Hannah: College Student

Friday morning, Steven took John and Josh to seminary and then to school, then came back home instead of continuing on to work. Before it was time for Peter to leave for school, Steven, Hannah and I were on our way to Rexburg, Idaho. 

The radio in the van stopped working a couple weeks ago, but we acquired a small speaker we could use with a cell phone, and we listened to sound tracks from musicals during most of the drive. 

We arrived in Rexburg about 4:50pm, with a whole 10 minutes to check in at the office before they closed for the day. We unloaded Hannah's stuff from the van, and Hannah and I unpacked while Steven went to find a place for the two of us to spend the night. (We hadn't thought to reserve a hotel room early enough, but he found us a great campsite on the north end of town!)

After Steven returned, the three of us went to have dinner at The Burg, a cute little hamburger place with a stage for live music, although no one was performing that evening. After we finished eating, we wandered across the street to the BYU-I campus, and explored the beautiful gardens and wandered around the various buildings on campus. Hannah had a talent show to attend that evening with her roommates, so we dropped her off back at her apartment, and Steven and I went to our campsite for the night.

The following morning, Steven and I packed up our stuff (Camping is so easy when it is just the two of us!!!) and then picked up Hannah to take her grocery shopping. When her fridge was stocked, we returned to campus for another walking tour, this time exploring the inside of the I Center, the library, and even wandered over to see the Rexburg temple. Around noon, we took Hannah back to where the freshmen were gathered for lunch and tours, gave hugs and said our goodbyes, and then, with my eyes stinging and wet, Steven and I returned to our car and the journey home. 

I crocheted a few creatures in the car on the way there, and
we left them hidden around Hannah's apartment when we left.

We stopped at my sister April's home in Green River, WY that evening, and enjoyed visiting with her and her little ones. The following morning we attended sacrament meeting with her - it was their ward's Primary Program, and then continued on our way home. 

We arrived back in town around 5:30 Sunday evening and collected the boys from where they had been staying at a friend's house. They had attended the ward campout Friday night, gone swimming Saturday afternoon, and attended church on Sunday, so they hadn't missed us horribly.

So now our family at home is smaller by one person. Peter told me when he got to school Friday morning he was crying because Hannah had left. Poor kid. I spent much of Monday finishing cleaning out Hannah's old room and preparing it for John to move in. I think the boys will appreciate being able to spread out a little. 

I will admit, I miss Hannah. I am grateful for modern technology - I can text her and we can Skype, so I don't feel like she is totally out of touch, but it isn't quite the same. I know she will do well in college and that this is an important step in her life, but I think in my heart she will always be my little girl. And I miss her.