OFF TO THE MTC

What a bittersweet morning! My son is off to serve the Lord 24/7 for the next 2 years. This is a day I have dreamed about, yet dreaded.  We have spent more time together in his short eighteen years than most parents and children probably do in their entire lifetimes.  We have shared one another's trials, sorrows, joys, tears, laughter and pain.  T is one of my very best friends and I am going to miss him.  HUGE!  Yet, I know he is doing what I want him to do, and most importantly what HE wants to do and what the Lord wants him to do. 

Yesterday he asked for his last homemade meal to be biscuits and gravy and I obliged.  He had a hearty helping of the leftovers this morning for breakfast...at 5 a.m.  Our young men president, Bro. Liffereth knocked on our door around 5:15.  He wanted to see T one last time.  He brought him a gift...two awesome ties.  One bright colored (which the momma had said T needed) and one with a U of U logo on it.  (Which besides coming to see this boy at 5 a.m., shows how much he loves T, because he is a die hard BYU fan.)

We were all tears from that point on.  Bro. Liffereth has gone above and beyond since he was called to be the Young Men's president.  He made it a point to be friend T and to be there for him.  It wasn't ever about his calling.  It was about his love for this young man.  He has made an impact on our family that will never be forgotten!

After kneeling in family prayer, we loaded Taylor's belongings into the car and began our journey to the Salt Lake airport. 

We didn't get far before the tears flowed again.  Our wonderful little neighbor Courtney (age 12) had organized a farewell sendoff for T.  There were numerous ward members out on the corner holding a banner (which she, Jonah and McKenna) had made, waving goodbye and hollering "We love you" and "Good Luck Elder Davis" at 5:40 a.m.  T wanted to get out and hug them all, but his emotions got the best of him and he could only smile through his tears and wave goodbye.

Bittersweet. I sat in the back seat with T and we held hands the entire way to the airport.

T's brother Colton and his wife Shannon met us at the airport. Check in was all automated and pretty easy. Other than we were all so tired we couldn't find the right slot to scan T's passport. There were numerous other missionaries there, setting out on their journey's.

 

Once the bags were checked we were able to stand and visit and say our goodbye's. T was excited and a little bit nervous, which began to throw him into a Colitis flare up. We talked about how much he wanted this and how everything would be fine. He seemed to settle down a bit after that and was okay.

 We amused ourselves by translating some of our favorite sayings into Spanish.

 

 It wasn't so amusing when it was time to say goodbye!

 

It was so hard to say goodbye! Much harder than I ever expected. I know he is going to be so happy, but it is still hard. He made his way to the security area and we all had a laugh when he entered the elderly and handicapped line, then had to get out and go to the proper line! That's our T, gotta make us laugh while we cry. We watched him go through security and then gather his things and head for his gate. Once through security he never looked back.

That's my boy! Focused on his goal. Off to proclaim the gospel!