Graduating Boy

I know that these are just proofs, but can we just take a second and gush over how amazing this young man is! 

As June approached, I felt completely overwhelmed (and terrified) at the thought of Sam growing up... graduating...going on a mission...? 

It is hard to know all that lies in store for him, but I can sense that great things are on his horizon. 

Waterton 2 Glacier

This past spring was a dream.

I remember feeling so grateful for the season of spring. As my heart ached for my oldest daughter, the warm weather seemed to bring a new warmth and a promise of calm and happy days ahead.

It was a true gift to have Jessica join us one spring weekend as we visited both Waterton AND Glacier National Parks!

Our first stop was Waterton. 
We had heard that Cameron Lake was now accessible and we couldn't wait to get our paddle boards out on the water.  At first, it seemed to be too chilly, but the wind died down and we ventured out. It ended up being super nice. There was a bald eagle feeding on a nearby rock, and Jessica and I were able to get nice and close to it. 

John, of course, was content to row along the shoreline in his fishing boat, something that would prove to be his favorite Waterton activity this year. 

It was a great day, finally getting to enjoy this part of Waterton again!

The next day, a Saturday, John and I excitedly resolved to cross the border and visit Many Glacier.

I think it had been several years since we had been able to really visit this place and I was excited to see Josephine Lake. We used to take the kids on this easy stroll when they were little. 

Again, Jess was willing to come along, which is a good thing, for who else would have ridden on our families beloved elephant stump, if not her?

 Both John and Jess caught fish, we spotted a beautiful moose in a nearby marsh and we enjoyed the spring weather in the familiar old ways. 

Hello Spring!  Thanks for coming back to us!

The Big Goodbye

Thoughts on packing up your missionary:

-sending a kid on a mission is a lot of work.  Like...a lot!

- You'll want to pack up your whole heart and send it with your child

- You'll buy exorbitant amounts of Canadian chocolate to compensate for the fact that you can't send your whole heart. 

- You will ride a roller coaster of emotions. 

- You'll struggle between not wanting your child to go and wishing they were already gone (the middle, waiting zone is an aweful place to be.) 

- You cling to the hope that on the other side of that big looming goodbye, is joy, and love, and growth. 

A pop in goodbye from the Steven's family and one last visit to say goodbye to Grandpa. 

Close to midnight, the night before Abby's flight, I looked out my front window to see my sister Jewel slaving away in our driveway, making one of her famous chalk messages. 

What a delight for Abby to wake up to!

On the day of Abby's flight, we left early enough to catch a 10:00 am "lunch" at Popeyes. That was what we had deemed Abby's "final meal" with us. We were just a minute or two from the International Airport, and even as we ate, I could tell that Abby was feeling anxious to get going. 

Airport Abby is a sight to behold. 

She has great street smarts and can find her way around pretty well, but the fear of missing a flight, or not making it through customs is enough to push her to the edge of reason. 

As a result- our goodbyes happened as soon as we reached her gate. 

Never mind the fact that we were an hour earlier than the required "two hours early."

Never mind the fact that the departure gate was mere feet away from us. 

Abby would not rest easy until she was safely on the other side of it. 

As a result, I was personally deprived of the minutes I had planned on doting and crying and lamenting her impending absence.

 

This moment was hard. 

Harder than sending her off to school. (It certainly felt more vulnerable.)

I wanted to sit there for three more hours and watch Abby's flight take off, but John said that was crazy talk. He's so pragmatic, to him, this all just seemed like the next logical step for our family. 

And, I suppose it was. 

It's just, the steps my family is taking these days seem might big, if you ask me. 

I think it is okay to just sit and cry about it, every now and then. 

Holding on

Before Abby left for her mission, some attempts were made to capture our family in this moment in time. 

This has, quite possibly, been the hardest year of my life. Watching Abby leave, preparing Sam to leave, and realizing that my youngest two are on the brink of leaving too, has thrown me for a loop. 

It just kinda hits you, like a tonne of bricks, this realization that your family, as you know it, will never quite be the same. 

It's sad.

And hard.

And exciting. 

Life is precious, people. Family is a gift. 

 

Home MTC

I tried to be intentional during the week of home MTC that Abby had. 

We tried to make the changes needed to give Sora Hardy the most uncluttered and spirit filled enviornment possible. 

*The what's poppin' crew were proud of her

*She received her first package ever. (From Jewel)

*She and I managed to make our way to Waterton one afternoon, for a walk.

*We tried to take as many missionary photos as possible. 

*She spent most of her hours in a day at the computer, connecting with her district. 

What was most wonderful about this experience was watching Abby come into herself. She seemed to grow happier and happier each day. 

By the last day, we all felt an overwhelming sadness at the thought of Abby leaving for such a long time, but we also felt so confident that she was ready. She loved her MTC people and wanted to join them. Sh was looking at her mission as the adventure and opportunity of a lifetime. 

We didn't fully understand it then, back in May, but the past six months have shown us that this truly has been the best adventure of service and love that she could have experienced!

Abby's Farewell Weekend

Abby's farewell weekend. Wow. 

It was most certainly a wild time, but a special time. 

With Abby's report date being May 1st, we arranged for her talk in church to be on April 30th. My siblings and their families could all attend, and surprisingly many of John's siblings were able to come too!

John's sisters had the idea that they could piggy back on this weekend and host a belated 80th birthday reception for Max on April 29th. When life hands you an opportunity to party more - take it!

The family rented the civic center and cakes were purchased. 

It was fun to help decorate and serve in the kitchen with the outlaws.

I think that Max was overwhelmed, but touched to see so many people attend and wish him well on that day of celebration. It's always fun to watch John's siblings when they gather. They share the same stories, laugh at the same memories, cry tears from laughing at the same time. They had a beautiful childhood and it is sweet to watch them reminisce about that. 

The next day, (Sunday), was Abby's farewell talk. I was very touched by the emotion that Abby conveyed in her talk. She has definitely inherited her ability to feel things on an emotional level from me. I think it is a gift! She was tender and sweet as she spoke about sharing the gospel. 

Afterwards, we gathered in the gym for a lunch of pulled pork sandwiches, funeral potatoes, salads, and deserts. It was a delicious meal, and we had leftovers for a month afterwards, so good thing it was so yummy. 

I enjoyed getting to visit with family and ward members who had supported Abby!

Many of these young ladies were Abby's roommates in Edmonton this past year. 

I felt so thankful for friends on this day!

And cousins?  I mean, is there anything better than the automatic friendship of a cousin? 

It was tender of Grandpa to make his way to the church to enjoy dinner with the family. It is not easy for him to get out much these days, so it meant a lot that he would come. I think it may seem a little morbid to write this, but I had the reverent realization, as I watched them hug, that their days together may be numbered. What a gift each moment with Grandpa really is!

It is days like this that remind me that there really is nothing more important than family. 

And nothing is more important to me, than these 6 humans right here. 

Congratulations on becoming a missionary, Sora Hardy!

Oh how special you are!