"Hi pal!"

5:45am the phone rings,  except this time is was a good thing.  This was one of those calls that you DO want to get in the middle of the night... or at least get woken up to.  "Hi!" Said the voice in the other end.  "Hey pal!" Brent said.  The conversation lasted about 20-25 minutes. There were no tears shed; Garrett sounded like his usual self.   Full of stories of the adventures he has been on the past two weeks.  Telling us all about the MTC and how wonderful it feels to leave.  Telling us how we sent him too many snacks;  snacks he left behind for other incoming elders.  Telling us about sneaking on the computer to send a quick email or how they would have chair races down the hall.  Letting us know that the teachers in the MTC are pretty awesome...at least he said his were.  We told him about RC cars that were just purchased.  We talked about the football teams heading to the Super Bowl.   We talked about a few things he wanted us to send. ..A pocket knife mainly.    Then the conversation had to end so that the other sisters and elders could call their families, too. 
We said our "I Love You's" and he said he would call once he arrived in Atlanta in his nearly 5 hour layover.  We hung up the phone and we were all thrilled, beyond belief, to hear his voice again and to hear that he is doing well.
By now it was just after 6am.  I noticed in the bathroom last night that we needed toilet paper in the morning after we woke up and got ready for the day.  Well, I pushed that need to a desperate need.  I bumped the toilet paper, the only role we had and we're using,  into the toilet! Off to the store we go.
As we drove to the store, we talked about Garrett and how he sounds.  We talked about how now the real part of his mission begins.
We arrived back home about 15 minutes later,  it was not about 6:30am.  We proceeded to get ready and crawl back in bed.   I couldn't sleep...still can't and it is now 8:06am.  I couldn't sleep so I opened my phone, checked Facebook,  then played a game.  Occasionally I would glance at the time on my phone.   6:50...He should be leaving in 20 minutes,  I thought.   Back to the game.  I told myself I want going to look at the time, it would be too hard.  7:00....10 more minutes.   7:09, all I could do was watch those numbers.   I must have watched them for the full minute before it changes it 7:10.  "I wonder if his flight is leaving o  time?" I pondered.
I open up the browser on my phone and proceed to Deltas homepage.   I click on check flight status, type in the departing city and the arriving city.  The flight had already left.  3 minutes early!!!  I didn't know if I should cry or what I should do?
I jumped out of bed,  grabbed my glasses and twisted a louver of the blind open.  It was dawn.  There was light to the east but night looking west.  I could see a plane heading east, the only one.  It's light flashing against the dark sky. My heart sank.  Garrett was gone.  He was no longer just a short hours drive away.  He was no longer within reach I could pick him up if he wanted to come home.  Garrett was and is now on his own, entering the real world. 
Tears filled my eyes when the lights on the plane were switched off, I could no longer tell where he was as he entered the morning sky.   Soon the tears overtook me.  Brent didn't need to ask why I was looking outside, he already knew the answer.  He asked if I could see the plane, which I replied, "I am pretty sure I saw it, but now the lights are off and I can't see it any longer."  He motioned for me to come to bed, which I did.  I just needed to be held, Brent needed to be held.  Garrett was going to be a long ways away.
I didn't expect this emotion to be this strong today.  I didn't think I could feel like I did two weeks ago, again.  But I do.  Once again, this is hard...hard to say goodbye and let go of your children's youth.  Hard to let them grow up and learn to make their own grownup decisions.  Hard to watch them leave the comforts of your home for an unknown place thousands of miles away.  It is just hard.
But I am counting down the hours and minutes until he calls again...from Atlanta.   Three hours until I can hear his voice on the other end and we can say, "Hi pal!  How was your flight?"