Christian is almost home

Yup, this Christian

He will be home this next Wednesday, November 7 at 11:30 pm. So late! He will be exhausted. I'm sure a combination of emotions and traveling all day will take their toll on him. And we have to be at the Stake offices at 7 am the next morning for his official release. That is a LONG 24 hours.

I am sitting here pondering on the last two years. So many things happened it feels like ten years. Taking Christian to the MTC was bittersweet. At about the time of his farewell, Dain's station has already closed down and we knew we were headed to Utah. We had to prepare the house for sale, pack up our lives, and move cross country. At the same time, Christian was getting ready to leave for two years. I'm sure his emotions were a mess though I remember him as always happy and cheerful, but then again, that's Christian. He lives a positive life.

While Christian was gone, we went through a lot of changes. Dain's career changed for a while and then came back to radio. We are grateful that he found his place in the world of radio. Emi has been hit with just as many changes. We left Texas in the middle of her sophomore year in high school. She loved Clements HS, was part of a great marching band, and had a lot of friends. We moved into our condo in Murray thinking it would be temporary. She entered Murray High School and excelled there as well. She was part of the percussion ensemble and made many friends (read as "broke many hearts"). Just as she was about to start her senior year, we bought a house in Cottonwood Heights so she moved to Brighton High School. Ironically enough, that's the school she would have attended had we never left Utah for Texas in the first place. What goes around, comes around. The change wasn't as difficult as it could have been because many kids she knew from elementary school recognized her and she had instant friends again. That's three high schools in three years. That's a lot of change. She's a trooper.

In the meantime, my work is doing well. It has grown and taken off. I'm so blessed. We will not move into our new house until mid November, so it seems that Christian will come back to the condo, the same place he helped us move into before his mission.

I'm looking forward to having my kids at home again, even if for a few days. It will be great!! I will hug them and be grateful inside for all that we have. Next time, I hope to post that we moved!! I can't wait to move. It seems to take forever to remodel a house ...

Dain's radio station is doing a "Thankful and Grateful" promotion all month long. I am indeed very thankful and grateful for everything in my life.