Departure Day

July 30th 2013 -- 498 days to go and this was a BIG ONE!!
Two hours of sleep is probably not the best way to prepare to take off on a Mission :S
Up at 2:30 (I had stayed up finishing the packing and preparing picture scrapbooks for my Nieces & Nephew to enjoy and remember me by!
At the Airport by 5:30 (YAWN)!
WARNING: Do not use the large suitcase! Even with all light clothing only in it, it was 12 pounds over.
We went to a little shop and bought another bag.  We went to a scale and opened the suitcase and removed clothes and more clothes until the scale registered 50.
Glad we were early :)
While walking to the shop, we saw a favorite neighbor, Brother Felix, who is the father of Zach who warned me about the conditions at the Mex MTC.  Brother Felix was in line to go through security. 
I have HELICOPTER PARENTS!! They shadowed me through each turn of the rope lines in security.  They used sign language to motion for me to put the passport holder back around my neck and not in the tray.  The Security Guard once again told me to put it in the tray.  I minded him!
My parents watched me go through the buzzer place.  I made it and began to gather my belongings.  I looked up and there was Brother Felix.  He had stayed to help.  I looked over my shoulder and there were my parents behind the rope, beaming, blowing kisses and giving the thumbs up sign.  I knew they were glad for the help of our kind neighbor.  So was I!! Zach was flying out today for the Riverside, CA Mission, yet none of us saw him :(

Okay, Emma is not writing this, she is a stickler for rules.  This is her mom, but hey, I could tell what she was thinking.  How does one be a helicopter mom when Emma is about 3000 miles/kilo away??

We just looked at the web-site that tracks the flight of planes. It is 1:35 our time. She is 15 minutes away from touching down in Mexico.  Her experience has definitely started. I am sure she will be blessed and watched over.  We will post her letters as they begin to come in.  In Emma's favorite childhood words:
OH HAPPY DAY!!