Last night was Claire's last night as just Claire.
This evening she will officially be:
SISTER NIELSON!
Yesterday after dinner, we gathered in the living room as a family,
and together read the Home MTC rules and guidelines
For the next six weeks, Claire will be in our home
as a set-apart full-time missionary,
and essentially we will all be her companions until she officially leaves
to Brazil (or because of Covid reassigned somewhere else).
She will spend about 6 hours a day at her desk in her room
learning the language (Portuguese),
the doctrine and scriptures, and then of course the culture.
She will still keep and follow all the missionary rules despite being at home;
like waking up at 6:30, and being in bed by 10:30.
Our family is committed to helping her keep the mission rules.
We want to be learning and growing right along with her.
Gigs was a little disappointed about weekend movie nights being canceled
for a while. And as we each took turns reading about the home MTC experience
out loud to each other, Oliver interrupted and said,
"Wait! We can't listen to music in the car?"
I told him no if Claire was in the car too.
I think this is going to be good for all involved.
So for her last night as our big sister Claire,
and before she turns into Irmã Nielson,
all five of the Nies logged into their favorite nerd game,
Among Us and played a few rounds.
I felt overwhelmed listening to them yell and scream and laugh
because a chapter is closing in our family.
My heart aches and is bursting at the same time.
Somewhere along the way, they stopped being my "Little Nies"
as they grew up and out of that title.
Then they just became my "Nies", and now those Nies are flying the nest.
But wait!
Wasn't I just 20 years old and pregnant with Claire?
Yes, like yesterday!
What's going on??
How could this be happening???
