Last Picture

You know, I was doing well yesterday until I went into Gabriel's room to put away a shirt and a sock that I found in the laundry room. He had the room totally clean and the bed stripped, then the sadness just hit me. He sent this picture tonight before he stepped off the plane to the beginning of his new life. I know every parent has to feel this, but it just seems so strange that he is a suddenly grown. We will be praying for him everyday and awaiting any news from him while he is at boot camp. (I'm thinking Alayna may hear from him first, but she'll be nice enough to let us know :)

Tomorrow is our last full day in the country - there is much to be done. TOO much!

Gabriel's Departure

 As our family gets larger, more and more special events over-lap. Last night was Gabriel's last night at home and it was also Moriah's 15th birthday. Since Moriah had a party a few weeks ago, Gabriel had his girl-friend, Alayna, and his friend, Ham, for dinner. Gabriel's request was strombolis and cheese-cake and Moriah's was chicken pot pie and frosted sugar cookies, so we had both dinners and desserts. The benefit of all that cooking is that tonight can just be left-overs. 

Here's the teen pack at dinner - note how I didn't even have time to remove the mail from the table! (I'm packing for Ethiopia, you know...)

We gathered in the living room for presents - 

Moriah, now 15, with her little buddy - 

Alayna and Julia - 

Group shot...what cracked me up was what I noticed as I loaded this picture.

Look at Elijah kissing Alayna's cheek. He loves Alayna - (so does his brother!)

Gabriel and his phone, man, is he going to miss that when the Navy throws it into the "to be sent home" bin.

Ham taught the kids a bit of ball-room dancing. 

He decided Ben needed some culture; Ben was pretty horrified and Elijah said, "Ham is making Ben be a girl!"

Gabriel was supposed to leave this afternoon, but was informed last night that he had to report early this morning for a personality test that is given to all home-schoolers. I found it interesting that they don't phase that in a more politically correct way, but Gabriel has way more personality than any public-school graduate that I know, so we aren't worried. 

I insisted that he take this picture with the girls straight out of bed before they left for school.

Then we had another before I took Alyssa to school. Moriah was already gone and none of us thought to wake Alei until afterwards, (she would have refused to be photographed straight out of bed anyway.)

Hard to believe that he is really out on his own. It's just kind of sinking in...(JD took me out to lunch).