Mission Complete :)

Yesterday was the definitely one of the best days of my life. Christopher is home from his two years mission and he is wonderful!!! It was a day we had looked forward to for a very long time and I have to say that we were not disappointed. I find myself just looking at him in awe and taking in everything about him. He not only has grown into a man but also into a spiritual giant. You don't even need to talk to him to notice-there is just something about his mere presence. He glows. He has a poise now that was not there before. He has a calmness and confidence that just seems to surround him. You almost need to meet him in person to experience it. Pictures cannot translate this transformation. It is incredible.

Our day started out very early. His plane was to arrive at Salt Lake International Airport at 8:47 am. The night before I watched the weather forecast and saw that a "major" snow storm was on track to arrive just as we were to be traveling to the airport. Bummer. We got up at 6 am and began getting ready for our departure. Christopher's best friend, Craig (who had just returned from his mission one month earlier) arrived at our home at 6:30 am to help put up the large sign that covered the garage door. I did not want to put it out earlier because of the storm coming through. Craig also accompanied us to the airport. We were out the door at 7:30 am and ready to go get our missionary. I had purchased yellow balloons the night before and my neighbor, Holli, agreed to put them outside around 9am so that they could have some chance of survival through the snow. I had already resigned myself to the fact that they may not make it through the cold temperature, but I thought it was worth a try.


The picture above is not the best, but it is the only one of the family that was in focus :( Hopefully I can get some pictures from Bobby and they will be better.

Christopher had to be to the airport in California at 4 am and he told me later that he only got about an hour of sleep because the other missionaries were playing guitar and ping pong in the next room. He had gone to bed at 9 pm, but was not able to sleep.

This is in the mission van heading to the airport. Christopher had driven this van a lot during his mission taking other missionaries to and from the airport and during transfers.
Here we all are at the airport waiting for Christopher's plane to land.
More visiting at the airport...

This was our welcome wagon gang. The snow storm prevented some of the other families members from arriving and honestly, I am kind of glad. When he did finally get here I could tell he was really overwhelmed. I think that more people would have pushed him over the edge!
Emma and Abigail waiting for Christopher to come down the escalator. Emma stood there for the longest time waiting. It was so cute! She wanted to be the first one to hug him :)
FINALLY!!! We spotted him coming down the escalator! It was the best feeling in the world. All kinds of thoughts quickly traveled through my mind. I cannot even think of any words to could do justice to my emotions. All of us were teary eyed and soooooo happy to have him home!
Christopher hugging his dad. Not many words were spoken just lots of smiles, hugs and tears from everyone.
Christopher hugging his Grandma.
With his best friend, Craig.
Christopher showing us his California driver's license while we waited for his bags.
Heading to the car with our RM :)

HOME!!! The balloons were struggling, but he got the idea.
Going to lunch at one of the his favorite places, Rumbi's. When we took him to the MTC, this is where our family ate lunch. We have now come full circle-ha!
Later last night he visited with the stake president and was officially released. It was hard to watch him take his badge off when the stake president instructed him to. I even shed a few tears. The mission was a great ride and I am strangely sad to see it end.

We then returned home to a family dinner with all 7 of us at the dinner table for the first time in 2 years. How wonderful was that! Jenni and Christopher then headed to the mall to get him some "civilian" clothes. He had lost so much weight that nothing fit him. Later that evening we had numerous people drop by and say hello to him. It was great! I think things finally calmed down around 10:30 pm. What a day to remember...a little glimpse of heaven :)