~Fifteen~

My blue eyed baby turned 15 today.   That's 15 years of being grateful that I said NO to the doctors when they suggested on several occasions that I should just abort him and start over. 

Our family would definitely not be complete without this sweet boy.  And this world is definitely a better place with him in it. 

His birthday has been overshadowed by the fact that his brother got home yesterday, but he thinks having him come home is a pretty great birthday present.  (Sure beats the pants off the last couple years when his brother left the day before his birthday and then the next year when we moved on his birthday.) 

Returned with Honor

Two years.

24 months.

104 weeks.

731 days.

And more hours, minutes, and seconds than I'd care to count.

But the day we've waited for had finally arrived.

Friends and family gathered at the airport to welcome him home.  Corrine and my parents came in to town for the big event.

My dad thought the display of posters was obnoxious, and they probably were, but Nick loved them, and that's all that matters.

There were 5 missionaries from Nick's mission on that plane.

Of course EVERYONE knew I got the first hug.  I LOVE this picture.

Overwhelming.  It was all just so overwhelming.  I was totally fine until I saw him, and then I just burst into tears.  Maddie too.  That was unexpected for both of us.

We all are so happy he's home.  We sure missed that kid.

Preparations

SOMEBODY is on his way home!!

We had a lot to do to get ready.

For starters, Maddie volunteered to give up her room and move into mine.  As you can see, my room has been re-decorated.  And since she needed some closet space, I took the opportunity to get rid of even more stuff.  I have a king sized bed and she doesn't snore or kick or toss and turn in her sleep, so that's great.   But I do miss my carpet.

And OF COURSE we had to make posters.

We are so excited!!

It's weird though, I can't explain it, but I'm kinda nervous. 

Back to School

It's that time of year again.  Ü

Time to begin another school year.

This Little Boy

is now in the 6th Grade!  My last year ever having a kid in an elementary school.

This Little Boy

is now a Sophomore in High School.  What the heck?

And craziest of all, this Little Girl

is a Senior in High school.  SENIOR.   I can't wrap my head around it.

And just because I was digging out the old pictures, I thought I'd add these two pictures of a couple other first graders. 

And because I thought we should start the year off on the right foot, we had ice-cream for dinner.

At Last

After more than a few failed attempts to take the writing test, and the driving test, Maddie FINALLY got her driver's license.  She was one super happy little girl.

I'm happy to not have to drive her around, and having a second driver in the family will be awesome, but it really doesn't get easier watching them drive off on their own for the first time.

♪♫ It's raining, it's pouring... ♪♫

I don't think anybody enjoys a good rainstorm like an Arizonan.

Plus it makes for a good excuse to wear a stupid and pointless umbrella hat. But shhhh, don't tell her I said that about her hat.  She loves it for reasons I don't understand.

Utah

I took a couple days off work and drove to Utah to pick up the kids.   Zach and Maddie had a lot of fun at EFY.  They went to Logan this year.  To us, EFY is just one of those things that I think is worthwhile to make happen.  They gain so much from it in so many ways, and they are dealing with so much junk in their lives, I feel they NEED this. 

That said, they loved it.  Despite the lack of pictures :/

Other than that, some of the other highlights were-

teaching grandpa how to take a selfie on his new iphone,

visiting with their grandparents and aunts and uncles, (Grandma and aunt Amy somehow escaped being photographed)

spending the day with Will,

Maddie entertaining grandpa (and the rest of us) with her musical talents,

meeting one of Nick's former companions, the former Elder Josh Hatch,

visiting the One Man Band Diner, the place where Zach FINALLY tried fry sauce and has been obsessed ever since.  We go back there every once in awhile as a pilgrimage of sorts...

and last but not least, the kids FINALLY got to meet their brand new little cousin Ben. 

There hasn't been a new baby in the family since Christopher, and they've been dying to meet this little cutie.   I mean, look at these baby pictures.  It was killing us to not hold him and kiss him and squish him.

And then it was time to go.  I miss those lazy days of summer when I would spend a month or so in Utah, but I will take what I can get.