The Last Train

Yesterday we took Anna to the train station in Rocky Mount and sent her back to college. Her final semester! Next time we see her, she will be graduating ... so this was the last time we'll put her on a train like this. Sniff!

She gave her sister a hug good-bye. Guess which one is the hugger, and which one is the anti-hugger? Haha!

We went to Rocky Mount by way of Greenville so Anna could try on the bridesmaid dress for her brother's wedding in May. She needed to be certain of the fit.

Fuzzy photo b/c I grimed up the lens somehow ....

I hadn't been in a bridal store since before my own wedding. I'd forgotten how unique, how elegant, how serious it all is, in a wonderful way. For the first time I truly felt the weight of the upcoming event, and I felt the wonder of being part of it, an important part of it! I'm so excited!

Anna picked out the dress and got that straightened away. Then we drove the hour to the train station and waited in the cold wind. Rocky Mount has an old downtown with cute shopping and neat lamp post lighting on one side, and old industrial buildings (still in use!) on the other.

The train ripped by.

Anna traveled to Charlotte, had a 6 hour layover there in the train station Friday night, and proceeded on to her college town, arriving this morning. I used to worry about her, traveling alone in train stations. But after sending her around the world to China, and having her spend many hours in LAX airport, I think she's up to it :)

Good-bye, sweet girl! We loved having you home! We're eager to see you again ... we are so very proud of you!