Stalker Mom

                                                                                                             Sunday, October 5, 2014

Dear Elder Crosgrove,

My dear son, how has your week been? Was it the best one yet, just like last week? Did you go to the ward building to listen to the Conference talks? Wasn't it awesome to listen to the speakers in their native languages?! 

I have something to confess. I listened to the first speaker from a hotel room in Los Angeles.....just a few miles from you. I didn't want to tell you until I was back in Idaho because I wanted you to stay focused. I hope you are okay with that.

I went to LA with some friends to help them with their business.  What an interesting city! I was lost immediately, no surprises there. I found some aspects of the city that I fell in love with. There's the surprise, you know me and cities.

One of the things that I liked was the diversity of the people. Every face looked to have a story behind it that I wanted to sit down and listen to. (Well, most of them.) I know Disneyland tends to be the draw in that neck of the woods, but I'd take some one-of-a-kind conversation over that any day. We did walk around the park and snap a pic...just so you could believe I was there.

The picture is in front of the Lego store. I saw massive sculptures completely constructed of the stuff. I showed the little boys the pics and they were inspired to cover the living room floor in a renewed sense of Lego ownership.

My original plan was to be very sneaky and drop your birthday package at the mission home. I was secretly hoping I could spy on you from a distance, see my little boy one more time before his teenage years dissipate. In hindsight.....that would have been awful.

 The next time I see you I want to be able to hug your guts out, not hide in the bushes.

I didn't have the luxury of a car and large amounts of free time to make that happen anyway. Good thing.

What I did have was the tender mercies of the Lord.

On Saturday morning I was awakened at 4:30. (Probably my body thinking it needed to take care of one of your siblings.) I was drawn to the windows. We were staying on the 11th floor. I looked out over all the lights of that great city and started to get emotional. 

Somewhere hiding in that vastness was you.

I had absolutely no idea which direction to even look.

It's a powerful

sensation to be that close to you and still be just as far away.

Because no one else was stirring, I was able to spend some quality time with myself. (An interesting thought if you think about it.) I had the rare opportunity to really do some scripture study, cross references and everything. It never ceases to amaze me the comfort those words bring.

As the sun began to rise, a gentle feeling washed over me. I felt reassured that you were exactly where you should be....and that God knows where that is.

My wish for your birthday this week would be a strong back that your load will seem light. I wish for you to have clear eyes that will recognize the needs of others. And most of all I pray that the message you have put your life on hold to deliver will be accepted by someone who has been searching for it.

Lastly, I hope that you know your mama loves you.....you might want to watch out for suspicious looking bushes.

To the moon and back and infinity and beyond, love,

Mom