efy

Look at this face: That is the face of a 15 year old boy that had the nickname of "pubert" for a while, which I promised him I would never call him again, even though he did embrace it for a time, during which he created the email address pubertbloomfield@........com, which he still uses, by the way, if you want to send him a little message. This is the very face that received a "puberty kit" from me for Christmas 2 1/2 years ago, kind of as a joke (don't worry, he loved it and was laughing with me), containing deodorant and zit cream and hair gel and "testimonials" that I wrote from other ficitional but satisfied users of the kit. What I'm trying to say is, how did Andrew get this old?

And why is he so stinkin' cute? Today mom and I dropped him off at EFY.

Two years ago we picked up a carload of AZ kids at the airport and dropped them off in Provo for EFY. When they got out of the car, Mom and I turned to each other and said we couldn't believe they were only a year older than Andrew, there was no way he seemed old enough to go in a year.

A year went by all too soon, and we dropped him off at EFY for the first time last summer, and, in his words, "it seriously changed my life forever."

This year, he was so excited that he talked non-stop on the drive down about how "it was only twelve weeks ago when I looked at the calendar and started a count down, and now it's here!"
We pulled up to the Marriot Center, and, along with 3,000 other kids, checked him in to EFY.
The "B" (as in Bloomfield) check-in line was 3 times longer than any other line...
which meant that there was plenty of time for good-byes...
in front of everyone.
which he loved.

We finally got him all checked in, drove over to Helaman Halls, closed our eyes to some choice signs:
Dragged his luggage up the stairs,
Found the room with his name-tag on it,
Helped him put the queen size sheets he'd packed on his mini-twin size bed
remarked we should have helped him pack,
put his undies in the top drawer and his snacks on the desk, and asked him several times if he wanted me to bring him another collared shirt besides the one he brought to wear for the dance (no), I could just bring it the next time I came to BYU to teach (no) and drop it off for him (no) in the pictures they were wearing other colors besides white to the dance and it was really cute (no) was he sure, (yes)
and before mom and I even felt comfortable with the layout of the room or were sure that he got the best bed before his roommate got there, he put an arm around mom and said "k, love ya, see ya"

Mom: "I sort of feel like I'm being kicked out"
Drew: "It is kind of my week, okay? I'm with you like 24/7 usually, k?
Mom: "What are you talking about, school just ended last week and I see you a maximum of one hour a day usually."
Drew: "K, love ya, see ya."

Peace out.
Have the time of your life Pu-....um, Drew. Love ya.