What an emotional day it has been. After preparing all morning with some last minute shopping and a little lunch at the BYU Creamery, we dropped Taylor at the curb at the MTC at about 1:30. It was way fast. I tried to soak it in, but with Alex and Taylor joking and laughing at me it was a little hard:). I hugged Taylor and he tried to look at me with a sympathetic face, but couldn't hold it together and made all three boys laugh. Oh, well, I decided I might as well let him go. So Alex popped him on the bottom and he took off with a group of about 4 other missionaries.

Taylor is a missionary....Elder Zachary. For so long--19 years to be exact--he as idolized the missionaries we have had in our home. Now he is one. He was so happy and excited to be off on this great adventure.

Of course as we pulled away I broke down a bit. It is really hard to think about leaving your child for 2 years knowing that you won't see him. or even be able to talk to him regularly. But, I love the Lord and His gospel, and i know Taylor does too. No sacrifice is too great. We want to do His will. How lucky we are to be able to give this gift.

We did some running around with Alex this afternoon with only minimal eye leakage. When we dropped him off to his apartment, though it came in a flood. I wondered what he was doing at that moment and we decided he was probably asleep already. But then I worried about my baby being lonely. and I cried. Then I feel like the emotions of the last couple of years just crashed in on me a bit. I am so grateful to so many who helped our family get where we are today. We are truly blessed and loved of the Lord. but I cried. and cried.

As we walked in the hotel we spoke to the young man (probably a returned missionary himself) at the desk and walked on past towards our room.... Wanting to lighten things up a bit, Zack looked at me and very loudly said, "Now what did you say your name was?"!!! I smiled and hit him!!

It did help a bit.......