MTC

Of course we get to the Orlando Airport at 6:45ish AM.  Her plane leaves at 7:45am.  We were able to go through a quicker line because we had checked her in online and pre-paid for her luggage, mental note: do this for all trips...

Next up, the security line...you would've thought you had stepped into Walt Disney World or Universal, yep you guessed, she had to wait in line.  They even had a timer on the wall that showed how long the wait was from that point, to the security detectors.

Before Teighlor went in, she saw a few things she wanted to take a picture with.

Ok, so I wasn't one she asked to have her picture taken with, I had to ask her, lol...

I gave her a hug and we said "goodbye" or "see you later" :)  I was going to leave and even walked away.  I called Sam (he had already said goodbye) who was waiting at the cell lot so we didn't have to pay for parking, yes we are cheap, lol...and when I got off the phone with him, I decided to go back and watch her go through the security gate, just to make sure everything was ok.  I watched her all the way through, she made it just fine, I blew her a kiss and she was off.
I seriously didn't think I would cry, I felt like I was going to be the worst mom cause I knew I wouldn't cry, I just didn't feel emotional...I was really afraid something was wrong with me.  BUT...after she was gone the tears came...I was relieved I had some tears in a weird way, but at least it wasn't over whelming.  I have teared up several times through out the day, I divert my thinking, gain composure and then I am fine again.
I love her, I am proud of her.  I know she will be a great missionary.

I wasn't sure if I was to expect a phone call from her, letting me know that she made it.  As time went on, and Delta.com had confirmed the plane landed, I figured I wasn't getting a phone call.  That's ok, I kinda knew anyways.  They don't want the separation to be any harder than it will already be.
I prayed for her throughout the day...my mind would wander and I would imagine her alone, even though I KNOW she is not alone, I just have a crazy mind.  I know our Heavenly Father knows each of us and what we need.  I received a wonderful short little message from Mica McGriggs, telling me that she was at the airport to pick up a cousin's friend to take him to the MTC and she saw Teighlor.  What???  Really???  How ironic is that!!!  But she was unable to say hello at the airport was crazy chaotic, someone called it a "Mormon Zoo", lol...she did get to tell me that Teighlor looked good and was with a big group of Missionaries.  That was it, that is what I needed to hear.  I am so grateful for that short little message.  HF answered my prayer through Mica.

Teighlor is now at the MTC and will be there until the 12th of Aug.  I know she will learn and grow tremendously just in these few days she has there.

A New Missionary

This evening at 7pm, Teighlor Anemaree Cole became Sister Cole for the next 18mos.  What a special experience it was to be there when President Bailey set her apart.  She is very nervous about leaving tomorrow and to know what is to come and be expected of her.  I know she will be great and I am looking forward to that first phone letting me know she made it ok and that she is fine.

Teighlor and Pres. Bailey

Bishop Lia really wanted to be here when she was set apart but he is away with his family for some much needed family time.  So we were honored to have Bro Gooch come in his place.  Pres Bailey invited both Bro Gooch and Sam to lay their hands on her head while he set her apart.  What a neat experience for us.

As you can see from these next pictures, it took a few tries to get a good picture of the family. Aamerik was just not being cooperative.

I think this is the best we got, lol

...would've been this one but Jairyn looked away and Tariyah isn't smiling, oh well...

For anyone that would like to send her a letter, at least in the near, near future, here is her MTC address:
Sister Teighlor Anemaree Cole
AUG 12 MS-JAC
2011 N 900 E Unit 262
Provo, UT  84602

I am sure she would love to hear from anyone that has a few moments on their hands.  She also has email: teighlor.cole@myldsmail.net

I will update as soon as she gets to Mississippi and has another address.

and the Countdown begins...

I can't believe that she only has one week left before she leaves for the MTC.  I was driving with her the other day and I asked her how she was feeling.  She said that she was both scared/nervous and excited.  I told her it was normal and that I was glad that is what she was feeling.
She is so funny, she is wanting me to help her re-pack, finish her room and get things done, she even said she would wear the same outfit for the next week so she can get everything else put away.  I laughed and told her we had time for that.  I didn't expect her to wear the same thing everyday for a week.
Today is her last day at work, I think she is secretly happy about that. Tomorrow she and Taiason are going to the movies to watch Despicable Me 2 and have a "sister date".  Then she is speaking on Sunday at church, Monday she has her driving test for her license, Tuesday she gets set apart as a missionary and Wednesday she leaves at 7:45am.  I think that is enough to occupy her mind and time until she goes.

Getting ready

We really enjoyed the venture of going out and finding clothes for her mission. It was definitely harder than we thought and at the end, even difficult.  Here are the items that we got in the beginning, they are pretty wrinkled, ha ha...we actually were just taking pictures to take with us shopping so we would already know what she had and what colors.  We did get a few more things, perhaps we will see them in pictures we will get from her.

The Temple

On June 6, 2013 we went to the Temple for Teighlor to receive her endowments.  What a special day this was for us and an important step for her in going on her Mission.

After she received her endowments, we were able to schedule a long time coming event of Sam and I being sealed together as a family and in the process, Aaliyah, Tariyah and Aamerik were also sealed to us.  Teighlor and my mom were able to watch the ceremony.  Teighlor, Taiason, Jaemyn, and Jairyn did not have to be re-sealed to me, because they were already sealed to me and that just carried over. 

After the sealing we went out to dinner at Olive Garden for a celebration of a Forever Family.

Our sealing was on June 19, 2013

 Man is it ever hard to get 1 good shot where we are all looking the same way with smiles.

Before she left on her mission we were able to go to the temple one more time.

Mission Call

On April 20th, 2013, we got a package in the mail.  I remember waiting and looking every day for almost 2 weeks, hoping her call would come.  I got the mail today and she didn't know.  We just happened to have a Ward Activity that was happening that evening and I thought it would be the perfect place for her to open it.  Bapa/Sam was in India at the time so he wasn't able to be there. 

Yep, that's right, Jackson, Mississippi. We were all kinda surprised as that was no where even close to where we were thinking or dreaming about. :)  I think she secretly was hoping for Japan, but no worries, we made sure she knew that Mississippi would be pretty close to foreign mission, ha ha...

So now that she had her call she had to complete a few tasks.  One of those was getting a job and start saving some money!!  Woo Hoo, she had just been hired by Ross, such a blessing. 

Next she had to finish High School...not a problem, she had that one in the bag :)

After finishing high school her next step was to go to the Temple and receive her endowments.  What a wonderful day this was.  Even if she did take a Melatonin the night before and still had effects of it the next morning, lol.  She had a hard time keep her eyes open a few times, but she made it through.

The last and final step will be continued preparation and waiting until July 31st!

Pre Mission Call

Teighlor never really considered or thought that she would go on a mission, even when they announced the age change at the October 2012 General Conference.  I, her mother, had been talking about her getting her Patriarchal Blessing, this is also something she kept putting off, thinking she wasn't ready for it.  With the help from our dear friend, Linda Pitts, she decided to get her blessing.  That is where the change came in.

She had been planning on attending The Art Institute of Tampa, FL when she came and told me that she decided to go on a mission.  I remember being stunned and not sure what to say. I asked her what made her change her mind and she said it was her Patriarchal Blessing and the promises she was given.

So we started on our adventure of The Mission.  Elder Russell M Nelson, talked about missionaries "Catching the Wave" of missionary work, in his April 2013 conference address.  Well Teighlor has Caught the Wave!

Our first step was to complete her Mission Paperwork and get it sent in, this was too bad and done fairly quickly. Part of that, was to take a picture, so we did when we were at the Temple for baptisms.

 

After we submitted her paperwork it was a waiting game. This was right before April's conference, so we knew it might take a little longer to get her call. So we waited, and waited.  Most people had gotten their call within two weeks of submission...so we waited.  We realized there was an influx of applications, so we continued to be patient and we waited.  Then we waited a little bit more.