I am really back--back home! (At least for about 2 weeks).
This summer I have been away from home--at my parent's for 3 weeks, moving Ethan back home from college, camping in Montana for almost a week, and then to Utah for a few days.
When I was "home"--I was really in town shopping or attending the temple. It was a lot more work than I ever imagined to get Ethan ready for his mission (the shopping end).
But we took Ethan down to Provo, UT on Tuesday, August 2nd, stayed in a motel, and then dropped him off on Wednesday, August 3rd.
The drop-off procedure at the MTC is much different! It is almost a "slow down & jump out!" But maybe it is easier on everyone that way.
Rusty got a picture of Ethan giving me a bear death grip hug. ("My" camera--really Brienna's--would not take the picture while Ethan was hugging Rusty).
After the hug, the missionary hosts took his baggage, asked him his last name, and said, "Welcome, Elder Stewart. Follow us." They went one way, and we drove off the other way.
It really wasn't as emotional as I had anticipated. Maybe it will be harder the longer he is away & I am not able to "talk" with him. He has been gone for 5 days--this is probably the longest I have gone without talking to him (texting, phone call, Facebook, or Skype). I guess it helps that I have other children at home that need the attention.
I just finished downloading, labeling & sorting the pictures from our Utah trip. I need to work on our camping trip to Montana & our time in Wyoming. Then I plan on posting lots of pictures (since I use this blog as a family history).
