The bittersweet goodbyes.

The setting apart was wonderful. President Morris gave a special blessing. Andrew Bellomy is now, officially Elder Bellomy.
We now have an awkward few hours while Elder Bellomy is in sort of a twilight zone. Officially a missionary, he still has his non-mission friends, girlfriend, and family around. It is sort of normal...yet not. We all hung out together after the setting apart. One-by-one, people departed with tears and happiness as they said goodbye for two years. It was particularly hard to see Elder Bellomy's sister Elizabeth say goodbye. It was as if she didn't want to leave because it meant that it would be the last time for such a long, long time.
When 10:30 rolled around, the family and Andrew's friends gathered in a circle and said a prayer together. Saying goodbye to his girlfriend Whitney was hard. Because he is now set apart, it had to be a rather public goodbye with his 'pseudo' companion Dad standing and watching. It made it hard to be tender...especially since there could be no privacy or physicality. It was hard for both of them.
We will be up early in the morning to go to the gym and final prep for the trip to Provo. If the goodbyes tonight were hard, I can't imagine what it will be like at the MTC tomorrow.
Andrew and his Dad had companion prayer tonight and we will take tomorrow with all the sweetness and sadness it will bring.