Road to a Mission ~ Part 4

The Farewells

The mental and physical part of preparing for our mission has been going on for some time. The planning, the purchasing, the organizing and the packing have all been very challenging and tiring. The Spanish study for me is ongoing and will be for sometime I am sure. However, the most difficult thing is the emotional part of telling everyone goodbye.

This started with Kathy’s family visiting us at the end of March. It was fun to have them here to celebrate Easter and my birthday with us. We went to the zoo, This is the Place Memorial Park, out for a birthday dinner and had a great time. However when they left and we knew we may not see them for 18 months it was very emotional.

The Church History Museum ~ Josh, Sadie, Sam, Noah, and Gabe...This is the Place Gabe, Noah, Sam, and Josh

Sugar House Park....The whole family

The next visits were with Patrick’s and Heather’s families in California. Patrick made it possible for us to fly down and spend two days with the DelHoyos and two days with them. With Heather we were able to go walking, swimming, and to a beautiful arboretum. Again, when Dad and I left Heather and the kids at Descanso Gardens, it was really hard to say goodbye.

Lunch and swimming

Us with Heather...........Ella, Elder Foley, Christian, Sister Foley, and Hadley at Descanso Gardens

We then went to Pats where we were able to spend some fun time with their family. We all went out to celebrate Ember’s birthday and that was great. Ember is a very cute 8 year old. On Sunday we were able to go to their ward which we always enjoy. Then Monique made a wonderful dinner and it was off to the airport. Again it is so hard to think of not seeing them for so long. Braxton is our youngest grandchild and will certainly change the most while we are gone.

Swimming the kids.....Watching Jordan's YW Auction

The temple

The next farewell was our official “farewell”. This was held on April 20th. We found out just before that time that the bishopric was going to be changed that day and we would be sharing the meeting with them. We have truly loved our bishopric and have worked closely with them in our callings so we were fine with sharing our time. The meeting was packed and although we knew it was everyone’s curiosity about the new bishopric, we could flatter ourselves and say how many people came to hear us talk. Julia and Sadie were the only representatives from our children and grandchildren but two of Randy and Janet’s boys were there, Mike and Jeff. Mike’s darling family was there and Carol and Bill and Monique’s parents. Our bishop Kevin Cahoon gave a very touching testimony as did his darling wife Jeri. The new bishop is Jesse Fox who has been a counselor to Kevin and will make such a wonderful bishop. He also bore a sweet testimony.

Larry and I both spoke on service. I spoke more on serving through callings in the church and Larry spoke of ways seniors can serve. After the meeting all the family and Carol and Bill joined us and we had a fun lunch at the house. It was a good meeting but again it is hard to look out at all the people that have been so involved in our lives for so many years and think of not seeing them for so long. For Larry it was very special because his first missionary farewell 47 years ago was from the same pulpit.

Sister and Elder Foley................The kid table~ Sam, Harvey, and Sadie

Jeff Jones (Nephew) with Carol and Bill (best friends), Kate, Oliver, Helena, and Mike Jones (nephew and family)

Roy (brother-in-law) ......The Spread

Sunday the 27th of April we left Salt Lake in the truck and began a drive to Missouri to leave our truck and say good-bye to the Sean Foley family. We arrived Monday afternoon and that night after a wonderful dinner we went to Sage’s soccer game with all of the family. Tuesday the kids stayed out of school and Sean stayed home from work and we went to the zoo. That is all of us but Ryan. Ryan had a science fair he had to go to in St. Josephs so we had to go without him. He was missed. The Kansas City Zoo is laid out by regions of the world. We saw a lot of interesting animals. It was a great day and we really got our walking in. That night we went to dinner and Ryan was able to be with us then. We said goodbye to the kids that night, except Sage who we saw in the morning for some more good hugs. After the kids went to school we went with Vivian into Sean’s office at the Federal Reserve Bank. It is a brand new facility. He took us on an interesting tour and we had lunch with him there. Then it was good-bye to Sean and Vivian took us to the airport where we had our farewell with her.

Emily, Brock, Branden, Sean, Vivian......Branden, Brock, and Sean.......Sage

Emily.........Elder and Sister Foley

Next we flew to Portland. Shannon picked us up at the airport and took us home to a great dinner she and Kenya had prepared. It was really good to see them and even Chase was glad to see Grandma and Grandpa. The next day Kenya went to school and Shannon had to work so Kathy drove in to get us and we snuck in an extra visit with the Duffins. We had a restful afternoon and quiet dinner. The next day the kids were not in school and we went to the outlet mall then on a long hike (walk) at Champoeg Park. It was so fun. Gabe chose not to come because of his allergies, and Josh didn’t love all the walking, but the rest of us had a great time. After we went home and rested, Shannon and Kenya came and picked us up and we went back to their house and out to dinner. The next day Kathy and the family came to Shannon’s and we all went to a street market in downtown Portland and then to the Japanese gardens. It was a beautiful day and the time we spent together was so great. It again was not easy to say goodbye but we know what we are doing is what we are suppose to be doing and it will benefit our whole family.

Josh, Sam, and Noah....Noah and Grandma...... Sam and Grandpa

Josh and Grandma........Kenya and Shannon

We are nearing the date now. We enter the MTC on May 12th. We still have some hard farewells ahead of us. It will be hard to say goodbye to Julia and Sadie. They are the only ones left in Utah and we see them so often. It will be an adjustment on both sides for us to be gone. It will also be hard to say goodbye to Roy. He has been such a part of our family and since Diane’s death and Randy and Janet leaving, we have been his family. We will miss him. And speaking of Randy and Janet, we will really miss them. They have been on their mission since January of 2007. We will leave in May for our mission and they will return from theirs in June. It will be such a long time before we will see them.

It will also be very hard for me to say goodbye to Carol. She has been my closest friend for over 40 years. She was with me when I married and as my family has grown. She was even with me in the delivery room when Shannon was born. I was with her in the ER when her heart stopped beating. With our husbands we have had wonderful trips including trips to England and to France. I talk to her everyday and it will be very hard to say goodbye for so long. Tomorrow I will go with her to Logan and say goodbye to her mother. We will stay overnight and enjoy our last long talk. Then next Monday she and Bill will be the ones to deliver us to the MTC.