almost ready to start.

The Saturday after Thanksgiving was a day of celebration, as we witnessed the sealing of Marc and Peggy.

just waiting

downstairs where the fun is.

upstairs on Thanksgiving Day with the "grown-ups."

He had been keeping track of how many days he had left on the whiteboard since he had about 56 days. It's hard to believe that the day has arrived!

We ate breakfast that morning at IHOP. There was another missionary there with his family who was also going to Brazil on the same plane flight.

All ready to go

Just for the records . . .

One last wave . . .

. . . and his mission begins.

When we came home, we found that Andrew had left gifts for us on our beds! What a fun surprise this was for all of us! Kaylie got his ipod.

Jake got Andrew's PSP

He left Steph a bunch of gift certificates he had and hadn't used up.

He left us a the sweetest note and a cd with a song he had been looking for called, "No Empty Chairs at our Table." Of course, it makes us cry and think of him every time we hear it.

Paul starts counting the days 'til he comes home on "Andrew's count-down board."

Not to be outdone, Jake starts counting the days 'til his mission.

President Godwin, Andrew and Paul

Andrew, Ryan, Jamison and Jamison's cousin

Kaitlin, Liz, Alyssa and Casey

Ray, Ashlee and Kaylie

A few of the shoes at the door. This place was packed!

Jamison, Cameron and Chris

Christie, Natalie, Matt and Kellie

Casey and Kaylie

Amy and Abby

Paul and I took Andrew to "The Roof." Yum!

Celebrating Andrew's 19th birthday at Chili's

Andrew really wanted to go up to the conference center for the last session of conference before he left. We didn't have tickets, so we had to wait in a line that went all around the temple. We were very surprised when we got in, and we even got to sit on the bottom floor. I had never been in the conference center for conference before. It was a very nice session, and it's amazing to be there in real life.

He also wanted to go to see the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in real life the last Sunday he was here. We sat up real close, and it sounds so much better in person. They sang one of my favorite songs, that I had completely forgotten about. It's a Roger's and Hammerstein song "You'll Never Walk Alone." Knowing that Andrew was leaving in a few days, this was an emotional song for me in this situation. It's a good message, for Andrew to remember as he leaves.

Our handsome missionary.

Andrew's mission up to now

The mission call!

You are assigned to labor in the Brazil Belo Horizante East Mission! Andrew had guessed before that he would be going to Brazil. I guess he just had a feeling.

We celebrated his mission call, by going out to eat at (where else)Tucanos.