This post is LONG over due. I mentioned back here that my parents and my younger brother Robby had accepted a call from our Church to serve as Mission Presidents in Perth, Australia. There they are helping young missionaries teach people about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Perth is approx. 9,700 miles, 14 hours ahead, and a 22 hour flight from Utah.
Perth is just about as far away from Utah as you can get. But I am so grateful that my parents and Robby are there. Their example of obedience, sacrifice, and service are such a blessing to me and my family. Even during this tricky time on bed rest, I have felt their love and prayers no matter how many miles are between us. Their faith and phone calls (and lots of Google Hangouts) have cheered me and strengthened me so much this past week.
The night before they left, we had a family party on my Grandma Jean's back patio. The lighting in this picture isn't awesome so it doesn't do it justice...but my 80+ year old grandma has a gift for making even small gardens into a paradise.
These roses are from my mom's garden. My sister Anne brought them to the party for my mom to enjoy her garden one last time.
There were a lot of "hugs, and kisses, and I Love You's"! (family tradition) That night.
and of course some manly side hugs
The Lindsay clan...minus what's left of the East Coasters (Adam, Katie, Kate and Rich)
I tried to prep Jack for the good bye, but I don't think it really hit him until we were leaving the party. He cried "3 years is so long...Australia is too far" over and over the entire way home. I can't help but remember the picture of Jack from the middle of this post as we dropped my mom off at the airport in Boston when she came to visit after Lucy was born.
I probably would have been a bigger mess than Jack if I hadn't just found Lucy playing with poisonous snail bait in the garage five minutes earlier. The label on the package indicated that seizures and death were likely if ingested. Needless to say I was a little distracted while we were saying goodbyes.
Luckily there were no seizures or any medical emergencies that night. Just love and well wishes to three of the people I love most! We love you missionaries!
