The end of an era is coming quick.
Almost four years ago, Ethan left on a mission to Poland. That's right. He gave up everything he had going for him at American University in Washington DC, and devoted two entire years to being a missionary for our church in Poland.
Fast forward two years, and his brother, Mark, was leaving to do the exact same thing (although this time in Russia). Mark left behind rowing for the Michigan Men's rowing team, and a lot of momentum in his music career. However, he exhibited the same faith of his older brother.
My promise to them? I would write them everyday of their missions. That's right--EVERYDAY. John and his siblings have spoken about how terrible they felt as missionaries, never receiving mail from family, so I was determined to keep my boys from having that story.
So what did I do four years ago? I headed to our local Staples, and bought this:
Since then (if you calculate all the days they have been gone), I have bought an additional box of these. Yep, 500 envelopes per box, and I've done a fine job of using most of them.
People might call me crazy, but I have enjoyed every moment of it. Writing to Ethan was a life saver when I had nothing to do but recover from multiple ankle and back surgeries. Writing to Mark keeps the memories of his funny antics fresh in my mind and consequently helps me feel closer to him. It was easier to write to Ethan, because he received my letters within three or four days of me writing, and they could go straight to his apartment. With Mark, it takes over a month for him to receive anything, and it goes to the mission office, so I haven't been quite so diligent. However, I believe my boys would agree that they were the one missionary who received more mail than any other missionary on their mission.
The funny thing is that I know exactly how much mail I can fit in the envelope for a standard international first class letter (4 standard pieces of paper). If I'm ever in doubt (photos can mess up the weight), I use my postal scale (bought expressly for this purpose).
I have had series of letters returned to me, because some postal worker in Johnstown, PA, didn't believe I was addressing the mail correctly (it's the opposite of the US address in Russia).
I have ordered countless return address labels including ones with bunnies, dogs, even photos from Ireland, and for the first time, I didn't throw away the address labels sent to me by the March of Dimes :-)
I have memorized more foreign addresses than I ever thought possible, and believe it or not, I can correctly spell just about every major town in Poland (including Bydgoszcz).
I have purposely walked down to our mailbox and back with the intention of adding "steps" to my daily tally, hoping to lose weight in the process. Our driveway IS a quarter of a mile long :-) I have learned that the dogs have appreciated this process. It means at least a walk a day down to the mailbox for them.
Over the past four years, I have seen the price of postage for that first class international letter rise. It was 94 cents when I started, and it's now $1.06. Yes, we will be able to buy another bag of groceries for the amount of money we will save monthly on postage!
Mark's mission office asked that families not send mail for the six months preceding a missionary coming home (that would have been February for Mark). However, I have continued sending mail, but today, Friday, May 23, will be my last letter. While I will breathe a sigh of relief, not feeling the pressure to get a letter down to the mailbox each day, I will miss it. I will miss sharing my thoughts on paper and hoping that it will bring a bit of home to each of my boys in their far off lands. I don't know that it's meant much to either of them, but it's definitely meant something to me.
So as I seal up the last envelope today, I seal up an era. It's been mighty fun, boys.
Almost four years ago, Ethan left on a mission to Poland. That's right. He gave up everything he had going for him at American University in Washington DC, and devoted two entire years to being a missionary for our church in Poland.
Fast forward two years, and his brother, Mark, was leaving to do the exact same thing (although this time in Russia). Mark left behind rowing for the Michigan Men's rowing team, and a lot of momentum in his music career. However, he exhibited the same faith of his older brother.
My promise to them? I would write them everyday of their missions. That's right--EVERYDAY. John and his siblings have spoken about how terrible they felt as missionaries, never receiving mail from family, so I was determined to keep my boys from having that story.
So what did I do four years ago? I headed to our local Staples, and bought this:
Since then (if you calculate all the days they have been gone), I have bought an additional box of these. Yep, 500 envelopes per box, and I've done a fine job of using most of them.
People might call me crazy, but I have enjoyed every moment of it. Writing to Ethan was a life saver when I had nothing to do but recover from multiple ankle and back surgeries. Writing to Mark keeps the memories of his funny antics fresh in my mind and consequently helps me feel closer to him. It was easier to write to Ethan, because he received my letters within three or four days of me writing, and they could go straight to his apartment. With Mark, it takes over a month for him to receive anything, and it goes to the mission office, so I haven't been quite so diligent. However, I believe my boys would agree that they were the one missionary who received more mail than any other missionary on their mission.
The funny thing is that I know exactly how much mail I can fit in the envelope for a standard international first class letter (4 standard pieces of paper). If I'm ever in doubt (photos can mess up the weight), I use my postal scale (bought expressly for this purpose).
I have had series of letters returned to me, because some postal worker in Johnstown, PA, didn't believe I was addressing the mail correctly (it's the opposite of the US address in Russia).
I have ordered countless return address labels including ones with bunnies, dogs, even photos from Ireland, and for the first time, I didn't throw away the address labels sent to me by the March of Dimes :-)
I have memorized more foreign addresses than I ever thought possible, and believe it or not, I can correctly spell just about every major town in Poland (including Bydgoszcz).
I have purposely walked down to our mailbox and back with the intention of adding "steps" to my daily tally, hoping to lose weight in the process. Our driveway IS a quarter of a mile long :-) I have learned that the dogs have appreciated this process. It means at least a walk a day down to the mailbox for them.
Over the past four years, I have seen the price of postage for that first class international letter rise. It was 94 cents when I started, and it's now $1.06. Yes, we will be able to buy another bag of groceries for the amount of money we will save monthly on postage!
Mark's mission office asked that families not send mail for the six months preceding a missionary coming home (that would have been February for Mark). However, I have continued sending mail, but today, Friday, May 23, will be my last letter. While I will breathe a sigh of relief, not feeling the pressure to get a letter down to the mailbox each day, I will miss it. I will miss sharing my thoughts on paper and hoping that it will bring a bit of home to each of my boys in their far off lands. I don't know that it's meant much to either of them, but it's definitely meant something to me.
So as I seal up the last envelope today, I seal up an era. It's been mighty fun, boys.
I have so many footsteps to emulate...thanks for sharing. Hopefully, I can be as diligent as you. Can't wait to see that young man return with great honor:)
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