Home For a Moment

Monday, January 21, 2008

Home For a Moment

A week ago Andy called me and said that he found some really cheap flights and that he was considering coming home. Considering the length of time he has already been gone (6 weeks) and all the things that have happened since he left (mostly miscarriage and death of his Grandpa) we were eager to be reunited for a few short hours. His flight came in at 10:15 Saturday morning. His parents were due to return from Vermont that evening and he wanted to surprise them. It was SO HARD to not post anything all week about him coming home. We were all so excited!

The weekend was fast but fun. We didn't do anything special - didn't have time even if we wanted to. Ammon and I picked Andy up at the airport and while we were waiting Ammon decided that he needed a snack. So we got Jamba Juices on the way home. When we got home we played Geo-Trax and just enjoyed being together. We went to the store to buy ingredients to make dessert and then ate lunch at Peggy and Derrick's house and got ready for them to come home. I headed out to the airport, Kara and Dale came up with thier children, and Andy ordered the pizza and picked up the salad we were having for dinner.

When we got home from the airport, Ammon went up to his Grandma and said, "Welcome home. I missed you." She gave him a hug and started to cry. Then she hugged Will. Andy called out from the back room saying something about her crying. I think it took twice before she realized where the voice was coming from and looked up to see Andy there. It was so wonderful, after the loss in the family with the passing of Pa, to be able to be there together - even just for the few hours. We had a nice dinner and Andy demonstrated his arrest technique by stepping Ammon through the process to arrest him, and then by showing us the process on Dale. Peggy and Derrick showed us some of the family artifacts they brought home from VT.

We took the boys home and got them to bed. Andy and I had planned to go out for dinner, but we decided to arrange the family dinner instead so we weren't hungry when we finally had time to ourselves. We just got gas in the car and looked for a couple of things at Wal-Mart (which we didn't find). It didn't really matter what we did - we were just happy to be together.

Andy had really missed cooking, so Sunday was all about being a normal day and just having him there. He made us breakfast in the morning, we went to church, and then he grilled chicken in the afternoon. All of my siblings came over at some point in the day. Most of them were there for lunch. We missed Krista and Kambria since they were out of town, but Andy was able to see everyone else. After we put the boys to bed we watched Amazing Grace with my parents.

That was pretty much our weekend. Andy woke up at 4:30 AM to leave. My dad took him to the airport and just went to work from there. There were several bumps in the road trying to get home, but he made it there ok by mid afternoon.

The weekend went way too fast, but we are so grateful for the time we had together. We are already counting down the days to graduation when we can be together again (for a similarly short amount of time, but together non-the-less).

1 comment:

AnonymousJanuary 22, 2008 at 6:51 AM
It was so much fun to home. I wish I could live at home and just come the Academy like a regular work day. I miss you all so much!
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Family Proclamation

The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children.All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as an heir of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God's commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God's eternal plan.Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. "Children are an heritage of the Lord" (Psalms 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.

This proclamation was read by President Gordon B. Hinckley as part of his message at the General Relief Society Meeting held September 23, 1995, in Salt Lake City, Utah.