Elder Hayes' Departure

Our time with elder Hayes right before his departure was bitter-sweet. We took some pictures and joked around for a bit, but when it was time to say good-bye, the mood changed quickly and tears flowed from everyone present. Nathan hugged him tight for a while, after which he said, "How am I going to survive without you for two years?

Since his departure, our home feels much quieter, mostly because now the piano is pretty much sitting untouched. No more piano concertos for two years.=-) But we have been able to talk with him two times already, and it's been wonderful! What a game-changer it has been to have the opportunity to talk to him and see him through video! Love you elder Hayes! Talk to you (and see you!) next week!

P.S. - The flowers on the picture down below were from elder Hayes to me! It was a nice gesture of him to arrange for a company to deliver a flower bouquet with a personal message from him. Love you, son!