IT'S MELISSA K: The Hardest One Yet.

Tyler is leaving tomorrow. It doesn't feel too real yet but I know when I drive home today it will feel real and I just might cry all the way home. I've already cried twice. That's okay though, crying is good.

Tyler is one of my best friends that I have made at SUU. I may not be considered a best friend to him but he is definitely mine. He is an amazing person and is just always there to hang out with and talk to. And now he won't be there and it will sure be different. Hopefully when he comes back things will eventually get back to how they are now. This week I drove up here for a third time in a row, (for those of you that don't know, it is about a 3 1/2 hour drive for me) just to see him one last time before he left. On Monday, I got to his house around 4:30 and played some pool and watched him, his cousin Spencer and my other friend Jake use sling shots to shoot gummy bears at things. It was pretty entertaining. At about 5:30 we headed over to Tyler's brother in law's snow boarding training place, Snowgression. It has a few trampolines and foam pits that we just messed around on. Our appointment was from 6-8 but traffic was ridiculous and we didn't get there at the time we expected. We were there until about 9:00 and then headed back to Tyler's house where we met some of our other friends Kaleigh, Courtney Boss, Dani, Boss's cousin and Shannon. We then went to a church parking lot and took some sweet pictures with some sparklers. (the cool/pretty firework things)

My plan was to go home Tuesday afternoon and hang out with Tyler sometime before that but he had plans so I decided to stay one more night and see him one last time that night. I just went to his house and hung out with him, Shannon, Spencer, Jake, Angie and Brooke. We attempted to go to this "secret tree house" but it was basically rotted to nothing. We ended up just standing outside his house and talking.

Then the time came to say goodbye. I pretty much stalled for as long as I could and was the last person to leave, next to Shannon of course. I gave him the longest hug I could and then said bye and left. Surprisingly I haven't cried yet because I haven't thought about it. We will see about when I drive home though.

Tyler, you'll be one of the best missionaries I know. The people of Ireland and Scotland will be more than lucky to have you walking their streets and teaching them this beautiful gospel. Good luck! I love you and care about you more than you know!