He's off....pretty emotional....

Well, this was the day we said good bye to Phillip for quite some time. We were able to pick up
Cooper and Allie Mae so they were able to see their dad off.

I had to take this picture for Rachel. Josh is one of her really good friends from high school...and that is the short and tall of it.

After the luggage was weighed in, off it went to be loaded in the plane.

Phillip and Nicole were holding each other pretty close. Hard to let go and say goodbye.

Nicole was taking this picture and Allie ran up, we all thought that was pretty cool. We are so pleased with Phillip, Isaac, and Alex. What they do is hard and takes them away from their families. We all owe a lot to them and all the others who sacrifice for our freedom. Our boys have great supportive wives. They bear a lot while their husbands are away.

This is the group of men from Malad, where Nicole was raised. They let Phillip stand in honorarily, on behalf of Nicole.

Cooper was feeling pretty sad, it was sinking into him that his dad was going to be gone for a long time.

Allie is just a sweet heart that loves her dad. It wasn't sinking in as much for her, but it will. It WAS sinking in for Phillip.

It was time to leave family and friends and get on the plane.

The wheels are off the ground and away they go, there were a lot of tears. The Black Hawk in the front had brought in the military dignitaries to see 'the boys' off. They left right after the plane took off.

Phillip and Nicole made the Idaho State Journal! The largest picture on the page. Of course they were the best looking couple!

We'll miss him a lot. Please keep him and all of 'the boys' in your prayers.