Off to Chiapas - again.

I love my siblings. They really are my best friends (after Mitch-darling). Somehow we've all managed to live in the same state (same metropolitan area) for the last several years and it's been heaven. The exceptions are the few semesters a year my little brother spends going to school up at Utah State (he left on Sunday) and my older sister, Holly's, stints with her husband and 2 kids in Mexico doing archaeology (they left yesterday morning). My poor mom. It's tough to say good bye - especially when my sister and her family will be gone almost a year this time. Thank goodness for Skype and internet phone service (my little niece called us last night from their hotel in Mexico City to inform us that she had just had her bath). Plus Mike and I are planning a trip down next Spring to visit them and the site.

Grace is trying to be brave about it, losing her bosom friend, Emory, for so long... ...and I miss my sister so much...which is ironic given the epic battles of our youth and just not "getting" each other until we were in our 20's.

On the bright side, everyone is excited for this archaeological season - and the great professional opportunity it represents for Bruce & Holly. They're funded by National Geographic (I knew my subscription was going to pay-off some day) and Fulbright - so hopefully we'll be able to read all about it next year some time.

To help take our minds off all the separation shock - we've had a few big events to think about:

#1. The Oquirrh Mountain Temple dedication on Sunday. That was so cool. I took my usual run up there this morning. I love the view of the valley from the bluff it sits on in South Jordan...I can see the Jordan River Temple just a couple of miles to the east and the Draper Temple up in the hills below Lone Peak where I used to run back in high school.

#2. The start of school today. This is Tillman's first year. I was a little emotional last night about it. He, of course, took it in stride. When I picked him up today he acted like it was just another day.

It's hard to believe that Summer is already past - but if I was having trouble accepting it, all of these sudden changes are helping to punctuate that fact.