What a week it's been. Last Wednesday, July 22nd, we (Frank, Sarah, Dinah, and I) delivered Caleb to the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. It was a day I'd been both living for and dreading since the day Caleb was born, 18-plus years ago. I knew from experience that there would be a huge hole in my heart as he walked away from me.

We were pleasantly surprised, at the curb, by the sister missionary offering to take family pics. We'd been told not to plan on it, but to arrive a bit early and take final pictures up near the Provo temple--which we did.

Thanks to Aaron and Marcy McLendon for offering to meet us at the temple to visit and take what we thought would be these final pictures for us!

When it was time for the final goodbye, Frank got out to get the luggage, and I handed my phone to Dinah, telling her to take a quick picture through the open door. The sweet young sister missionary suggested that perhaps we'd like a picture with the whole family. We explained that we thought we couldn't do that. She said that we had a few minutes and let's just do it! So we all gathered--

for a final shot. What a sweet tender mercy that was. An elder that was helping with the process used Caleb's camera and took a couple shots so that he'd have is own copies. 

One final hug and off he went. 

It was a long drive home, hard to face coming around our corner and seeing the Nissan that Caleb drove to school and to work for the past couple years. Then we had to walk in the house to see the flags of his mission--they're still, I'm less affected by them 8 days later, but I plan to move them to his room at least in time to decorate for Christmas!

I had Dinah close his bedroom door so that I wouldn't have to see the emptiness every time I went upstairs. I've since been in the to put some leftover things away. It's getting better!