Thursday, June 9th.
Mark and I had been in the Washington DC area since Monday. We had been in Virginia since Thursday, June 2nd. We were on Mark's 7th grade class trip. What a wonderful experience we were having with the goal of seeing the Lord's hand in our nation's history. Mark was recuperating well, but still spending most of his time in a wheelchair. We got the news on Monday the 6th that Elder Bigelow would be able to meet us on Thursday for a couple hours, he had been able to switch his P-day. He and Elder Evans would plan to meet us at Mt. Vernon around 11:00.
We were standing on the bowling green in front of Mt. Vernon taking a group shot when Mr. Leland Anderson said, "hey, there are the Elders!" And there walking toward us where these two sharply dressed, tall as can be, handsome young men. I took off running. Elder Bigelow's smile got huge and I just hugged and hugged him. Poor Mark had to walk himself over while I was hugging his big brother. I had told him I would go slow with him, but in the moment I totally forgot. We hugged, we laughed and Elder Bigelow was able to see two of his cousins that were on the trip and a lot of the younger students that he knew while he was at school last year. His sweet seventh grade teacher, Mrs. Updike was guiding our trip and came up and got a big hug also.
From there we followed the group but kind of hung back a bit. It was music to my ears to hear Elder Bigelow and Mark just laugh and joke together. Elder Evans' commented that it was crazy that there were "two of them". Mark was sounding more and more like his big brother.
We went from the gardens at Mt. Vernon to lunch in their cafeteria. It was here that Elder Bigelow got to see his Uncle Ralph van der Beek. The picture of them shaking hands actually made me cry when I saw it later on. My little boy looked all grown up talking to his Uncle. Ralph commented after Elder Bigelow left how well he carried himself. He said leadership just seemed to leak out of him. He couldn't believe that he wasn't the senior companion and that they had been both out the same amount of time.
After lunch we walked some more of the grounds around Mt. Vernon and then took the public ferry with the class. I have been to Mt. Vernon three times now and I just love the feeling I get there. But now, and forever more, it will be one of my most favorite places on earth. We talked, we laughed, Elder Bigelow and Elder Evans told us mission stories and Mark told them stories of everyone at home and at school. The three of them bantered back and forth and I just sat back and watched. I was truly in heaven. I watched both Elders talk to people that stopped them to talk. I watched them as they walked. They are each over 6'3" and they stand as big solid young men of the gospel. They took turns pushing Mark in his wheelchair and I just kept watching...
After a couple hours I knew it was time to let those young men go back to work. I had thought and thought how tough this would be. But when it was the day of, the hour of, and the minute of, I wasn't sad at all. How could I be? My little boy was doing fabulous. He looked happy and healthy and he was ready to get back to work. He was leading, he was learning and for 120 minutes I was able to be a part of that. 15 months is still a long time, but I will make it. And most importantly, Elder Bigelow won't just "make" it, he will conquer it! He has been described by a member as being on fire and I could see it! It was a little bit of Heaven!!!
Mark and I hugged them both goodbye and watched them walk away. We didn't cry, we just stood there with our arms around each other. Mark looked at me and simply said, "He looked good." How grown up all of a sudden my Mark looked.
It was a wonderful day!!
Love, MOM
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