"Calling all Bulgarians, Calling all Bulgarians..." April 12th 2015

We took the long way home from the airport to drop Katrina in Provo. She was teaching Relief Society the next day so she couldn't come home with us. Too bad, her mission call was waiting in Heber! She asked how thick the envelope was. I said, "Well, it's the only one I've ever held, but it doesn't feel super thick." Mallerie, on the other hand goes to mission call openings all the time. She said that the thick ones are usually the foreign missions.

I asked Katrina if she would be bringing over any roommates or friends when she opened her call after church. She said she would. I asked "They won't be hungry though will they?" She said, "They probably will be!" We had been on vacation for the last week so I was really scrambling to have something on hand. I came up with homemade mac n' cheese, a questionable veggie platter, and some un-iced cupcakes. It was the best I could offer. However, because I was fussing over the food I hadn't taken the time to figure out how to get Skype set up on my ipad. This led to some sweaty last minute attempts to get my family online. Then the computer froze up right as Katrina started opening her call. At that point I just had to let it go. If they couldn't see her we'd send the video later!

I didn't want to be preoccupied with it. I wanted to enjoy the moment. It seemed like the day for her mission has always been so far off and then one day you wake up, and it's here.

Below: Kat expressing a bit of goofiness to ward off the jitters.

It was fun to have the Bocanegra's, the Caique's, and the Forsyth's representing family!

"Wait for it...BULGARIA, Sophia Mision....Excitement...SHOCK."

A couple of things I was so grateful for, that Mallerie and Ava had thought to hang up a world map, and that Ademir was there filming. Bless Mallerie's heart for trying, but she forgot to push record.

I had Grandma Donna on the phone. Everyone had someone on the phone!

I wonder what Graham is thinking in this above photo, he seems thrilled whatever it is.

I hope you can feel the excitement that was in the air. Katrina reports to the Provo MTC on August 26th, our 21st Wedding Anniversary. We wouldn't have it any other way. 

I was glad I got to see the call in person and look at the packet briefly. That is the last I saw of it!
"Where's BULGARIA???" Right above Greece.

You can see Romney in Elko face-timing. Who would have guessed they would end up in similar regions, learning the cyrillic alphabet!

Katrina's dear friend Rebecca from our ward had gotten home from her mission to Japan that very week. And Lacey soon after got her call to Salem, OR.

Expectant Momma's to be, Carly and Kei.

In the days that followed I read up a bit on the mission. I texted Kat and said, "It seems that if you researched all the missions in the world you would choose this one!" She said, "I know right! It's perfect!" 

Called to Serve. Katrina, you are going to be one amazing missionary.