Saying "Goodbye"

We had a great visit with Grandpa Manwaring the week before Brittney left on her Mission to El Salvador.

We enjoyed his wonderful BBQ's and felt like true Kentuckians as we sat in our garage and ate.

We also had a wonderful time catching up with the Wright family, and have appreciated so much their support and friendship through the years!

I felt like I had to get as many pictures of Brittney as I could before she left. 

Here are the three remaining girls (Aubrey is at BYU-I), soon to be two :(

Brittney and the cool mirror effect,

   Brittney reading a book,

and Brittney getting ready for her Missionary Open-house.

I wasn't sure what to have them write on the cake, but "Congratulations" seemed fitting for someone who was going to have the awesome opportunity of  serving the Lord for 18 months in a foreign country.

Some people Brittney and I would like to thank who came to the open-house: Tyler Jors

  Truett Mason,

  Jared, Juniper, Trent, and Shannon Parker (Shannon was too good at dodging my camera), 

Elizabeth and Fiona Terpening,

Yours truly,

Yours truly's husband and Amy Clayburn, 

Mark Allen and Matthew Clayburn (I love their expressions, Mark looks a little spaced-out and Matt a little perplexed),

Jeannie Watson,

Carlos and Ana Maria Linares,

Grant and Jake Watson,

Thoney Charles, Eddie Bolton, and James Jenkins,

 

Ivan Squire, Rex Holt, and Cal Watson,

Jenny Squire (with her adorable girls), and Ursela Durbin,

  Victoria and Joe Alexander,

Ashton and McKenzie Barber and family, and Katelyn Zwygart,

Lauren Allen and Merinda Manwaring,

Niamh Bolton,

Veronica Holt,

  Wesley Holt and Garren Allen,

  Bridgette Allen,

Jennie Jenkins,

Heather Zwygart, Zak Zwygart, Christina Holt, Breck Manwaring, Joseph Jenkins, and Jade Jenkins (What is Breck doing? I don't even ask anymore).

Why does Brittney look totally annoyed on her way to the airport you ask? Well, funny story (maybe not for Brittney) but they had changed the day Brittney flew to Mexico without us knowing, so our first trip to the airport was just for practice.

So fast forward a day as we scramble to check the kids out of school again, re-arrange schedules to get off work, and change business meetings scheduled in Ohio. 

Luckily, Brittney flew out of the Lexington Airport. It would have been a little more inconvenient had she flown out of Cincinnati or Louisville Airports!

I just had to capture every moment before saying goodbye.

I was sad and didn't want to cry, this was the best smile I could eek out.

  

Merinda's smile is a little better,

but her hug says it all.

Breck's hug also speaks volumes,

 

and I just love this picture! 

Anyone that knows me, knows how much I hate to say goodbye. I prefer to say "see you later, if not in this life, in the life to come".

  Eighteen Months suddenly seems like forever!

Even watching Brittney go through the dumb x-ray machine was heart-breaking.

There she goes, the love and joy of our life! Although we will miss Brittney greatly, we truly believe that there is nowhere else in the world she should be, and nothing else she should be doing at this very moment than serving her Father in Heaven, and for that we are so proud. Now, I must end this post before my keyboard breaks from water damage, but before I do, I want to thank again everyone who came to the open-house who wasn't pictured or mentioned, and for all of you that have supported Brittney through the years, and have been such wonderful influences and examples of what it means to be truly selfless and Christlike--Thank You!