Departure Day!

Today was D-Day, but last night we had a fun family dinner and one last go-round with Wesley before he became Elder Whipple.

Here is Wes with his nieces and nephews. They mostly adore him, except when he tickles too long or growls too fiercely. We tried to get Desi to pop her belly in on one side of the photo, but she said it wouldn't fit. She is looking forward to to her D-Day coming up soon.

Here Wes gets some last minute loves and advice from his two grandmas. My mom is Opal, on the left, and DoJo's mom, Shirley is on the right. Grandma Opal has fairly severe dementia and doesn't remember much from one minute to the next. She gave Wesley his "last goodbyes" about 4 or 5 times last night. Each time, she began by asking what time he would be leaving, and then announcing that she was going to tell him goodbye right then because she "probably wouldn't be awake in the morning when he left." Too bad he didn't get the departure money with each goodbye! $$$

The Other-Mothers. These girls really did help raise this missionary and they are proud of their work. (No one quite understands Kaitlin's strange attachment to the Pink Power Ranger?!)

One "perk" of knowing the Stake President personally is that Wes was able to be set apart as a missionary in our home. It was a perfect ending to a family night. For the scoop on Elder Whipple, you can now visit his mission blog, Elder Whipple Goes to Washington at elderwhipple.blogspot.com. Currently, the blog is plain and unadorned, but once the Other-Mothers get to it, they will spice it up nicely...just you wait and see!