Saying Goodbye

The week before Christmas was a very emotional seven days of saying goodbye to friends and family members. We enjoyed dinner with Merrill and Melinda Barney, as well as with Rex and Vicki Lewis. We also had many people stop by the house to wish us the best. Kaytee was with us when we spoke in Sacrament meeting on Sunday, December 19 and wept openly as people shared their feelings about us leaving. Allysa and Stacy stopped by - along with their kids and boyfriends - to give us hugs and kisses and to collect food from our pantry and freezer.

A day or so before Christmas we drove to Ogden for two delightful nights with Kelly, Gary and Whitney. We ate, played games and enjoyed our time together before traveling to Pleasant Grove for an evening with Michael, Tara and Lilly. David, Jan’L, Kaler, Kole and Kyle, Kris, Zac and EJ arrived on Sunday to see us off. Every available inch of floor space was occupied with blow up mattresses and bed roles - to the point it looked to an uninformed observer - like a refugee camp!!! There was a great deal of laughter as four of our six offspring caught up with their siblings - some who hadn’t seen each other in a very long time.

Then came the morning of Monday, December 27, the day scheduled for our arrival at the MTC. Our two strong sons laid their hands on our heads and pronounced a sons' blessing asking for our safe keeping and return in 18 months. There was a torrent of tears from everyone and Kris hugged us both and sobbed, “you’d better come back!!!” We look forward to being able to hug our precious loved ones again on or about June 27, 2012.

Missionary Checklist

1. Submit a grundle of paperwork to the Missionary Department . . . then watch the mailbox every day for five weeks for a letter from President Thomas S. Monson issuing our call to the West Indies Mission

2. Tell the boss, my staff and my volunteers I am leaving (while weeping uncontrollably) then help find my replacement at the Volunteer Center of Washington County

3. Find an unsuspecting Rotarian willing to serve as secretary of St. George Rotary Club

4. Raise my hand to sustain someone new as ward blogger / information specialist / historian

5. Find a home for Sophie, our adorable and much loved Yorkie

6. Sell our cars

7. Shop for the lightest possible summer clothing in the dead of winter

8. Order sandals from Zappos (yeah!!! open-toed and which do NOT have to be worn with pantyhose)

9. Get an assortment of shots for every kind of disease and fever known to the medical world

10. Clean every drawer, closet, cabinet, “nook and cranny” in the house

11. Take a load or two to the Deseret Industries / city dump

12. Finish Roy Nisson’s book

13. Get a new drivers license and temple recommend (because they will expire before we get back) and change the name of my blog to http://sappingtonmission.blogspot.com/

14. Speak in Sacrament meeting

15. Have lunch / dinner with many friends wanting to say "goodbye"

16. Enjoy my very last nail appointment and pedicure by Michelle Graham, my wonderful friend and longtime nail lady, who weeps during the entire process.

17. Turn off the utilities, cancel the newspaper and forward our mail to Kaytee

18. Pack a maximum of 100 lbs. of my earthly belongings to take on our Caribbean adventure

19. Say goodbye to our precious kids and grandkids

20. Enter the MTC

How Does It Happen?

At my recent Rotary Club Christmas party (which I chaired, of course, because . . . well, I am retired and have time on my hands), I was recognized for my 20 years as a Rotarian. My club members presented me with a new digital camera to take on our mission to the West Indies; but, in order to receive my gift, I had to sit on Santa’s knee. Kaytee found it a bit odd to think of her mother sitting on the lap of her brother’s best friend from high school. Under the beard is Greg Childs (who, by the way, has a son who is getting engaged on Christmas Day)!!! How does it happen that everyone around me is growing older . . . while I haven’t even finished growing up?!

Thanksgiving in Denver

We spent a delightful Thanksgiving weekend (actually Tuesday evening to Saturday morning) in Denver with David, Jan’L and their three boys. David worked a lot while we were there (setting up the store for Black Friday) so we took the kids to see Disney’s “Tangled” (a delightful animated movie based on the story of Rapunzel). Grandma and the boys took daily long walks with Sophie in tow (who was a good little house guest). Jan’L fixed a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner which we happily ate until we were stuffed . . . then enjoyed the leftovers for another couple of meals (isn’t that the fun of Thanksgiving anyway?)

I wish I had written down all the hilarious comments during our three days together, but here are some I can remember:

* Jan’L frequently reminds the boys - when they apologize after they have done something wrong - that “sorry doesn’t cut it!” Following one episode while we were there, in which Kyle was particularly naughty, his Dad asked him to apologize. This extra bright little four-year-old responded, “Sorry does cut it, Dad” Needless to say, we all nearly fell off our chairs with laughter.

* During Thanksgiving dinner, Kyle wanted something (I don’t remember what) but his mother told him “no” so he stomped off into the other room, calling over his shoulder, “I think this Thanksgiving stinks!”

* Another Kyle-ism: Kyle and his barefoot grandma were sitting on the couch watching TV. At some point he asked me how I had gotten so old, to which I responded “one birthday at a time.” Then he reminded me I am old all over, “except your feet aren’t old!” I can only assume he had come to that conclusion because I had just had a pedicure and have red toes.

* And then there was the nail clipper incident! Kyle rushed into the bathroom and closed the door because he had to “go poop!” A few minutes went by and we heard a “clunk” followed by his plaintive cry of “oh, no! My dad’s going to kill me!” David went to see what catastrophe had occurred only to find that Kyle had dropped the nail clippers into the unflushed toilet! It only took Daddy a moment to determine this was a job for Kyle’s mother, who - undaunted - put on her rubber gloves and dove in! Another cause for laughter . . . although it was obvious neither Kyle nor Jan’L thought it was funny.

* 8-year-old Kole is amazingly bright and inquisitive! While I was making Master Mix, I asked Kole to find me the shortening. He wanted to know “why do they call it shortening?” We also had several good conversations about lots of interesting topics. Thank goodness for the internet. By the way, for those of you who know the family story about “Grandpa’s waffles,” David’s boys told him he makes “the best waffles ever” which caused us all to break into gales of laughter. Grandma gets no credit!!!

* Kaler, who just turned 12 and is now a Deacon in his ward, really wanted us to stay over for Sunday since it will be the first time he passes the Sacrament. He was fun to be around and got a little emotional when we were packing up the car to leave - even called me on my cell phone from upstairs to tell me he loves me. Jan’L also reported her oldest son wrote an essay about his family for a school assignment. In it, he noted his parents were mean to him always saying “if you break it, you buy it!” Jan’L encouraged him to do a re-write to put his parents in a better light for his teacher. He did . . . it read, “I have really nice parents who always say, ‘if you break it, you buy it.’” No word on the grade he got on this paper, but Jan’L has some concern about what his teacher must think of her and Kaler’s daddy.

* David told us the story of one of his employees who thought the Friday after Thanksgiving was “African American Friday.” David said it was all he could do to keep from laughing until the tears ran down his face while explaining the true significance of this new American holiday his sister Kaytee calls her “super bowl.”

Jan’L is such a darling, but she stresses (as most women do) about her inability to be a perfect wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend, while she has her hands full riding herd on her 4 boys! David - and the rest of our family - is lucky to have her!!!

PS: Jan’L called to make sure we got home safely . . . and to tell me one more Kyle story. I made turkey noodle soup while in Denver. Jan’L and Kyle had some last night and Kyle remarked how good it was to which Jan’L noted, “Grandma Linda made this soup.” Kyle responded, “Well, she should be very proud of herself!”

One More Award

OK . . . my 15-minutes of fame has now come to an end with today's recognition by the Utah Bar Association for providing "exceptional service to the legal profession and the community." This beautiful, engraved plaque is certain to be the absolute, final and very last award, recognition, or pat-on-the-head I will receive for my work during 16 years at the Volunteer Center of Washington County (except for the upcoming article in the December issue of St. George magazine). Following lunch at Little America, I was among three recipients recognized in one way or another. Mine was as the “Community Member of the Year” for the creation of three law-related programs at the Volunteer Center: Youth Court, Court-ordered Community Service Program and our ReEntry Council, the precursor to the current Resource and ReEntry Program.

Actually this award is not given annually because it is intended to go to someone outside of the law profession, so I was even more pleased to be chosen by nomination from Curtis Jensen (a partner in the law firm of Snow and Jensen in St. George), with whom I serve on Habitat for Humanity of Southwest Utah's board of trustees.

On a side note, Michael, with his usual quick-witted humor, quipped when he heard the news, “gee, Mom, I didn’t even know you drank.”

Halloween with the Sappington Clan

This is what Halloween looked like among our family members. Some are pretty darned cute and some are . . . well, not so much. From the top left: David and Jan'L's three boys -Kaler as a NY baseball player, Kyle as a Shark and Kole dressed for a football game with the Denver Broncos; David showing off another of Apple's million or so "aps"; Allysa's baby boy Daxton as an adorable little Lobster; Kaytee and Josh's Adyn as a Little Ducky (in Grandma's Trunk-or-Treat car); Troy's daughters Thalia and Isela (not sure which is which . . . sorry, girls) as a Fairy Princess and as Hannah Montana; Michael as the Mad Hatter; Tara as the White Queen with Lilly as Alice in Wonderland; and Troy in his legendary (and highly prized) Darth Vader costume. We hope everyone enjoyed this most fun and creative of holidays . . . and got lots of candy!

Taisley is Honored

Taisley Ann Foote was recognized in a school program on Friday by her teacher and school as a 3rd grade Super Citizen for September. According to her 21-year-old teacher, Mrs. Clements, Taisley was selected because of her “marked improvement in citizenship, for always doing what she is supposed to be doing, for being respectful and obeying the rules, for being kind to everyone, for being a good helper and for always doing her very best!”

Taisley was also among about 50 children at Heritage Elementary School who has had perfect attendance since the beginning of the school year.

Hooray for Taisley!!! Keep up the good work!!!

Grandma and Grandpa Will Soon Say "Orevwa"

Well, by now most of you know we have been called to serve as Perpetual Education Fund specialists for 18-months (the above pictures aren't that great, but they will give you the general feel of the country). We feel like we have prepared our entire lifetime and are giddy about our assignment - not to Jamaica where we were called by letter from President Thomas S. Monson - but to the West Indies, according to a phone call on Monday from the church's missionary department! It will be hard to leave behind our six children, (nearly)13 grandchildren and one adorable little "great" when we say that heartwrenching goodbye on Monday, December 27 in the parking lot of the MTC in Provo.

The church in the West Indies is still small after being officially recognized in 1976. There are less than 3000 members in only 11 wards and branches in the entire mission located in the southern Caribbean, northeast of the South American country of Venezuela.

The country where we will serve is about 1,980 square miles on two main islands, Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidad, where the mission headquarters are located, is the larger and more populated of the islands. The entire population is estimated at about 1.5 million; and for those who have expressed concern, the nation lies outside the hurricane belt.

Back in the earliest days of the church, Brigham Young established the Perpetual Emigration Fund to provide the means for new converts from all over the world - most of them impoverished - to obtain a small, low-interest loan to purchase wagons, horses or oxen and supplies needed to cross the American frontier as part of the second largest exodus in the history of the world.

In 2001, President Gordon B. Hinckley introduced a modern version of the PEF in the form of the Perpetual Education Fund which provides loans to members - mostly young adults in impoverished 3rd world countries - seeking additional education, mainly through vocational school and technical training. Career training options include school teacher, network administrator, computer science, systems analyst, human resource specialist, flight attendant, managerial, clinical lab technician, computer support technician, university faculty, political analyst, physician's assistant, physical and corrective therapy assistant, lawyer and judge.

In its first 8 years, more than 40,000 students in 40 countries have improved their position in life through PEF loans for education to increase their career options. These loans have resulted in an average increase in wages - after their schooling - from $179 a month to $756 a month, an increase of 320%

We still need to get more shots (ugh) and I will change my blog name, where our friends and family can join us on this spiritual journey in the West Indies.

Saying Goodbye

Ed estimated more than 300 people showed up for my open house today to say goodbye and to wish me well. All three county commissioners, the sheriff, the mayor, U.S. Congressman Jim Matheson's aide, several agency heads and lots and lots of my wonderful volunteers came for hugs!

My boss, Ken Sizemore was complimentary, stating: Linda has dedicated significant time, talent and dedication in fostering a wide-ranging network of volunteers who donate thousands of hours in bettering the lives of those residents and visitors to southwestern Utah. This network is one of the largest in the western United States and is widely recognized as a leader in volunteer management. Linda has displayed superb motivational and organizational skills in leading programs which reach out to all age groups, income levels and interests. All will miss her excitement, energy and enthusiasm in building a successful and vibrant volunteer network.

My bosses at the Corporation for National and Community Service (Utah State Office) were also complimentary, noting:

You will be greatly missed by the National Service community in Utah. For many years you have been one who "get's things done." Your creativity and innovation is second-to-none (Jake Murakami, State Director)

You have been such a great example of an innovative leader. You have helped so many of us as new RSVP project directors (Jane Quist, Program Specialist)

Many gave me cards - some with money and some with little loving gifts - with sweet messages, such as:

I will really, really miss you (Lynn Espinoza)

It has been a real joy to know you and to work with you in the volunteer program (Crane and Shanna Simmons)

Michelle Hill from Habitat for Humanity of Southwest Utah wrote, "you have been such a delight to work with and so convenient (down the hall from my office). This affiliate was thinking about shutting down last summer but you were determined to keep us going . . . and look at us now! Thanks, Linda, for pushing us forward and keeping Habitat in our community."

Thank you for all you have done for the Senior Companion Program. Your concern, knowledge and compassion have taught me a lot (Adele Burbridge)

I will always cherish our association over the ten years I've been a Senior Companion and I will miss you. You have so much talent and I know you will be a great missionary (Delaine Anderson)

I can't make it to your farewell party because I will be tending grandchildren butI wanted to at least email you and let you know how much I admire you and your many talents. You have done a great job. You probably know all the volunteers by name, because you know mine and I don't even volunteer that often anymore. Besides that, I think you are too young to be retiring, hopefully that means you will be doing some things that you have wanted to do and haven't had the time. Good luck in whatever you will be doing. You will be missed. (Nadine Adams)

You are one-of-a-kind. Thank you for all you have done to make our community what it is today! You have inspired me to always look for the good and keep a positive attitude come-what-may. YOU are a unique and wonderful woman and I am so blessed to have known you (Karyn Wright)

Thank you for your tremendous contributions over the years to life in southern Utah (Dian Robinson and Janeen Holt)

Thank you for your friendship through the years. You have done a wonderful job and helped many of us in many, many ways. You will be missed. (Ila Mae Julian)

It's not going to be the same without you. Thank you so much for helping me find a way to stay busy after I lost my husband. You saved my life. Thank you for being an important part of my life (Granetta Breeze)

Bud and I have so appreciated all of our contacts with you. You have been such a help to so many people for many years (Bud and Shirley Brown)

Thank you for your sweet friendship to Ken and me. It has been a genuine pleasure knowing you (JoAnne Parkes)

It was a bittersweet experience to hug those I have loved and served with over the past 16 years. My final day at the office will be October 31 when I step down from my position. I will so very much miss these people who have served as my volunteers while also becoming my friends.

Is This a Case of Identity Theft?

Carol Hollowell might well be trying to steal my identity. This bright, energetic wife and mother of four big sons (Jordan, Baron, Montana and Bronco) is the "new Linda," hired from a field of 37 applicants to replace me as the Director of the Volunteer Center of Washington County. Then in a casual conversation at the office, she mentioned she and her family were going to have to move from their rental home - which is up for sale - and really wanted to remain in the Bloomington 7th Ward. I suggested we might be interested in renting our house for 18-months while we served a mission. She jumped at the chance! When she came by the house, she asked who was going to take care of Sophie while we are gone then offered to take on the responsibility because she loves dogs!

Now, all we need is that mission call!!!