MTC

The night before T was to report to the MTC, he asked if there was a way we could take in another temple session in the morning.  OF COURSE!  So he picked a different temple (he wished he had more time to hit all those Utah temples)...he sacrificed his last morning to sleep in and we got up early to take in an endowment session at the Draper Temple.  It is a beautiful temple....I remember taking the kids up there before they broke ground and taking a picture.  It was fun to come back with T.
We had an interesting experience upon arriving at the temple.  My hubby and I opted out of bringing our temple clothes to Utah....so we needed to rent clothes.  K, normally there is a counter that you can go to and get what you need.  Not here....the guy took us down a hallway, down some stairs, down another hallway and to the laundry.  I thought at first he was confused (being an older gentleman) and thought we were working the laundry that day but no.  They have a small selection and it is in the laundry room.  Hubby got too long of pants and I got too small of shoes...that was what they had.  The bonus....it was free!  In the session, we noticed another young man in attendance...come to find out, he is going to the Anaheim CA mission in Oct and is trying to get in all the temples he can around Utah before he goes.  Again, another example of the great conversations that we have had the last couple of days with people at the temples.  Anyway, it was nice to take in one last session with T before he is gone for 2 years.  That makes a total of 5 trips to the temple in 1 1/2 weeks....not bad.

Afterwards, we headed back to my parents house to pick up the girls and my mom (dad was working at the temple that day) and we headed down to Provo.  He wanted to get an In-N-Out one last time.  It's not like he isn't going to CA where they are everywhere....but it was his pick and of course, I didn't balk about it.  Again, there was another missionary that was heading down that day to report to the MTC....he was going to Tahiti.  We got down there with plenty of time to park across the street and get out to take pictures. 

I was trying to get T to take some fun pictures with his sisters...with him joking around and laughing.  But he didn't do that.  His demeanor was very different today.  He smiled for pictures, but it was like he was very put out to be doing that.  It was irritating me a bit I must admit.  I wanted to keep it light so I wouldn't break down in tears and it was going that way.  But then I realized that he was just plain ready....he was ready to get on with the next chapter in his life.  He wanted to get this party started and get checked in already....he was anxious.  So after getting what I could in pictures, he gave little gifts to each of the girls and a hug and we headed across the street.

It was interesting the procedure they had....it worked like clock work.  Elders to the left, sisters to the right.  Drive your car down the curb until you hit the right number on a stand on the curb. 

Out hubby and I jump with T and there was a missionary right there to greet us and help T with his bags.  We heard it was to be quick, but this missionary was great and told us we could take pictures and give hugs if we wanted. 

I was doing so great....no tears shed at all.  I was waiting for the drive home for that.  However, when I saw hubby's face quivering as he went to hug T, I lost it.  The tears came, but I held it in the best I could as I hugged him.  It doesn't look like it from the picture (thanks for taking it from that angle honey...geesh) 

**you can see the quiver on his face....

**hubby's fault for me in the picture below....

He was about to leave, before hubby told him he ought to say goodbye to grandma and the sisters one more time.  So he stuck his head in the car to talk to them, looked at me on the curb, waved, turned and he was gone.  He never looked back.....I know cuz I stood there and watched until he got lost in the crowd. 

Then I got in the car and lost it........oh man that was the hardest thing I have ever had to do, but also the most wonderful thing I have done.  What a great experience it will be for him and what a changed man he will become.  We are truly blessed to have a missionary out in the field....but we will surely miss him.  We already do!  Can't wait for that first letter!  You Rock T!