Reporting to the MTC- Wednesday, March 12th @ 12:30pm

The day FINALLY came that we would be loading up the car with Tanner's luggage and taking him to the MTC to drop him off.

We took a moment & wrote down our love & thoughts for Tanner on a note we'd give him at the MTC when we dropped him off.

This was my IG post for Wednesday, March 12th 2014

Mike wanted to carry Tanner's luggage up the stairs without my help & it was FUNNY...

We weighed Tanner's bags & one came in at 47 lbs & the other at 38 lbs, so between both the bags he should have enough weight to get his materials at the MTC and fit them in somewhere.

Loading up & ready to go

Yes, I will take pictures *EVERY MOMENT* of the day today...

Ordering breakfast at Kneader's, Tanner wouldn't eat anything but ordered a Smoothie. 

I think his stomach was all in KNOTS-

Waiting for breakfast & just visiting

and texting...

Yep! This was breakfast & it was YUMMY!

Yes, a few more pictures...like it OR NOT!

And on the drive, we asked him all sorts of questions. (see journal entry of last week with Tanner home)

After breakfast we drove to the Provo Temple, so we could take a few pictures with Tanner.

We talked for a few minutes after taking pictures, and then Tanner was just like, "Okay, I'm ready let's go!"

So we left to the MTC to drop him off, even though it was only 12:15 or so, & we had until 12:30 with him. We were the 2nd car there to drop off at our designated time, but HE was ready & ANXIOUS to just go, so we stopped, he jumped out, went around back to get his luggage, then took a few more pictures of all of our last hugs & he was OFF!

This is Tanner's MTC Escort at the drop off, Elder Bowcut from Spanish Fork, Utah. He was headed to Cleveland, Ohio & had only been there a week.

After dropping him off we all cried on our way home. We stopped off at Coldstone Ice Cream & got Madi a bowl of ice cream, then headed home.

This is what we came home to and saw in the kitchen as we walked in

And this is Tanner's room & how he left it

and the family room downstairs, where he'd chill & watch tv

So to make ME feel better, I cleaned up his room, vacuumed & placed his Mission flag back up on his wall,

all while crying like a BABY-

Mike & Bailey went out to exchange Tanner's phone so Bailey can use it now. While they were out, they picked up Cafe Rio, Mike's treat! When they got back we sat down to eat, when I looked up & saw Tanner's seat empty, I started CRYING- I said that I couldn't say the prayer, then Mike says he has a huge LUMP in his throat & can't say the prayer. Bailey couldn't say it, she was crying also. Mike then says, "Do you think Heavenly Father would understand that if we didn't say the prayer tonight?" To which I respond, "I won't understand! Tanner needs our prayer!" So it took us 15 minutes or so, but Mike FINALLY said the prayer. 

After dinner, we hadn't been taking phone calls, or texts, etc. but the door bell rang & Madi answered the door. It was Tamara Vawdrey who brought these 4 colored balloons, one for each of us, that had SMiLeY faces on them to help remind us to "Smile & Be Happy!" It was a very kind & thoughtful gift & we truly appreciated it, but it sure hurt those first 2 days!