Departure Day July 29, 2015

After his breakfast and saying goodbye to Leo we piled in the car and drove about 5 minutes to the airport.  Yes, it is pretty convenient, especially if you want your friends to say goodbye.

Cody's friend Andrew actually and had nightmare that he got to the airport late and missed seeing Cody.  So when he actually woke up- he was in a panic and drove like crazy to the airport.  Not seeing anyone's car that he recognized he bolted in arms flying every which way fearing he actually missed Cody's send off. Fortunately, he was early. I love Andrew!  Such a good friend to care that much!  It will be strange seeing Cody's friends and not Cody.  He has developed great friendships over the years.

If his friends are reading this and want to send me some pictures….I would love to add them here!
Or just keep for memory sake.

                                        Here is everyone enjoying Andrew telling his story.

Started at the left of circle : Anna Rupert, Kleinman, Austin Van Britson,  Jessica, Hope Lukar,       Andrew McVey and Ella, Cody and Sam

Austin Van Britson, Cody, and Andrew McVey

Classic memories with Austin wearing a  state Business Professionals of America shirt and Andrew with the travel soccer shirt.  Those three have had a lot of fun and successes over the years.

last  man hug

                                                                    Our family!

                                                             Handshake from Bishop Farr

                                                 Proper Elder handshake to Maddy Rogers
                                                     Perfect demonstration-cracks me up!

FYI : During these two years as a missionary Cody will be focused on preaching the gospel so..there will NOT be any movies, radio music, dating, sleeping in or going to bed late, TV, computer surfing….ect.  Hence the silly face with this handshake.  What a good Elder!

Then there's Noah Raleigh's hand jive….

and hug!

 Noah will being turning in his mission papers soon after this.  (He has been called to serve in Brazil and  has left right before Thanksgiving.)

                                                              Than there was four.
 
While we were waiting for Cody's plane to depart Jacob talked with the kids about now that Cody is gone, "Ella is in charge.  You'll have to do whatever she says."  You would think there would be some kind of rebuttal but they were too sober to say anything.

Kids talking about college plans and speculating what Cody will be doing these next few years and how he will act when he gets back. 

 Since we are a small airport we could see Cody walk out to the airplane.  I am not sure if he could see us but we all saw him give his warm silly wave.  I almost cried then.  I probably cried a bit more when he went through security and just stood there!!!!! like 15 feet away!  I didn't know how the kids would react when he left but I knew that if I saw my kids cry I would be done for!  Sure enough one look at Ella and I was in trouble of losing it.

 Off he goes to the Mission Training Center in Provo, Utah.  He will be trained as a missionary.  The standards, dress code, lessons, the Kiribati language ect.  He will be there for 6 weeks.  I will probably hear from him on his preparation day.  That is the day missionaries take care of housekeeping and grocery shopping and laundry and a couple hours of free time like sports or writing letters to their mothers! Which I do not worry about not getting letters from Cody since he is just a good writer.

                                            Here is Hope Lukar and her best friend, Jessica.
I am curious to hear how his friends are developing as adults as they head off to college soon.  All these kids and more have helped Cody become who he is.  This picture reminds me of Cody even if he isn't in it.

That's it!

We headed home.  I had already told the kids that after the airport and am going back to bed.  They could do the same or whatever they wanted.  It's hard work to send off my first born.  Months of busy work and emotional suppression.  So I gave myself time to wake up..literally, to the fact I am starting a new season in my life.  I might want to cry it out.  Interestingly enough I didn't.  Like I mentioned earlier the night before was so rewarding to pray for him and express everything I could.  I am at peace with all of it.  I wouldn't want him to be any where else in the world.  Seriously!  Even on an island he is definitely safer doing the Lord's work than…college for sure!  I know he will grow so much!  He will be a man when he returns.  I am excited to hear his developments with his relationship with God, and our Savior Jesus Christ.  I want him to really understand the Holy Ghost and work with Him as he learns how to teach the people in the Kiribati Islands.  It's going to be great!

So I slept….for hours.  Wow. that is unlike me.  I turned to look at the clock and the first thing I see it this.

This is a shared journal I gave Cody when he graduated from Highland Elementary School.  As he started middle school I wanted to keep our communication strong so I gave him this book so he would always have an avenue to  share anything he wanted with me.  Ideally, he would write and put it on my pillow.  I would then write back and put it on his pillow.  It would be kept private just between the two of us.  Ideally, we would talk about later.  I knew that life gets busy and I might not pay attention when someone is trying to tell something that is really important to them.  So I thought this would work.  For years I have written love stuff, or encouragement or praise and put it on his pillow.  But he never put it on mine.  That's ok.  At least I am taking time to make sure I am letting him know I love him and am proud of him.  Also, to counteract the large amount of reprimanding that I do.  (He turned out ok, right?)  Well, it wasn't until 10 th or 11th grade when he came back from a placing at State BPA that I wrote in it and left another surprise in his car at the school parking lot that he actually READ IT FOR THE FIRST TIME!!!!!!!  He said that he kept seeing it on his pillow but he never opened it up.  He just kept putting back onto his shelf.  Cody!!!!!!!!!                  After that he began writing and it is very precious to me.  So when I woke up later this morning and saw our love journal I took a deep breathe and started to read.  Pages and pages.  I just love him !  He is going to do such great things.  He has definitely prepared for years for this special time to be totally selfless and put in all his efforts into sharing God's plan, helping others come unto Christ.  I am really happy for him.    Ok---time to take care the kids.  Onward!

Preparing to Leave

Cody had about two months to finish buying clothes and supplies for his mission.  He also filled it as much as possible with spending time with his friends doing the last time kinda things.  He also had to say goodbye to lots of people and animals….and then there was his truck.

Nuggy crossed the border and now lives in Kentucky with our  lovable cousins!

How cute is this?

The three hens and their four chicks moved to the west side.

Last day on earth for this lovely rooster.  The boys became men as they learned to make rooster stew.

The Rafthon family collecting the little ones.

The boys and me after watching one of Cody's last movies for two years. 

An unusual mission necessity….sunglasses.

Ahhhhh….Cody's truck in all it's glory. 

Cody and Hailey DJ s at the youth conference dance at the University of Southern Indiana

Cody playing gaga ball at Stake Youth Conference.

Taking a DJ break to dance with Maddi.

Cody with the funnest girls around!

Finding a sweet suit- that we later found out he will send back after the MTC (mission training center). This is one of the few missions that don't require a suit coat.  

These are the lightest weight clothes we could find for his P-Day. (It's the day they prepare themselves with personal duties like laundry or cleaning or grocery shopping or writing letters to their mom! I doubt he wears the hat…..but he should!

last basketball fun at EBA  notice no shoes?  He is soooo prepared for  island life.

Cody , rooster and Leo

Last 4-H mud volleyball tournament 

Cody and his Dad

Bishop Farr, Cody, President Stanfil, and Jacob at his setting apart as a missionary and receiving the Melchizedek Priesthood

Cody and his favorite Sunday School teacher, Sister Farr

Cody's first door as a missionary. He is saying goodbye to Brother Thomas

Sam's Eagle Award Ceremony

The family

Cody and all his friends who came to church to hear his farewell talk.  Six are from school,  six from an hour away and the others are from Evansville/Newburgh wards

Cody and his cousins from PA, MI, and KY

At the Louisville Temple for Cody to learn and make sacred covenants with God.

Our boy

Me and my first born

Dad, Cody, and Grandpa

A book I started reading earlier in the summer that ironically is about an English major going to the Marshall Islands to teach English.  Very fascinating read.  I highly recommend it.  Keep in mind that Cody is on the other islands but you can get a good idea what he will be experiencing.

last outing with the boys.  Cody made sure he spent quality time with all his siblings before he left.  Bob Walther's, air soft guns, restaurants…And of course me.  I loved driving around getting stuff with him.  I loved talking and talking and talking with Cody.  I sure love him! He is such a great guy!  His love for life, for happiness, his willingness to help other people is just so rewarding to me.

Our dear Dottie and Cody

This is me after balling my eyes out saying our family prayer the night before he left for the MTC.  Jacob finished giving him a father's blessing and then asked if I would say our family nightly prayer.  Yeah, right!  Like I could do that and not get choked up.  But it was perfect because …I was praying!!!  I could talk as long as I wanted without anyone interrupting me.  I could pour out all my feeling and love that I have been bottling up for the last few weeks. Through my tears  I could share with him my encouragement and confidence that the Lord will take care of him no matter what and that I loved him.  Phew….!  That was a good prayer!

That prayer was the closure of a lot of preparedness work and worry.  Time that was always ticking and missing him before he even left.   The thought that my son who has been with me and help mold me to be the wife and mother and woman I am today is going to leave.  He is going to grow up without me!  What kind of mother have a been?  What kind of mother am I suppose to be now? Now that my babies are leaving me?  Wow!  That's hard! Soon like in 10 years they all will be gone!!!!! I heard the art of parenting is the art of letting go.  So I let him go.  I know he has been preparing his whole life to serve God for a solid two years.  He has learned the gospel from a a young age.  He has gone to seminary every day before high school at 5:45a.m.  for about an hour to study scriptures and help arm him with righteousness so he can make good decisions.  He has gone out with the missionaries to teach the gospel.  He has paid tithing, served at church, and fulfilled his Aaronic Priesthood duties.  He is ready! And off he must go.  I realized two days before he left that as much as he has played this summer, which was A LOT! he couldn't stay another day. He couldn't stay another hour than needed. If he didn't get on that airplane in the morning he wouldn't progress.  He would digress.  Big time.  He HAD to go.  I really found comfort in that peaceful thought.  He is God's son. I am a helper.  I was ready too. So…in the morning,

He got his requested homemade waffles with strawberries and whipped cream.