance through the school drops Justin like a scalding hot potato as soon as he is no longer a student. Being diabetic, no company will even look Justin's direction, a choice I can understand, from a business point of view.

What to do? Justin was preparing himself to be devastated, and Michelle and I spent many mornings and afternoons crying amongst ourselves, as we hit one brick wall after another. We had called the offices of the DHS to see if there were any government programs that might help, and were told, in these exact words.." it sounds like you're basically screwed". (sorry to anyone who finds that type of phrasing offensive, but that was a direct quote from the assistant manager of our closest DHS office.) That's how we were feeling.

Michelle, as a last ditch attempt, before breaking the heartbreaking news to Justin, had decided to call Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and see if we would have any chance of cramming the very high premium she had already been quoted, into our family budget. She just needed to know if there was a long waiting period on existing conditions.

The associate who answered the call has a fond place in our lives right now, and I wish I could name her, to give recognition. She asked Michelle if she had contacted DHS about the CHIP program. Michelle was shocked. She found out that the Comprehensive Health Insurance Pool was exactly what Justin needed. A way to be a working, even successful part of working society, and get health insurance, in spite of being a very high risk case. And the premium was not terribly expensive.

Well, to shorten a long (and probably boring to you) story, we jumped through all the silly hoops required to get Justin enrolled through CHIP. This IS government work, so the change was .......frustrating. Like having to prove un-insurability for 60 days and having to be enrolled before 63 days since you were dropped had passed, and other such nonsense.

Well, Justin got all of that covered, and went through the interview and application process for a mission. The whole time he was being prepped by us, and some of the other leaders involved in the process, that he would most likely serve in the US, because of health concerns. Justin was happy to be able to go, but he had kind of set his heart young on going to a different country. But trusting that these calls are inspired, Justin was mostly just happy to be able to serve.

BAck to Russelville, Thursday July 23, 2009!

Having been informed that Justin's paperwork was in process, I found out from our stake clerk that the letter was in the mail. I called Michelle, and told her to please make Justin wait to open it until he had us on the phone. So we had our entire Branch group together. Myself, Elizabeth, Ian , Br. Babb and Sis. Pace (YM/YW leaders for the event)Brandi, (a young lady in our Branch) and Liz's friends Brailey and Jenny. I called home to hear the good news.

Justin read the words that so many missionaries have heard, indicating that this call comes from the Lord, through His prophet, and the call was to serve in the Guadalajara, Mexico mission starting in the Missionary training center on the 21st October 2009.

The entire cafeteria looked up to see what all the shouting was about in the hallway. It is so exciting to have Justin go to Mexico! Michelle will be very anxious, but she also knows that these callings come from our Heavenly Father. She also knows that Justin will be OK. That is where faith comes in. The nerves will pass, but the Lord will watch over her baby boy. He is not so little anymore, but he will always be her baby boy.

It is late, nearly 10:30, and I have to go sing lullabies. OK, not really, but I do have to "put chickens to bed".

Later!