Ryan’s Last Week and Farewell

We got back from Reno late on Sunday night (the 17th) and only had three days to get everything in order for company to come and get ready for Ryan to go.  I planned meals, grocery shopped several times, cleaned rooms, had the girls organize cupboards and drawers and washed sheets.

Monday July 18th - Monday night Katie and her Pride Red team started a John Wells course every night for several hours at Cottonwood Park.   Monday was also one of Ryan’s last day working at ARBY’S and to celebrate, he brought home Creamsicle Shakes for everyone.

Tuesday July 19th - Dad’s Birthday!  I met Chris for lunch at the Eidelweiss restaurant where we ordered Rahmschitzel .  At home he opened up some presents including his Yeti, which he loves and Spikeball – which we learned about from Dan on our Reno vacation.

Wednesday July 20th - Wednesday morning I skyped my parents and heard that my Dad had purchased a ticket for Friday to fly to Utah and pick up Brian’s car. He needed to bring it back to Canada so he could sell it. Excited, I said, ‘Dad, come over on Saturday and stay for Ryan’s farewell! And Mom… fly down for the weekend! I gave them a rough itinerary for the weekend and my Dad was convinced. My mom, worried about when Dad’s next medical appointment would be (being the reason they couldn’t plan on coming earlier) needed a little convincing. We walked through possible scenarios and determined they could get home before they would book the next appointment. We ended up looking up flights while still skyping and found flights for my mom to fly from Bellingham to Las Vegas and from Las Vegas to Colorado Springs on Allegiance Airlines– and for a decent deal considering it was only one day in advance. After purchasing the flights I told her she could likely now ‘check in online’ which we both laughed at. She started packing immediately. I was pretty excited that they could make it after all. It just didn’t seem right to do it without them.

Wednesday night we had Katie’s 16th and Ryan’s 18th Birthday Party. They invited a ton of kids and it was a fun event. Katie and Ryan planned and ran the whole thing – I was just in charge of a spread of food. They made up questionnaires to see who knew them best, they played all kinds of tag games outside, and then ended with Princess Bride upstairs and some Wii downstairs. It was really fun. I love having the kids friends over.

Thursday July 21st - On Thursday I made Taco Soup in the crockpot and headed up to Denver to pick up Shelley and Ashlyn and her boys. Meanwhile, Ryan picked up my mom from the Colorado Springs airport and then took Katie over to soccer practice. The Denver pickup was delayed because of luggage so I waited and waited talking to Monae on the phone – so nice to catch up with her since it’s been forever since we talked. – They’ve moved to Provo and had a baby girl, Kate. : ) When we got home my Mom had done the dinner dishes with the kids, played Scattergories with them and made peanut butter cookies. She just doesn’t sit still. : ) It was so fun to show Ashlyn around the house since she hadn’t been here yet!! After taco soup and getting the excited boys settled in bed, we played some 7Wonders games with Ryan and Ashlyn.

Friday July 22nd - Friday was a pretty laid back day. We had perfect weather to head to the pool for several hours. We ate lunch there and the kids swam for a couple hours and then we headed back home for showers and Ashlyn had a nap. (She’s about 6 weeks pregnant – so very exciting!!) Dallas, Derek, Luke and Matt had so much fun playing together in and out of the house. So fun to have cousins here.

My mom and I spent the afternoon in Ryan’s room helping him pack. We laid out and picked ties, went through his drawers and put everything in his suitcases. It was great – and a little sad – but mostly great. It’s a neat memory for sure.

At one point Ryan brought Emily over to his closet to tell her all the books she should read while he was gone. I love that they share the love of reading.

Friday night my Mom, Shelley, Ashlyn, Ryan and I met Chris at CRAVE BURGER – one of Ryan’s favorite places to eat, and ordered fun burgers before heading to STAR TREK on Opening Night. It was really fun to hang out with him. Then we stayed up really late talking and playing games.

Saturday July 23rd - Saturday morning at 2:00am Scott, Elisha and kids finally got here. We left the door open for them but Chris mindlessly put the alarm on so when they opened the door the alarm sounded. Chris hurried and turned it off and welcomed them inside and got them set up for bed. At 7:45 most of us went over to the YMCA park to watch Luke and Matt play baseball. They both hit and made it around the bases and loved all the attention of everyone being there. Back at the house we were excited to see Scott, Elisha, Molly, Foster, Nate and Owen. We packed lunches and headed up to Cheyenne Mountain to do the Seven Bridges Hike. It was a little longer hike than I had remembered but it’s so pretty – I’m glad we did it.

We ate our sandwiches on the way home and hurried to get into our swimming suits and make it to the pool. We swam for only about 20 minutes before the whistle blew for lightning and we all had to get out.  Bummer, but instead we went home and played basketball, Spike ball, jumped on the trampoline, rode electric scooters, and caught frogs which ended up being a perfect way to spend the night. The girls helped me prepare chicken kabobs, snicker bar salad, fruit salad and Italian sodas for dinner. Grandpa arrived just in time after driving all day from Utah. He ate and talked with us and then swept and mopped my floor for me once everyone disseminated. And then he went to lay down. Later on he started an O Heck game with everyone.

Sunday, July 24th - Sunday morning we ate crepes and got ready for church. Chris left for a meeting at 11:00 and the rest of us gathered in the family room so the cousins could ask Ryan their ‘prepared’ questions about his mission. Then Ryan and Katie gave everyone their birthday questionnaires and they answered them and went over the answers. Then we headed to church.

I had a bit of a stomachache that morning. I guess just a little nervousness for Ryan giving his talk and getting everything ready for dinner and the open house. I wasn’t quite sure how emotional I would be all day but was quite sure that if a friend came and asked me how I was doing, I might just start sobbing.

Ryan was the last speaker, and he did such a good job. That didn’t surprise me since I’ve heard him speak before and I know Chris is always impressed with how he teaches in the Priest Quorum – but I was so proud of him. I managed to hold it together during his talk quite well, but when he sat down on the stand in front of us and then looked right at us with a smile, the tears started flowing for both of us. ‘He did so good’ I whispered to Chris and Chris nodded.

It was fun to have the Seaquists, Pattersons and Astons visiting our ward to hear him speak. They came up to congratulate him, along with some others, and then we went to Sunday School. Ryan and Mark joined us in the adult class.

It was Chris’ turn to teach all of the young men the third hour and he chose to speak on Missions. He prepared a slideshow of pictures of his High School soccer days and his mission and relayed the stories of how hard it was to take off these ‘uniforms’. My Dad and Scott were there to listen to him as well and my Dad commented that he had done a terrific job. I would have loved to have been there. Instead, I was in Relief Society with Mom, Elisha, Shelley and Ashlyn. I’m always so happy to be in RS with my family. Ashley Burr taught the lesson and it was really really powerful based on the talk of President Uchdorf – “He will place you on his Shoulders and Carry you Home.” I loved it. All of us were crying and it definitely applied differently to each of us but because of one of the examples Ashley shared, I definitely felt like I wanted to put my arm around Ashlyn and cry a little bit for her. We talked about it later – Ashlyn, Chris and I – and had a good long conversation. It was one of the many highlights of the weekend.

The Astons came home with us and it was fun to see Sam talking to Scott and my family. I love when my friends and family can meet and talk. We quickly put the chicken and broccoli casseroles in the oven, made the pear, sunflower, mandarin orange salad, boiled the carrots and heated up the brown rice. Then we headed outside to take a few pictures before it was ready. We got some good ones. After eating everyone worked quickly to wash dishes and get all the open house food out. We had quite a few people come visit and say goodbye to Ryan : the Seaquists, the Pattersons, the Astons, Jon Jackson, the Hales, the Egberts, the Hamiltons, the Beiers, the Hansens, Jaret Kehl, the Kinnairds, the McAllisters, the Moyers, the Redds, the Slades, and the Richins. It was fun to have our families there to meet some of our good friends. At the very end when everyone was leaving (the Richins stayed) then the doorbell rang and we sent Ryan to go open it. He was pretty shocked to find Tenley standing there since he thought her New York art internship wasn’t going to be over until after he left. She had called and asked me if she could surprise him so I had known about it for a month. She came in and we sat down to hear about her experiences in New York, and eat some dessert. Mark took his family home and then came back ready to sleep over and spend Monday with us. It’s nice to have him around – I’m so glad he and Ryan are such good friends. We played some 7 Wonders until late. It was such a good day.

Ryan with Grandpa and Grandma Walton…

Ryan with Ashlyn, Dallas and Derek – and Grandma Johnson…

Ryan with his best friend, Mark Aston…

Ryan with Scott, Elisha, Molly, Foster, Nate and Owen…

Monday – July 25th  Monday some of the group woke up early and headed to Manitou to do the incline: Chris, Ryan, Mark, Tenley, Katie, Scott and Elisha. I was torn on doing it, but haven’t been getting enough sleep and didn’t want to leave the others at home. Honestly, I was glad to get another hour or two of sleep and get some more one on one time with my Mom and Ashlyn. At 11:00 we headed over to the pool with everyone and swam for several hours.

Then Scott and Elisha packed up and headed back to Utah. The rest of us played some games. Tenley came over and the big group of us played Telephone Charades and then 3 Part Charades – 1. Descriptions 2. One word 3. Act out. It was really fun. We made Buttermilk Waffles with strawberries and cream for dinner and the kids played outside until it was dark. I love summer nights.

Mark went home at about 9:00. Later in the week he texted me to say thanks… “Hi Sister Johnson, I hope you and your good family are doing okay. What an exciting and sad time! I think mission farewells are the perfect time for using the word bittersweet. I know he is going to be such an amazing missionary and I’m just so proud of him. Thank you SO MUCH for letting me spend every last moment with him. That is such a sacrifice on your part, and I couldn’t be more grateful. He’s my best friend, and I just love him so much! So that time was so precious to me. Also, thank you for letting me be in your home all that time. There is such a special spirit that abides with your family and in your home, and I love feeling it! It is so peaceful and good and loving. I love the Johnsons! I wanted to thank you for everything… even though I know our families will be together again soon. So many exciting things ahead! THANK YOU for letting me be part of this adventure.” Love that kid.

Shelley, Ashlyn, Mom and I played Quirkle and then later we played O Heck – which Shelley and Ashlyn won by a landslide! After I went to bed then my Dad, Mom, Chris, and Ashlyn taught Ashlyn how to play ROOK. Then Chris and Ashlyn stayed up to play Istanbul with Ryan.

Tuesday, July 26th – Our last day with Ryan…  Tuesday morning we woke up EARLY and left the house by 6:30 so we could make the 8:00 Endowment Session at the Denver Temple. Katie came along so she could babysit Derek and Dallas. Not sure why, but I felt pretty weak and shaky during the session but it was good to be in the temple with Ryan again and especially wonderful to be with Grandma Johnson, Ashlyn and Grandma and Grandpa Walton. 

And another round of goodbye’s start.  I turned to take a picture of Chris, who I think was getting a little emotional and he turned away.  Lots of emotions.  Grandma and Grandpa Walton drove from the temple over to Utah on their way back to Vancouver.  It was so good to have them with us for the weekend.

Then we went to Cheesecake Factory with Grandma Johnson and Ashlyn and her boys before dropping them off at the Denver airport.  So great to have so many people here to support Ryan.

When we got back home Ryan continued packing.    Brother Richins and Andrew and Sarah came over to say one last goodbye.

 

Ryan pulled his suitcases up into the dining room and turned on Lord of the Rings #3 to watch/listen to as we organized some last few things.  As the end of the movie approached we all sat on the couches to watch the final scenes play out.  Ryan has watched this movie countless times, but this time started to get emotional and really began to really sob.   It’s a powerful movie and I think the themes of …

• Froto and Sam being companions on a ‘mission’
• Enduring hard things and relying on each other
• Returning home with honor
• Having been changed forever because of what they had gone through and realizing that no one else quite understood what they experienced

… were sinking in in a whole new way.  It was the beginning of a wonderful and emotional night for the family.

The show ended just minutes before we had to head to the Stake President’s office.  We quickly changed into our Church clothes and and hopped in the van and headed to the Stake Center.  President Woodward shook hands with everyone as they entered his office and I was in tears already as he shook my hand.  “How are you doing, Sister Johnson.”  I couldn’t speak, I just pointed at my face, since that gave a clear indication of how I was doing.  We sat around the table and President Woodward spoke for a few minutes before inviting Ryan up to be set apart.  I think everyone felt the magnitude of what was going on.  After he was set apart, President Woodward asked Elder Johnson if he could share his FIRST testimony as an ELDER, with his family.  He bore a powerful testimony and Chris, and the girls and I were all emotional.  One of the things I remember him saying was, “I have a testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel and I understand the Plan of Salvation.  Some people don’t, and that’s why I’m going.”  

From the church we headed straight over to SONIC to grab Ryan one last strawberry milkshake. 

Everyone got a shake and we took them home, got into our pj’s and watched family home videos.  Then Dad asked everyone to take turns saying some words to Ryan.  It was quite possibly one of the most memorable and love filled hours for our little family.   We told Ryan that we were proud of him, that we knew he was going to be a good missionary, and that we loved him.   Everyone took a turn.  Everyone cried – even Luke and Matt.  When it was my turn I looked at him and said, “Ryan, you’re my boy.”  And now that’s how I end every letter to him. 

After we shared our feelings we knelt in family prayer and then did one last ‘No Empty Chairs’ chant as a family.  And then the love continued.  It was so cute to see everyone naturally start hugging each other as they saw them struggling with their emotions.  It was a great night.