VIRGINIA BEACH, VA -- It's pretty easy to get lonely for family on the East Coast sometimes, so when any family member who lives relatively close to D.C. invites me down/up/over, I usually don't hesitate to oblige.
One of my favorite cousins (it's a twin thing), who I feel is more like a little brother, has been serving his mission for the past two years in the Richmond, Virginia mission. He's been in Virginia Beach for the last several months, which is roughly three hours from D.C., on a good traffic day (which, I'm not sure if one of those really exists). You may recall that Amy and I popped in to his ward during Thanksgiving weekend a few years ago...
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November 2009 |
We decided that before his mission ended, I needed to pay him a visit at church again. So, of course I told him no problem -- I'd make it happen. So, this weekend, it was Elder Jeppesen's last Sunday as a missionary, so I headed down to Virginia Beach. I was a tad under the weather and didn't know if it was going to happen, but how could I turn down a request to visit one of my last (and favorite) relatives on the East Coast? Not possible. And I'm so glad I went. Last night I decided to stop by his apartment to leave some cookies at his door... not thinking he'd be home. Well, turns out, they had just gotten back, and were heading out for ice cream. So, I tagged along. It was so great hanging out with him and his mission companion and hearing the latest and greatest from life in the Richmond, Virginia mission as a missionary. And, even better yet, everyone was singing his praises at church today, and told me what a good missionary Elder Jeppesen was and how much they were going to miss him. I told them I would pass the information along to his mother, because I'm sure she'd be so proud of this kid... (I know, he's not even a kid anymore... crazy... )
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June 26, 2011 |
His twin brother is in Ghana right now serving a mission, and gets home in October. If only he knew that all it takes for me to visit is an invitation, I would so be there.
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I think this was circa 2005 Kirk, Brittany, Michael, me |
Two years goes by pretty quick. But I'm grateful for cool moments like this weekend that the East Coast provides me. And since all my East Coast relatives are pretty much gone now, I'm open for visits in other regions of the country/world too. Please direct all invitations here.
