Today is the day! We got to welcomed Wesley home!!! Corey got first the first hug -
then Peter!
Then Katharine, then hugs all around, so many people to hug!
Video of the moment here. He flew in at 12:30 pm. Around 10:30 we cleaned up the house before our estimated departure time of 11:45. I put some music on the Bose and we started to clean up. We played songs that remind us of Wes, like "Falling for Ya". We might have done a bit more dancing that we did cleaning....
Lily said "I don't remember doing this for the others when they came home... do we just like Wes more?" Well, those homecomings were a little different (Joseph was covid, Ethan landed at 2am) After picking up Melodie from the airport, we all went out to eat after. We didn't do that this time, and it's not cause we like Mel more, it was just cause Wesley was being released at 2:30 so we had to hurry home. We've done different things so far, we'll see which traditions stick. This one is a pretty easy one to keep, so yeah, let's do this again. We'll take any reason to help the kids be motivated to clean.
I went up to make a quick poster for Mary and Alvie to hold. Then it was time leave cause ahh his plane was arriving early! Arrival time was 12:37 but now it was 12:14. We were all pulling up at 12:16. I was worried he'd beat us to the gate and we'd miss him like we did with Mel. But we didn't have anything to worry about. We were watching and waiting....
We were almost ready to give up.
He finally came out 12:59. See the pics at the top of this post. I got the final hug!
A lot of mixed emotions at the end of a mission.
Group picture!
Peter getting some brother time.
So it's been great. We went by my parents house on the drive home, so Wes could give my parents a hug and hello.
My mom is sick, so she gave a wave from a distance.
When my dad saw us, he thought were there to pick him up for the museum. My dad and I had been planning on going for a few weeks to see the current exhibit before it ends this Saturday, so it's been on my to-do list. But no not yet, but maybe later! The Stake President came by from 2:30-3 and Wes was released, then we had lunch...
...then Wes opened Christmas presents and Peter and Katharine opened gifts from Wes (he got both of them cowboy boots!)
Then the kids watched some AI videos Ethan has made. It's a strange world. Funny, but strange.
We talked about plans for the next few days. We decided we would go tonight to the Church History Museum at 5, then maybe climbing after that. We picked up my dad on our way out. I thought that was a good transition activity for a recently returned missionary. Joseph Eliza & Mary, Ethan Bella & Alvie, and Hyrum, Peter and Katharine came a long too. I was glad I was able to enjoy the exhibit even with the toddlers there. Wes was nice to keep them entertained in the kid area. Wes made an epic temple. The service missionaries said it was the best one they've ever seen.
We parked at the conference center. I went and got the car with the marrieds, who drove in a separate car.
I got the van then picked up Dad and WPK. It was a wonderful day!
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