Skyping With David and David's First Christmas Away

David Skyping from the Romney's in Dallas!

Well, we survived David's first Christmas away from home and I think he did, too!  He called us a little after 10:00am, our time, to tell us what the plan was.  I cracked up because he kept giggling and saying "oh, man, this is so weird" - meaning talking to his mother on the phone!  Then, around 12:30pm, our time, we were able to get connected on Skype after a few minor technical difficulties.  We kept losing the sound through Skype, so we ended up talking to him on the phone, but seeing him through Skype.  He was the same David - laughing and just happy to be calling home.  He got to see his baby, Toby, but we couldn't get Toby to see David on the computer screen.  He could hear him, though and you could tell he could recognize David's voice.  

David was having a good Christmas, opening presents with Elder Haskell and then also going to the Romney's to open some there and to have breakfast.  They were going to Jess's for dinner that evening and then doing some "knocking" after that.  David said the President Durrant wanted them to try to share a Christmas message with people.  I hope they were successful!

It was interesting that David started to ask Tom how it was to be home, but then said 'never mind, I don't want to know' and Tom didn't want to tell him, either.  There appears to be a deep understanding among missionaries of the importance of focusing on what they are there to do and thinking about being at home or going home, just makes it harder!

We talked for just over an hour and then decided that he better go and time was up.  We got lots of questions answered and he just got to see his family and his dog, which I could tell made him very happy!  I didn't shed any tears until after we hung up and then they came - just couldn't help myself.  As a parent, I think you end up pushing the ache of missing them out of your mind for long stretches at a time.  Then, it will just sneak up on you and that ache comes back and the tears flow. Christmas's will never be the same unless all of my kids are here.  We survived two Christmas's without Tom and now we just have one more without David. There is just a hole in everything when one family member is so far away.  We know David had a good day, or as good of a day as you can have when you are away from home on Christmas.  I have a deep gratitude for everyone in my son's life that makes being a missionary a little bit easier.  God bless them!