My Sweet Daughter Keeps Me On My Toes

Two weeks ago, Jacey and I went to Ally Olcotts mission Farewell. As I was leaving, Tracy (Ally's mom) asked me if Jacey had thought about going on a mission. I gave her my stand-by answer of, "I don't know. She hasn't been the girl that told me her whole life that she wants to go on a mission, but she hasn't discounted it either." It was always a maybe in the back of her mind. To my response, Tracy said that Ally was the same until Sofie died. That was the turning point for her.

It wasn't a conversation that I felt I needed to pass on to Jacey. However, a couple days later Jacey made a flippant remark about maybe she should go on a mission. I relayed my conversation to her, and Jacey in true Jacey fashion burst into tears and said, "that is the same with me." She then spent the next week going about the decision making process. Translated to her language, that means... praying, stressing, crying, talking to the bishop, talking to her mom/dad and pondering, and going through it all again. Finally I told her to quit worrying about it. The decision doesn't need to be made right now. She relaxed a little, and the next thing I knew, she had decided to go on a mission. She has met with the bishop to start her paperwork. She is hoping to leave soon after her birthday in July.

I posted this picture, because it was one of the first times I saw these girls together. I loved them then, and I love them even more now. I feel that love with every fiber of my being. Sofie being the tallest is in the middle. Sofie was called home to serve a mission on the other side, but the impact of her leaving the other girls behind has purified their hearts in such a beautiful way. Dani is serving a mission to Armenia/Georgia and left in November. Ally is leaving for her mission to Chile next week. Kayla is leaving for her mission to West Virginia next week. Abbi is leaving for her mission to Argentina in June. Liza is leaving for her mission to Idaho Falls in June. Jacey has decided to serve a mission (hoping to leave in July). Nina and Meg are heading to China to do humanitarian work. These are certainly amazing young women. It is a privilege and a blessing to know them, and it will be so fun to watch them impact the world for a higher purpose. Love these girls so much!!

I am so very proud of how they grew up.

And Sofie's family is right there supporting all of these girls along the way.