The Long Goodbye

 

AI image of Elder Black and Oscar on the plane I made to cheer myself up

The Fab Four on their last journey for now

Edinburgh Airport Parking

Us having enjoyed a brief breakfast pastry

Emma enjoying a present The Banks left for Michael

A couple of games of Rummikub on our last night

After the farewells Monday was a bit of a difficult inbetween day. Elder Black still had some classes online but he was mostly packed and he was ready to go. Sarah and I were going through a whole rollercoaster of emotions. Our Washing Machine had died a couple of days earlier so that was an extra problem to have to deal with.

Despite the delicious reportoire of meals I've prepared for Michael, he wanted a Munchy Box from a local takeaway. For the uninitiated, it's a pizza box filled with chips (fries), kebab meat, chicken pakora and some other stuff. It is not a health food.

We got up early to head off to Edinburgh Airport the next day. Michael had thankfully chosen a flight that left at 9am rather than 6am, so we got to leave the house at 5:45 am rather than 2:45 am.

He was ready to go, though. He was excited to get on with the next stage of his life and prepared to serve. The farewell went as well as one can imagine. I'm holding back the tears thinking about it, but laughing thinking about Elder Black gesturing to us asking what we were doing as we were watching him on the other side going through his security check.

His journey to Atlanta and Salt Lake went well, but that's a story for him to tell. 

We miss him, we think of him often, but we don't want to see him for two years and know he's where he should be. He's ready. He'll have a great experience.

Dad