Bradys little sister, Erin, has been gone on her mission for 19 months. She was called to the Birmingham Alabama mission. She was suppose to be home in June but they extended her call for awhile longer. This last Thursday on July, 7th, we got to go pick her up from the airport!!! Karlee and I made shirts for everyone to wear. On all the fronts we put "Welcome Home Erin" in different designs and then on the back of each we put something different. Daves: "Proud Dad. May break out in a dance." Jens: "Excited Mom. May break out crying at any time." Bradys: "Big Brother" Mine: Sister In Law" Rieleys: "Older Sister" Karlees: "Old Sister" ((Karlees friend Cali went with us)) Calis: "New Sister" On the fronts of Dav and Trevs we put "Hooray!! My Aunt Erin Is Home!!" And on the back of theirs we put "Nephew #1" and "Nephew #4".
On Mothers Day when we got to skype with her she asked Jen if she had a chain up yet to count down the days until she came home. Dav and I went home and made one and put it up. There were 61 days left at that point and it was draping over the banister on the stairs. Dav would always ask Grandma "did we sleep so we can rip a chain down?" He got to take the last chain off that morning--he was so excited!
Trevin got to eat licorice the whole way out--he was happy about that!
Dav, Aunt Kar and Cali
Just waiting for the flight to come in!
Our headbands were awesome :)
Two very anxious and excited parents :)
My two boys were running everywhere and they were so excited to be there!
Funny picture--This was RIGHT before Brady went to see if her flight had arrived. I told Jen I wanted to get a picture with her before we all started crying and her response was "we better hurry!" Not 5 seconds later Brady yelled over to his mom "her flight landed" and Jen started crying...it was so sweet!
Here she comes!! We seriously waited forever!
Proud Daddy and Mama!
Two VERY proud sisters!
Davin was sitting on Bradys shoulders and kept asking and asking where his Aunt Erin was. He gave her the biggest hug--I bawled :) Trevin was exactly 1 week old when Erin left for the MTC so he didn't really know who she was. But boy does he love her now!
VERY proud big brother! This is also Sister Anderson. She was one of Erins favorite companions. She is 37! They got to fly home together and we waited forever for Sister Anderson to come ou of the terminal thing because she was teaching somebody!
The boys got to go for a ride on Aunt Erins luggage. Poor Davin. We got home Thursday night and he went to bed and woke up at 6 the next morning and said "MOM..I want to go down to Grandmas and say bye to Erin before she goes on the plane." He was pretty excited to find out that he is stuck with her forever now!! He wouldn't leave her side from the airport on!
Let me just say that even writing this post makes me all choked up and teary. I have never been at the airport when a missionary has been welcomed home. What an amazing spirit and such an awesome experience. It was so special to see the family reunite and look so proud of their daughter/sister/niece/cousin. I know that I am so very proud of Erin, and so very blessed to have her be the example that she has been to my family and to my kids. It just reminds me why I am so blessed and lucky to be a member of this church. I'm very blessed to have the family that I do!!
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