Tender Mercies

I always hear people talk about tender mercies and I am sure I have had them and just not realized them, until recently.  Sometimes I think when you are going through a struggle or struggles, it is then that you realize those tender mercies from the Lord.  Sometimes it also takes others to open your eyes to those tender mercies.
Since we took Garrett to the MTC this past Wednesday, I know I have had a couple of tender mercies.  The first was the letter he wrote to me and Brent.  I did not find it until I crawled into bed Wednesday night, he had tucked it under my covers so I would only find it once he was gone.  The Lord knew that I needed to hear that night an "I love you." Still thinking about that makes me tear up.  I loved this letter!  It is one I am going to cherish the rest of my life.  Yes it made me cry, but I was happy he thought enough about me to write that letter the his father and I.  I bought a frame and framed this letter the following day.  I know Heavenly Father was watching out for me and prompted Garrett to leave that for us.  Such a sweet act of love.
The second tender mercy happened two nights later, Friday.  Brent had been out of town and was flying back home, Parker was at work, so it was just me and Madi.  We went to dinner with my parents that night.  Overall, the majority of the day I did pretty well in not crying, until I arrived home, that is when it usually hits.  My parents called and asked when we wanted to go get dinner, I thought the sooner the better, so that is what I told them.  5pm is was and that is when they showed up.  We headed to Rainbow Gardens in Ogden.  As I walked in my eyes started to swell with tears.  It was not that this was a favorite of Garrett's but it was that every time we ate here he was always with us.  I was also missing the rest of my family.  Right now, since I can't have Garrett here it just feels a little more complete to have everyone else around.  If I can include the rest of my family and friends it the feeling is even better.
Anyway, we were sitting at the table and I kept fighting back the tears.  Madi and I had both been on our phones, texting of playing on Facebook.  My friend, Judy, had texted me and told me that Wynnanne would be calling me sometime.  She went on to say that Wynnanne and Cal were back home from the MTC and that they had run into Garrett.  (Wynnanne is Judy's husbands stepmom, Cal is her Judy's husband's dad...make sense?  They are serving a mission from their home in their stake.  But they still went to the MTC for training.)
I was starting to reply to Judy to definitely have her call me when all of the sudden my phone rang with a number I did not recognize.  I debated on answering it but decided to answer it, you never know, it could be Garrett calling from the MTC saying he wants to come home...jk.
I answered the phone and it was Wynnanne.  I knew why she was calling and I immediately was filled with joy, happiness and tears!  She said that not only did they run into the first night, but the following two nights as well!  They saw him Wednesday, Thursday and Friday!  She went on to say how happy he was and how he was loving it at the MTC!  She told me that he looked so good; he was walking tall and straight with his shoulders back (he never did that at home).  He had a smile on his face all the time and he just looked good.  Each day he saw them he would run up and give them a hug and chat with them for a while.  She said he was not afraid to hug them in front of everyone else around him.  (That is my son)  She said he spoke really well and she could tell that he was going to be a fabulous missionary!  The whole time she is speaking, tears are cascading down my cheeks.   I am sure I was quite the sight at the restaurant!  Anyway, before she said her goodbyes with me on the phone she said she asked Garrett if there was anything he wanted her to tell us?  He said, "Tell my mom that I have not been homesick once!" "Also, tell my mom that I love her!" I just cried and told her thank you, that is truly what I needed to hear!
These words were truly the next best thing to hearing his voice!  I know the Lord is watching out for him and watching out for me  and my family.  I know that he knows what I need.  It still does not make this easy right now, but I sure hope that I have plenty of tender mercies to sustain me for the next two years!