It's official . . . Jason's a missionary now!

One of my very best friends has moved away and will be gone for two years.  Here are the events leading up to Jason's mission:

Open house for Jason's farewell.  Sunday, October 29, 2013

Brad, Bruce, Me and Becky

Scerinda tells us a story.

What's with all the salads?

Monday night family home evening at Grandma's house.

clockwise from left:  Kaylie's back, Grandma Johnson, Maloa, Rick, Melanie, Lita (on floor),  Fia, Paulo (behind Michael) and Michael.  And my feet and Bruce's feet.

the returned missionary and the two prospective missionaries

Paulo, Lita, and Jason

clockwise from left:  Kaylie (lying on floor), Paul holding Ana, Fia, Grandpa Johnson, Grandma Johnson, Maloa and Ammon

Set apart at the Stake Center with Elder Richardson.

Elder Richardson and Elder North, in complementary colors. :-)

On Tuesday morning, the day before Jason entered the MTC, our van broke down (we really don't know what's wrong with it).  We had planned to take the entire family to Provo to drop him off and say goodbye there, but we had to borrow my mom's car and we wouldn't all fit in it so only Bruce and Jason and I would drive down. We let the kids stay home from school anyway and say goodbye that morning. If I was really quick with the camera I would have gotten pictures of each of them giving Jason a hug and saying goodbye. There were some really touching moments; moments that make a mom happy and proud of her children. Instead we just got a couple of silly group photos of the kids.

Then we packed up the van . . .

Kaylie and Jessica come out for one last hug.

. . . and we went down to Provo.  Bruce and I took Jason out to lunch, then we headed toward the MTC.  We were a little early, so we parked in a lot between the MTC and the Provo Temple to take some pictures.  There were at least fifty other missionary families doing the same thing.  In fact, we saw Lita and her family there! (Lita's report time was fifteen minutes earlier than Jason's.)

Paul, taking pictures of his family

Fia, with baby Ana (and Ammon to her right)

Bruce and Jason in front of the Provo Temple

After the photos we drove across the street to the MTC to drop Jason off.  A missionary was waiting to help him with his bags, we got our last hugs, and he walked away from us.

last hugs for Dad

last hugs for Mom

There he goes.

And that's it. Jason is officially a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I cried as we drove away, but I was doing OK until we got home and saw that someone had given us a heart attack:

When the kids set the table for dinner that night it took me a second to recall that we didn't need ten dishes on the table any more. When it was time to call the kids up I didn't need to call for Michael and Jason—just Michael now. Nobody is whistling or singing or snapping their fingers. And even now I can hardly look at these pictures without crying. It is bitter-sweet.  But mostly sweet, really. I have wanted Jason to go on a mission, and he has always wanted to go, and I am glad he's doing it. I am so proud of him! I will get over this initial melancholy, and he will email me, and I will be excited to hear what he's doing. Yes, it is mostly sweet.

Elder Jason Daniel North
I am so proud of him.