February 2, 2011

We got at 3:30am this morning to take Nick to the airport. That's right, today is the day that we send him on the airplane to the MTC. We had our final, final family prayer in the car that we would be protected driving to the airport because the weather had been so bad and icy. We had the day off before from school and it looked like it would be cancelled again today. (side note, the weather was so bad that school was cancelled from Tuesday to Friday that whole week)

We got going and we drove to steak and shake. I must first explain why we went to steak and shake. I think Nick explains it best in his video below but I will try to here as well. Before Nick left for Rexburg, he wanted to go to happy hour at steak and shake. Now, Steak and Shake has happy hour between 2AM-4AM and 2PM-4PM. Nick didn't want to go to any happy hour but the 2AM happy hour! Doesn't that just sound like him? The roads were slick but we finally pulled up to drive thru window. We got there at 4:01am and the guy told us that we couldn’t get the shakes at half priced. After all that work and we got up really early! We asked him to please make us an exception and he did. Nick got his final request! He got a mint chocolate chip milkshake and Megan got her cookie dough. Dad, mom and I all got peanut butter. They were delicious but a little sweet. I think there were a few questions as to why we got the shakes because it seems like it is the coldest day of the year. It is about 12 degrees outside. The roads are pretty icy so we had to take it slow even to get to the airport.

We got to the airport with plenty of time to spare and took pictures of Nick with Mom and Dad. We also got a picture of us as a family but it didn’t turn out so great. We sat around for a while and then Dad turned to Mom and said, “any final words?” She told him that she had taught Nick throughout these years and there wasn’t really much else to say. Dad’s final words were “remember the good things”, mom’s final words were “if you get homesick, you aren’t working hard enough”, my final words were, “forget yourself and go to work”, and Megan’s final words were, “don’t come home.” I had to keep reminding her that she needed to add early to the end of it but she felt that saying, “don’t come home” was sufficient. We got back out to the van after making sure that Nick made it through security. We said another family prayer that our Heavenly Father will bless that boy. His flight left a little late due to weather but he was out of her by 6:24am.

His Shake

 

Mom really wanted to talk to Nick one last time when he got to Utah but Nick had already called Dad and did not call again. Mom did call Grandma Hope’s cell phone and we got a chance to talk to Aunt Dorothy and Grandma Hope. According to Grandma, Nick had started talking to a lady on the airplane to Salt Lake. Nick talked to this lady about the importance of families. Nick also had said that he wished he had a pass-a-long card for this lady because the spirit was really strong and this lady and him were both almost to tears! I guess Nick has already started his mission. Mom talked to Aunt Dorothy and Aunt Dorothy told mom how Nick just paced her kitchen because he was anxious to get going.

Apparently, they were able to stop by Uncle Sperry’s house and Uncle Sperry came home on his lunch break to get a chance to say goodbye to Nick. Then Uncle Gary, Aunt Dorothy, and Grandma and Grandpa Hope took Nick off to the MTC. Nick got his luggage out and headed towards the door without looking back. They were trying to keep the cars moving and so they didn’t have a chance to talk to anyone or say goodbye. Grandma did say that it was a good visit with Nick and that he is ready to go! We are so proud of him!