be good to him, Russia.

{My sister was able to snap this awesome picture of my brother as he was walking away to the MTC.  It just captures his cute and funny personality so perfectly.  That fist pump is sooooooo him!}

Mitch entered the MTC two days ago.  And I already miss him so much, ugh :(

I've lived far away from him for a while since we've lived in California this year, but it's just different now.  It's different knowing that we can't just call or text each other anymore.  And no more afternoon Skyping sessions either.  He was always my Skyping buddy.

I'm so glad I was able to spend last weekend with him in Utah, but when Wednesday came around and I knew the family was dropping him off at the MTC, it was so hard for me not to be there.

He called me Wednesday morning to Skype and say goodbye to the boys.  Actually, we Skyped about three different times that morning before he left because I kept refusing to say goodbye, so we'd have to Skype again later.  (Hehe!...my dirty little trick.)

But then the afternoon rolled around and it really was time for him to go so I couldn't put it off anymore.  So I snapped this picture of our last conversation and said goodbye.

I've definitely gotten a little teary over the past couple of days.  I think it's a combination of feeling extra nostalgic, and also just facing the fact that time really does go so fast.  I mean, it seriously feels like just yesterday when I was playing in the back yard with my siblings without a care in the world.  In fact - as crazy as this sounds - I actually remember the day Mitch was born, and going to see him and mom at the hospital.

And now that baby is on his mission and I have three babies of my own.

It's nuts.

Mitchy, I hope these 2 years go by fast.  And then I hope the next 13 years after that go by VERY SLOW.

Because that's when Jack will be 19.

And then Sammy 2 years after that.

Awww crap, I'm crying again.

Heaven help me.