For over thirty years, I've done treasure hunts for my kids and anyone else who has lived with us for every birthday, minus two for Zeej because she had other plans. EVERY birthday. I think that in the years, I may have had one treasure hunt for my own birthday, maybe, but I don't even remember if that happened.
Anyway.... As I've shared, Quayd and these two awesome Elders are having a blast! The first week, we didn't see Quayd at all. No place. NOWHERE. We usually see them on the street all the time because they walk everywhere. No car at all. The first week, NO Quayd sightings. Period.
Then, on Saturday night, they dropped in, asked if Quayd could extend for one more week and left us a sweet gospel message. Then, on Sunday, they sat with us in church, because ironically, they were scheduled to visit our ward that day anyway. On Monday, they snuck in and out of the house for something Quayd needed, without our knowing. Yesterday, they tried to sneak in for a long sleeve work shirt because they were doing service, removing fiberglass insulation for a family and Quayd needed more protection. ZJ caught them slipping in the walk-out door, so we visited for a few minutes and they were off. (We keep this door double-deadbolted all the time! ALL the time! It's been odd to have it open for him, but he has needed things here and there, so I've not worried about it during the day time. Once he's back home, security time again!
This afternoon, I thought I heard Quayd's voice downstairs. (Our home has four entrances, so he could sneak in all sorts of ways.) ZJ was downstairs and we were heading to Hobby Lobby for a little bottle of craft paint. I went downstairs to double check for the paper I needed. My craft supplies are all in my dishroom, which is through Quayd's room. When I opened his door and turned on his light, there stood all three missionaries in the dark! I SCREAMED! They burst out laughing! It was hysterical! Quayd had slipped in to grab something else and was trying to do it without our knowing they were even here. When they heard me coming downstairs, they slipped into his room and closed the door thinking I'd never come in there. It was a riot!
So much for being away from family! *He also asked if he could extend one more week. I said, "No, sorry, but we need you here to get you ready!" But this is great because he's loving missionary work!
I haven't mentioned that he has been instructed to wear glasses and not contact lenses while on his mission. When we ordered his glasses a few weeks ago, we ordered the kind that change to sunglasses when they are outside. Quayd hates them! They take five minutes to turn back to normal clean lenses and he feels like he looks like a criminal when he's walking into people's homes and the chapel with shades on his eyes. (And he's blind as a bat without them!) So, while he was here earlier, I'd asked if he had his glasses with him because I have to return them in order to get the lenses replaced. (He'll be wearing contacts for the next few weeks after all while we wait for that exchange.)
SOOOOOO....
Being that Zee is an "only child" this week, we are doing fun little things with her. Tonight, Doug and I took ZJ and Zulu for a drive to Sonic for a milkshake. When we got home, there was a note on the front door. We looked closer and realized... A TREASURE HUNT!!!! (NOT Quayd's writing!)
Clue #1 led us straight to the fridge!
Attached to the gallon of milk, which lasts more than a day while Quayd is absent, was clue #2.
We raced straight to Zee's room and found clue #3 inside the Modern Family DVD case on top of her TV. From there, we went back to the living room where I took that picture of the Elders visiting on last Saturday evening...
A few days ago, apparently, ZJ walked into her bathroom downstairs and discovered an unflushed toilet. Grace and Doug were both at work. I never go to the bathroom downstairs. She was disgusted by the toilet, flushed and said, out loud, "SERIOUSLY?!?" What she didn't know, and we didn't know until a day later, was that the boys were in Quayd's room hiding. They'd stopped for a bathroom break and didn't want anyone to know that they were here. When they heard her coming, they raced into his dark room with the door closed and, then, slipped back out after she went back upstairs. (I think that this "cat and mouse" game has been more sort of a fun challenge for them. AND I've made sure that the girls have been cautious to be modest and careful since Quayd left because "we never know".) Anyway... clue #4.
Up to the laundry room!
Back down to Doug's desk. And might I add that this is more trips downstairs in one day that I've made EVER since buying this home. I can go days without going downstairs as long as Doug is double checking for locked doors and clean rooms. (He's much more lenient about their rooms, by the way.) Clue #6 lead us to Doug's desk.
When we read clue #7, we went straight out to the hottub. However, no clue to be found. I said, "Our bed?" And nothing. Then back to the hottub to make sure we hadn't missed it. Nothing. These are the only two places that I go to "escape". Back to our bed. Clue #8 was on Doug's side, not mine, which is why we missed it the first time.
Clue #8 is was a joke that was made 20 years ago and has never been forgotten. No further explanation.
Clue #8 made me laugh so so hard. The first time the Elders and Quayd came to visit, Quayd said, out of the blue, "Hey, Mom? Why did I get the smallest room?" The Elders had brought up the "issue". We've lived here in our new home for 18 months and never once, has Quayd even said a word about his room being the smallest. I didn't hesitate to think of an answer because the answer was plain and simple, "The girls had twice as much furniture as you." (And he never really cared, they did. He's so easy going.) Since that mentioning, he's brought it up everytime I've seen him. When I caught him in it today, I said, "Your room is sloppier than when you left." It's the smallest. HAR HAR. So, clue #8 made me laugh so hard!
We went back downstairs to Quayd's room and there on his bed we found the last one, attached to his glasses (and in his handwriting.) We were laughing hysterically! It made our night! My first REAL treasure hunt! I do love this boy's sense of humor. And I love that he loves his mom!
Denise called later tonight and said, "I just saw Quayd being a missionary on the street!" She was so excited! It's how I feel every time I see him with them. I know that his last few weeks at home will be even harder because he's raring to go! What a great experience this has been. He's loving teaching and I've heard reports that he's a born teacher...from the elders and from people he's taught this past two weeks. He's always been a hard worker and really enjoys doing service. He's had several opportunities at both and loved each one. He loves people and I've loved hearing tidbits of his teaching opportunities... from him and from others who've seen him. Being in California will be completely different for us all, I know, but what a gift this has been to "break us all in" a bit. I'm thrilled for him! But, I'm also ready to have my boy home and spend his last 30 days together getting his suitcases packed!
Life is good!
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