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.