"It's a shoebox, but it's MY shoebox!"

The history of Isaiah's living situations is not without drama. Let's just say he has terrible luck with roommates. After dealing with an especially awful one, he came home to live with us a few years ago. He was traveling so much for his job that it made more sense to stay with us than pay rent when he was only in town half the time. Then COVID hit and the travel abruptly ended, and a few months later we moved to the Bluffdale wilderness. That was nearly two years ago, and Isaiah is more than ready to be on his own. I can't blame him. It's time. Hard to have a social life when you live with your parents. Most of Isaiah's friends live in downtown Salt Lake, and Bluffdale is even farther from downtown than Sandy was.

After several months of searching for the right place at the right price, he found a cute, studio apartment just a few blocks west of Temple Square. It's small for sure, only 300 sq. ft, but it's super nice (only a couple years old) and has everything he needs, even a nice washer and dryer! We helped him move in this past week. It's easy to move a minimalist; he barely has anything! One stop at IKEA to buy a desk and TV stand, then Target to get a few necessary household items, and he was good. 

Sadly, he only got to stay there less than a week before flying to Cleveland. He'll be there this week, then home for a few days before going to Denver. But he'll eventually get his apartment set up. He loves it already, especially the fiber internet, and I'm so happy for him. 

And yet...

I already miss him so much. I'm used to having him away, traveling for both work and pleasure, but now that he's gone permanently, my mama heart feels sad. There's so much to miss about Isaiah. He's the easiest person to live with. He asks for almost nothing but offers so much. He's my #1 source for all news and current events along with everything in history. "Isaiah, tell me in 5 minutes what's going on with________________." And he does. Because he knows everything. (He hates it when I say that, but it's almost true!) In Seth's words: "How does he know absolutely everything? I don't get it!"

I will also miss his Asian cooking. He doesn't do it often, but when he does, the food is so good. But he packed up his wok and cooking tools, and I boxed up all his Asian ingredients, and now that yummy cuisine will be created in his little kitchen all the way downtown. Shulamith and I are waiting for an invite, Isaiah.

More than his cooking, I will miss his singing. My sons all have beautiful singing voices, which is beyond shocking if you've ever heard Gerald or me sing. I can barely blend with a choir and only if I have a strong vocalist singing the part right in my ear, and Gerald has never hit a correct note in his entire life. But by some marvelous miracle, my boys sing well, and Isaiah has the loveliest tenor voice. I love hearing him sing as he goes through the course of everyday tasks.

Mostly, I'll just miss his presence daily in our home. It's a positive, inspiring presence. True, he is the smartest person I know, but more importantly, Isaiah is kind and funny and adorable. And he's already so happy in his new apartment, that all I can be is so happy for him.

In his words: "It's a shoebox, but it's MY shoebox!"