SAYING GOODBYE TO ALLISON

Dad and Mom took us for a FHE farewell dinner for Allison.  We went to La Paloma.  We had a nice time.  Good visiting and good food.  Thank you so much for the nice evening.

Saying goodbye to grandpa and grandma

  

Polly found a toad.  She cannot see a creature or an animal and not touch it.  She has stealth moves, she was faster than the toad, and without any hesitation picked him up.  Lillian was not happy with her, and Allison and DeWitt were telling her that she would have to ride in the back and not touch anything.  Scott was looking on being a proud papa, and grandpa and grandma were just smiling knowing that they didn't have to give her a ride home.

These are Allison, Dallin and DeWitt's friends.  Tommy Schnell and Jordan Hunt.

A girls (and Carson) going away luncheon.  Rebecca, grandma Sherry, Rachel, Mary, Carson, Lindsay, Allison and grandma Susan.  We all met at Main Street Cafe, and enjoyed some last minutes together.

DeWitt was getting ready to leave and so we had to get a picture, no matter what Allison was wearing, or how soon she had gotten out of the shower.

Polly was getting ready for soccer practice when she was ready to take her picture.  She wanted it by the clock so that we may always remember the time.

Love, Love, Lillian and Allison

 Parenting, when children are young and all around you, asking for things and needing everything is hard.  But you know what is harder......When they leave home.  I can't believe how fast time goes.  When I look back at when my kids were little and we would play dress up, (yes the boys too) and have "Friday night parties" and travel for tennis tournaments, and all of the fun stuff that goes on with younger kids.  I thought that the time would never come that any of my kids would be leaving me.  But it happens and it happens fast, and no advice that I got from my mom or other moms could have prepared me for the emotion's that I go through.  If you think being pregnant is emotional, or post part um is emotional, or even when you send your kids off to kindergarten is emotional, you have another thing coming.  Three months ago Dallin left me, and I wouldn't want it any other way.  He is in Argentina, exactly where he needs to be.  Now Allison is ready to leave my nest and it's good and right.  It's exactly what she needs to do, but what about me.....I feel like the kids are still going to have their sister.  And I will still have my daughter, but my relationship will be different.  I won't be involved in every single part of her life.  I will be taking a different roll.  So after these many years of her being in my home she is ready to branch out into the world.  (And if she didn't then I would really be upset, hehehe) Allison going to college at EAC seemed just like an extension of high school for me.  Allison going to St. George, Dixie State, seems like she went off to college.  I'm rambling.  I am so proud of Allison.  She is such a great and wonderful girl.  I have been so blessed having her for my daughter, she is a wonderful example of everything good in life.  She is always a very positive person.  I'm excited for this new adventure that she is going to have.

Here we go, we're on the way to St. George.  The car is full, but not a full as I expected.

We had a nice stop at Hoover Dam.  The bridge behind Allison is huge.

Next stop....Las Vegas.  Ummmm not the "cleanest place", but now we can say we've been there and that's enough for me.

Allison in front of Caesar's Palace

In front of Caesar's Palace

Had to show the Lord of the Rings slots.  Allison was a bit disappointed that the Lord of the Rings showed up in a casino.

Allison got an e-mail from her landlady that told her to just show up at the apartments and the Key would be in the electric box.

Allison's roommates.  They are super great!!!!
Cassie, Felicia,  Lydia, and Allison

We were able to to spend some time at the St. George Temple.  We did baptisms together.

St. George temple

Allison and mama

Scott checking out the bulletin board in the student center.

We took a self guided walking tour of campus

Allison's new school......Dixie State

This is Allison's new institute building, and also where she will be attending her church meetings.  This building is huge, it has 3 stories with a ton of class rooms.  The moment we walked in we felt like it was home.  Brother Anderson one of the teachers immediately welcomed us and helped Allison with registration and with a quick tour.  I know after the institute experience Allison felt much better about things.

This picture is awesome.  It's in the St. George temple, but it was also in the institute building which is why I have a picture of it.  It is Wilford Woodruff with the founding fathers.

walking away from the institute building to towards the tennis courts and the basket ball arena.

inside the basket ball arena

Her home away from home.  Scott put his arm around Allison and said.  "Well all of your hard work has paid off, you've done it!!"

You can see the St. George temple in the background

This is how I really feel.

This is where we had our "last supper"

This store is in biking distance for Allison so we wanted to stop here and check things out first.  Scott said that they should drop the "H" and put in an "M" so that it would say "Marmons"

My baby girl and her new home.  When we first arrived I wasn't altogether sure about things.  I didn't like the beds, and there was no dresser.  Well we soon left her apartment to look for some things to make her place a little more homey.  We drove past a Deseret Industries.  (heaven sent)  It was a very beneficial stop.  We got her a sturdy bookshelf, a bedside table and Scott picked out a great lamp.  (the lighting in the apartment was horrible).  After we put it together this much, Allison and I both felt much better, and I could picture her happy here.

Allison in her kitchen.  We bought her some groceries, so that she wouldn't be a starving student.

Our last little chat.

Allison's very cool bike.  It was given to her by her second family the Smith's.  It was Tessa's bike and she suggested to her parents that Allison might love it.  They agreed and Allison does in fact love it!!  Scott worked on making this cool bike into a college bike while Allison and I played around organizing her room a bit.

Allison and her Casa.  She lives in apartment number 2.

Why is this so hard to do?  I'm glad that my face wasn't showing.  I had tears in my eyes, that didn't dry until about Wickenburg, and then Scott had to start talking about "her" again.  hugh.

The dada hug.  We love you Allison, you are a super wonderful daughter and big sister.  You'll have a wonderful time at college.