Day 1- Leaving for Madrid

As we were checking his bags.  Lucky for us his bags were under-weight.  Whew.  

Before the tears had set in so badly.

Very last family photo.  Not sure we will ever look this way, as a family, again.  (Brig insists Preston will be married before Brig gets home from his mission.)

Brig went first.  Not easy.

Then Quince.

Little Linc.

Clayton

Spence (that was rough)

Dad (holding my purse)

And then me.  That was the hardest hug I've ever had to let go of.

The look on his face kind of says it all.

He had a last moment with 'the babies'.  

Sweet Lincoln was struggling badly- which made it a bit harder for everyone.

 Their last photo.

He jumped in line where Will was standing....

And then he walked away on his own.  We watched him cry, alone, in line.  

Then Elder Webb's fabulous parents moved Preston into the line with him.  He is smiling!!

One final last glance at us.

 And finally, our last look at him for two years, before he walked away out of sight.

Hardest morning of my life- for sure.  I knew it was going to be rough, but it was every bit as awful as I had imagined, and then some.  Our family doesn't hold back.  We, although extremely embarrassing, show and share our emotions freely.  I felt like we were a complete spectacle at the airport.  I kept thinking that at least at the MTC drop-off, everyone is crying.

I won't go into detail about all of our emotions there and throughout the day, but I wanted to share two experiences.  First, there was a moment not photographed that was probably most special to me.  Will was standing in the line, holding Preston's place and the rest of us were all standing together in a group.  We were huddled together to try to be out of the way, which was sort of impossible, and I just kind of pulled them all together in a group hug.  (think team huddle)  I looked at them and said, "Let's do this again in four years."  Preston was sobbing as he realized we wouldn't all be together for at least that long.  It was a bitter-sweet moment, and one I will never forget.  Second experience was a tender mercy, one of many to come to Preston as he serves, I'm sure.  As we gave our final hugs, Preston had to walk through the line without us.  So we were all watching and he was alone, surrounded by strangers in the line, with his face all red and tears still flowing.  It was heart-breaking to watch.  It was all I could do to stand there and not call to him over and over.  It would have been horrible to remember him that way as he walked away.  There was another Elder about 20 people in front of him in the line.  His parents were standing near him in the line, on the outside of the roped off section.  (There were too many of us to go up there.)  This Elder's mom kept looking back at us and giving me this sympathetic look.  Then his dad walked over and moved the rope and pulled Preston out of line and sent him up with his son so that they could stand together.  It made such a difference!!  He and Preston started talking and Preston composed himself and even smiled and laughed several times.  We watched him finish through the security line and go through the scanners together with this Elder.  Then we saw them on the other side just as they were about to walk out of view and Preston looked back and smiled at all of us.  

I don't know if that Elder's parents have any idea how much it helped both Preston and us to have him with their son.  It completely changed Preston's demeanor and allowed us to see him for our final time with a smile and looking confident.  I will forever be grateful to that sweet family and to the Lord for such a blessing right as we, and he, needed it so much.