The Last Hurrah

Yesterday, my Mom and Dad packed up a truck and drove away from the home they built in Cincinnati. They sold the house in order to prepare for their mission to the Philippines for the next three years then will most likely settle down in the west.

They brought the whole family together for last hurrah before they and Dallin left on their missions. For the first time since Jordan and I were married everyone was home in Cincinnati. Needless to say, we made sure to do all the things we love to do. We played, we sang, we ate, we laughed, we ate some more and then laughed even harder. But we also began slowly claiming and packing up my parents things.

My brothers and I reflected on this. How my parents had spent their whole life providing us and themselves with the comforts of life and small spoils that keep our family together. Now, Mom and Dad are seemingly leaving all their material things behind to go and serve the Lord as mission presidents in the Cauayan Philippines mission. I am most proud and excited for them and wouldn't have it any other way. But this also meant saying goodbye to Ohio as a home.

For most people, Ohio isn't really anything all that spectacular. And in all honestly, there really isn't much there. But I think that is what I love most about it. It was ours. Every space has a wisp of a memory, every corner has it's specific flavor and the most obscure things hold the upmost nostalgic sacredness. Ohio is dear to our hearts and it is a tearful goodbye.

In an effort to capture this feeling, I put together a little video. It's a bit like trying to bottle up the Milky Way in a mason jar. But I hope it does Cincinnati justice: