Little bit of history into these two...

This picture means so much to me. It tells a long story of the history between these two siblings. You see they are 19 months apart in age and by the time JT was 3 years old and Rylee was 1 1/2; Rylee spoke better English than JT. It was the first red flag in JT's life. His hearing was tested, but he just had a severe speech delay. This later went on to effect his language comprehension and JT struggled to communicate and to understand what he was being tested on. JT went to speech at Desert Sage when he was 3 years old. Rylee and I would attend, watch, and learn how to reinforce what he was learning at home. His speech was clear. He had a word for bananas, but it was a word non of us had ever heard before. We honestly thought that he might have been born to the wrong family. We thought the way he clicked that he might be speaking some Africian dialect.
Anywho, the year he was 4 he went to a special needs preschool class 4 days a week. At the end of that school year I went to observe a kindergarten class and I knew he wasn't ready. My husband and I counseled and prayed. It was a tough decision that I knew would effect JT the rest of his life. One of things that troubled me was JT and him going on a mission. At the time I was making this decision boys were encouraged to go at age 19. So most boys JT grew up with in scouts would graduate high school and have a year of college before they put in papers to go on a mission. If I waited to put JT in kindergarten, JT would have no year of college. He would graduate high school and then turn 19. Well, June 3, 2016 JT turns 19. I can't believe all those prayers and walks with friends about this day is finally here. On one of those walks, a wise friend asked me, "Have you ever heard a parent regretting that they waited a year to put their child in school?" No. I never heard that. I heard regrets about pushing their child to go in early but never a regret for waiting. So it was decided. No kindergarten for JT until he was 6. Which fast forward also meant that he would plan and prepare to serve a mission right after high school. Going back to the 6 year old JT, after many more years of intense therapy through school districts, private care and NACD, JT was able to get off his IEP when he was in 3rd grade.
JT never hated that he was a year behind in school until high school. He wanted to play catch up the summer between 8th grade and freshman year. Ryan and JT had a plan to take his whole freshman year over the summer and go to high school as a sophomore. Glad that didn't pan out. Poor child would have been overwhelmed.

Now looking at this picture of my 2 kids 19 months apart I think of how much they have grown and taught each other. She will miss JT. And I will miss watching them together. They are so fun.

My cute boy

So many people have asked me about JT's upcoming mission and what it entails. To be honest, I don't know much. I never served a mission, but my husband served in Spain and I have lots of friends who have given me some helpful tips and advice. There is also a few white envelopes that have come with lots of information about his mission from the church.
Here's what I know. JT will no longer be called JT. He will be set apart and called Elder Nuttall starting July 13th. He will fly to Salt Lake City and report to the Provo Missionary Training Center (MTC) for 2.5 weeks before he flys to Australia. When he flys there he will lose a day. They are 18 hours ahead of us.

I know that JT will have a Mission President and his wife, and lots of couple missionaries that will take care of my boy while he is gone. This Mission President assigns JT to his mission companions and those companions can change every 6 weeks. JT will be assigned to work in a certain area with his companion and follow guidelines and rules for all missionaries.
I know that JT is allowed to write home once a week on P-day (preparation day). I will look forward to those emails. JT is allowed to call home/ or skype home twice a year on Mother's Day and Christmas. Because of the time change it might be Christmas Eve and the day before Mother's Day, but I will be happy for those communications.
JT is planning on paying for his mission. He has been working hard and saving his money. Missions are cheap compared to college tuition, so his Dad and I look forward to helping our son out in the future with college. JT is allowed to bring certain items on a list that fit in 2 suitcases on his mission. He is prepared in almost everyway. I can't help but be proud of him. He is such a good boy.

For years now I have thought about those young men that serve missions and come back as men. They wear black tags with their names proudly proclaiming that they are messengers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They get doors shut in their faces and have hard days. My hope and prayer is that when you see one of these young men, you will think of JT and be kind to them. Each missionary is someone's son or daughter.