I just saw some details regarding graduation advertised at the high school and I can’t believe we were in this position last year with Hallie graduating. It was just a short year ago our home was overflowing with her friends and one of the most exciting parts of that time was everyone receiving their mission calls. I just attended one of Hallie’s friends mission farewells this weekend and all the memories of all the farewells came flooding back.
Here’s the majority of the squad at graduation. L to R: Roseville, California; Beunos Aires, Argentina; Iowa City, Iowa; Guayaquil, Ecuador; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Toronto, Canada; Syracuse, New York; Cincinnati, Ohio; Panama City, Panama; Quito, Ecuador; Portland Oregon. (Missing Tallahassee, Florida; Taichung, Taiwan; Bridgetown, Barbados).
Last summer was full of talks at church and bidding each other farewell. (We were in Idaho for a few of the talks and we were grateful for technology that allowed us to support them from afar.) When the first friend left, it was a non-stop party – there had to have been three different going away parties! And although it was in honor of the friend leaving, I think more than anything it was the farewell to a beautiful and fulfilling chapter. High school was good to these kids and the reality of everyone scattering across the world was setting in – they were living in and enjoying the final moments of this chapter.
It was fun to send them off and celebrate! Even after they were set apart as missionaries they had almost two weeks in home MTC so they got a couple more gatherings in as missionaries.
But the gathering for each farewell naturally got smaller and smaller.
Hallie was convinced by the time she left there wouldn’t be anyone left. But she was grateful when so many came home from college for Thanksgiving and she could gather with them one final time.
And then this weekend I went to Hallie’s friend’s farewell and all that was left were the parents of all the friends – I wish I would have taken a picture of all the moms there. (There are a few friends at school still but they couldn’t come back this weekend).
It was a beautiful farewell and I was reminded just how much I love all these kids.
I love how Hallie’s tennis coach (not of our faith) described the mission experience when he was talking about Hallie and her teammates who were leaving to serve. He described the mission as the best gap year (or two) a college aged kid could make. At a time when college aged kids are generally pretty selfish and experimenting with all college has to offer – he couldn’t think of a better time to step away, focus on God and serve others – maturing in the process.
I read all the missionary letters every Monday and you would think they were my own kids because I’m so proud of them and all the growth and love they have developed – they are experiencing som pretty powerful “gap” years.
