Hyrum's Final Departure

Lily stayed home from school today because she was feeling a little unwell. And around 9 am I realized - "Hey! I can leave! I am going biking!" so I loaded up my bike, left Lily in charge, and headed out to Corner Canyon. When I was in the car on my way, I got a text from Hyrum, letting us know he was on the frontrunner train and leaving his MTC experience behind. It was around 10:30. I had thought it might be fun to go see him, and since he texted giving us an update, I thought maybe he wished we might? I was on my way south though... maybe I can go by the South Jordan station and wave to him... Corey was up in Logan but on his way back from a meeting he had up there. I thought of what was the correct thing to do as I continued to drive toward my bike ride in the beautiful fall mountains. Then I pulled over into a church parking lot. Sigh. Ok, what are we going to do... This is my last chance to see Hyrum for two years, or I can go biking. I really wanted to go biking, as the fall colors have been yelling at me "HURRY!! BEFORE WE'RE GONE!" but seeing H was also a one and only opportunity. Corey called and we talked about what to do. I figured out what train Hyrum was on - leaving Provo Central at 10:53. That would put him down town at the North Temple Station at 12:02. He was supposed to get off there and then take the green line trax to the airport. I sent Corey the link of North Temple Station. Corey could get there at 11:55, and I could too. Ok, let's do it. I turned around and was back home at 11. I changed out of my exercise clothes and told Lily my new plan. She didn't mind if I took D&P but she didn't think she should go, she was feeling really light headed. D&P didn't want to go, so fine, I got them lunch and then left them in Lily's charge again. Corey and I arrived at North Temple station at the same time, found a place to park, and walked over to the frontrunner drop off. At 12:02 the train came. Hyrum had mentioned that there were like 20 missionaries on the train with him. I looked for a big group of sharp looking young men in suits. There were some sisters with them too, but it's the white shirts and ties that stand out more. I saw missionaries unloading from the train and then I saw him!! This will be fun to surprise him. He's the blue mask on the left -

I walked up to him - "Hi Elder! Can we help you with your luggage?" Hyrum said "What the!?!? How did you get here?!?! How did you find me!?!" Corey said "We're always watching..." We helped him take the elevator up to the green line. I got another match - another missionary on an escalator!

(Joseph and Ethan's departing missionaries on escalator pic are there - someday I'm going to make a memory matching game with different-but-alike family pictures) Group selfie - 

Visiting briefly as we wait for the green line trax

And then he was boarding through the yellow doors - 

Our "last" photo of Hyrum!! Bye Hyrum! We love you!!

And then we watched the train until it was out of sight. He texted from the airport "I loved seeing you guys, That was a tender mercy" so that made me happy about the missionary>biking choice. Corey and I headed to lunch at Blue Lemon and ran into our brother in law Jared, Jerusha's husband, and had a quick visit with him. At Blue Lemon, Corey got street tacos and I had the beet salad, yummy, and a side of sweet potato fries. Then he went to work and I went to Churchill to pick up Abi early from school, take her home so she could practice before her 3:15 online flute lesson, and then I left to get my biking fix, yay - my happy place - It was so gorgeous ~

I parked at the Coyote Trailhead and did one 9 minute loop past the silica pit and down rush, then I went up the Potato Hill trail then east on Anns, down Ghost Falls, Canyon Hollow, then Rush and one more 9 minute loop. 

Everything about it was lovely - 

The cool breeze, the leaves falling all around and piled up in the trail -

I listened to the killers album "Imploding the Mirage" ~ the lyrics from Caution were so appropriate "Tonight, the winds of change are blowing wild and free"

I headed for home at 4:30 and got back in time to take Wes to Hockey and Abi to soccer. Then back home to try and feed kids and clean up and get them working, then back to pick up A&W.  When we were getting ready for scriptures tonight at 8:40, Hyrum texted that he was alive and could call if we were available. He had arrived safely in San Diego and is in a trio companionship where he'll be for the next few weeks.

His p-days are Tuesdays, so we've got three missionaries with three different p-days - we'll be talking to Eth on Mondays, Hyrum on Tuesdays, and Mel on Wednesdays. Fun fun! And one last picture of beautiful Peter sleeping this morning. He's started sleeping on our floor, like most of our two year olds have, and sometimes he sneaks into the bed with us before morning. He is a precious little boy.

In a few blinks he'll be all grown up and leaving to serve a mission out in the big world, time goes by quickly, try to savor the little fleeting moments.