To the MTC!!

Dropping off Julie a.k.a. Sister Christiansen (how weird is that!) at the MTC today was good/hard.  We made it down to the MTC in good time, so we had time to go over to the church and say our good-byes and take some pictures.  When we were heading back over to the MTC we could not believe the line of cars turning in.  Now I wish we would’ve taken a picture, cause it was crazy insane. 

We were welcomed by a nice senior missionary man, and then asked whether we were dropping off an Elder or a Sister.  We of course replied, Sister, and were told there were 319 sisters being dropped off today.  We don’t know how many Elders, but at any rate that is a crazy amount of new missionaries, and how cool is that!  So we told Julie she had 318 new friends to make!! 

We moved down the line of cars and eventually parked in slot 23.  Dad and Mom got out of the car with Julie and helped her get her bags out and a nice Sister missionary talked with them all for a minute and then she helped Julie gather her bags and they walked away.  The rest of us kids watched from the car as she walked away, we had already said our goodbyes and didn’t want to overdo it. 

So tonight we are praying she had a great first day and are saying one day down only 547 days to go!!  Haha just kidding we aren’t really going to keep a countdown.  But Julie did figure out how many days there was in 18 months, and since she gifted us that random fact, we thought we’d use it. 

Now the really hard part is going to be getting used to not having her around.  Like tonight when we were setting out places for dinner with Grandma Donna and we are like put eight places out, and Mom goes no nine, cause we are eight and Grandma one and that is nine.  It is an adjustment, but we know Julie is where she is supposed to be and we are super excited for her and all the new adventures she will have. 

One last family photo!!

Bye Julie!!