D-day

Today has been a pretty blue day.  I tried to keep a stiff upper lip, as much as I could.  I was thinking this afternoon about all of the moms who've sent their sons and daughters off on LDS missions.  These parents say goodbye to their children for two years, knowing that they will receive a phone call on Christmas and Mothers Day.  Four calls in two years.  Liza can text me a hundred times a day, if she chooses.  She can call me.  We can Skype.  We can hop on a plane and, in a hour, be together.  (A new reason to save my pennies.)  Then I thought about the parents who send their sons and daughters off to Afghanistan and wonder if they will come home alive or in the health that they left.  They can communicate more often than missionaries but it's iffy.  And there's always that worry about their well-being and safety.  And then I thought of all the parents who send their kids off to college every fall.  They can communicate and visit home on holidays, but there's the worry of the influences that they'll be introduced to while far away.  Thinking of all of those other scenarios made me feel a bit guilty and whiney.  Then, a bit better because we'll not have it that bad in any case.  But, then I cried some more.  Surprise.

They leave in the morning.  Buddy says at 8.  I will be stunned if they can actually be on the road that early.  They had a lot to do tonight, aside from going to a Family Reunion to say goodbyes to Buddy's family. 

We went to their place for an hour this afternoon so that Liza could tell her dad goodbye.  When it came time for that, I got in the car and didn't even look in that direction.  Didn't want to see.   Liza is my angel, my best friend in the world, my exemplary big and little sister.  She's been such a blessing this past nine years since we had the babes.  So, this is a huge HUGE transition that we will all have to make.  I'm very happy for her.  I'm just very sad for us.   I realize that she's been married six years, but they've lived ten minutes away for all of those six years.  And I do realize that I'm not the only mother who's ever had to say goodbye to their child.  But, other mothers didn't have Liza for a daughter! ;)

So, for tonight. And tomorrow... I'm going to cry all I want.  But, it will only last a day.  And then, I'll be back to staying well and focusing on the fact that I'll be meeting Lizard at the Phoenix airport in thirty-six days when we fly off to North Carolina together!   Gee, if I count that 36 days the way I do my Christmas countdown, I won't count Wednesday because it's the day I start counting and I won't count the 15th of September because that's "the" day and I won't count the 14th because I'll be saying "tomorrow", so you can't count that.  Let's see, I don't have to count Labor Day because it's a holiday.  I can make this happen much sooner! :)  There!  A very happy thought! 

A daughter is a little girl who grows up to be a friend.

Comments

[Candice]

Hugs Sophia!! I moved away from my mom and Utah 7 years ago, to Tennessee. It was tough. I still miss her and home like crazy!! But I've grown up a lot and have had some amazing experiences here that wouldn't have happened had we stayed in Utah.

[JaYne]

I love how positive you are about everything! You've given her wings, now watch her fly!