The BIG day is finally here...Megan goes to the MTC!

It has been 15 weeks since Megan received her mission call and today is the day she has been waiting for.  I can't believe it is here!  It feels a little like a dream.  I find myself thinking the big day is coming but is still a little ways off and then I remind myself no, today really is the day. 

Megan spent the morning finishing packing her bags while I waited for the time to come to check Alli and Austin out of school.  Once everyone was home, we took some family pictures in the back yard and Megan told our dog, Rescue, goodbye.  We loaded up the truck and headed for Cafe Rio for Megan's last meal there for 18 months.  Jeff mentioned that today would be a good day to get a family photo at the Mount Timpanogos Temple for our family temple book.  Obviously we have all been to that temple several times but we had never took a family photo of us all there.  We had just enough time to get to the temple and take a few pictures before heading to the MTC in Provo. 

When we got to the MTC at 1:00pm, it was a parking lot. Lots of cars with new missionaries and  people there directing traffic.  The MTC has it down to a science.  There was no waiting time. Cars moved through quickly.  On the sidewalk, there were both Elder and Sister missionaries there to greet us, help the new missionaries with their luggage, and help them find where they needed to go.  We got the luggage unloaded and then came the goodbyes.  We shed a few tears as we each told Megan goodbye.  She was a little teary until Alli told her goodbye...by then, Alli had Megan laughing.  The goodbye at the curb was quick and a little hurried and then she was off.  We watched her pull her luggage towards one of the MTC buildings.  She had a big smile on her face.  She was excited.

Driving home, I found myself thinking about her and what she was experiencing.  I reflected on the past several months of a roller coaster ride...shopping several times with Megan to buy the clothes and things she would need, taking her to the temple, going over important information like her bank accounts and knowing how to register her for school when she comes back, preparations for the farewell dinner, working hard to get the yard and house in order, attending the temple a few more times with her, renewing her driver's license, shots, etc...  There have been so many things to think about and do but now it was all done.  There was a feeling of relief.  She was where she needed to be.  She had told me earlier that morning that she wasn't nervous anymore just very excited.  I knew that even though we were going to miss her, how could we not be excited for her?  It made letting her go so much easier.

A few photos of Megan's big day: