Our Missionary Sendoff

About 28 months ago, we took our first missionary to the MTC. At the time, the method for taking leave of your missionary was different than what it is now. We were able to go with him inside, get his badge, take lots of pictures, meet in a large room full of other missionaries and parents, ..... I thought it was a really nice tradition, although I admit I was a crybaby about saying goodbye to my son. Jamaica was, after all, a LONG way away.

A few weeks later, with Swine Flu uppermost in peoples' thoughts, the MTC changed their entry day procedures, in the interest of keeping the missionaries in good health (limiting their exposure possibilities). Thus began, the Curbside Dropoff.

It was not long after that, that the MTC announced that the Curbside Dropoff would be the permanent procedure. It was vastly more efficient and timely than the prolonged version they'd previously done. So, with Cameron's entrance to the MTC, we had a vastly different experience.

There's not a lot of time at the curb, so we took a few pictures that morning, before we left Aunt Kerry's house to drive down to Provo. Here's the closest we get to a loving sibling photo:

I wanted Emma and Cameron together, so I can show her this picture of them and help her identify with him:

The six of us, ready to leave. Cameron was way excited to be finally on his way:

At the MTC, they are extremely organized. There were about 30 stations where you could pull your vehicle to the curb. MTC missionaries helped direct traffic, guide vehicles in, and every incoming missionary had a host missionary waiting to help him/her, carry the suitcases, and guide them exactly where to go. So saying goodbye at the curb was a fairly quick process.

Kind of like ripping off a band-aid. Instead of prolonging the pain, you do it fast and it minimizes the tears. We managed just a few photos while we said goodbye.

And then........ BAM!! He was OFF!! In Cameron's defense, he had spent a week and a half with us in Utah, basically killing time for him, waiting for his day to get started as a missionary. When it finally came, he was SO ready to be off. Excited. Anxious. A bit nervous. But totally ready to go.

Despite the fact that the crying moments were cut way short, I'm the mom and I reserve my right to shed a few (or more) tears when I say goodbye to my son for two years. In fact, I found that later, I still had to cry it out some more, after our goodbyes were over for hours. Apparently, I hadn't cried enough when we said goodbye. California is, after all, still a long way away.