Miriam's last Sunday

 

Today was Miriam's last week at our ward. Technically she still has one more Sunday left in Georgia, but we aren't going to our ward next week. So this was it for her. 

Typically she reserves bells for the Christmas season, but she went heavy on the bells for prelude and postlude today. I didn't even fully register the significance of her playing God Be With You Till We Meet Again until I stopped recording (I was recording because I like when she uses the bells) and walked over to where my friend Christine was crying. 

Her daughter Andie is pretty close to Miriam. And there aren't a lot of other young women (or young men) to fill in the gap that Miriam (and Benjamin) will leave in the youth program. Rachel aged out, but even that was pretty rough on our one priest (who will be leaving on a mission next month). 

Goodbyes are rough. 

Speaking of goodbyes, I was released last Sunday so I...didn't have to prepare singing time this week and I felt a little empty-handed walking into the church building without all my primary props. It was a little sad, but moving forward is good.

The driveway of the church is lined with crepe myrtle trees, which are blooming right now.

We took a few pictures outside the building to commemorate our last Sunday (or Miriam's last Sunday, at any rate).

I'm not sure I fully captured the blossoms (hard to do without crossing the driveway, which was full of traffic).

Benjamin also wanted to take a picture with the big oak tree out front.

Phoebe was very particular about her outfit this morning. She drew a picture of what she wanted to wear—her blue flower dress, with blue socks, and pink shoes; her hair in braids with some pink flower clips.

I was honestly hoping she'd ask to wear her hair down—because she usually does on Sundays and it was already in braids...that she'd slept in so they were a bit too fuzzy for going to church. But she wanted them in braids, so she asked me to redo her braids and make them tidier. 

She was quite pleased to see her vision come to life!

Tomorrow is our one-month mark. Time is moving both fast and slow...