Home

Big week this week! I went home and two days later Bridger got home from his two year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Louisville Kentucky. I definitely cried knowing I'd be leaving Jaden alone in Chicago for two weeks but felt grateful that he had Jacquelyn and Dane and our Davis High friends there. Also Jeff and Amy will be flying out to see Chicago and drive back to Pittsburgh with him and help him unload our stuff from Chicago and then Bridger and I will go pick them up from the airport and do a reverse welcome home. Can't wait. 

But it seriously has been so fun to have Bridger home. I was so grateful I could be there at the airport when he got home as well as a welcome home barbeque, church meetings, temple trips and just hanging out at the pool and enjoying Shark Week together. 

I got in on a Wednesday, got settled into my old room and went and saw Jeff and Amy and picked up Jaden's car to drive while I was home. Mom prepped dinner for the next day and I made signs for the airport. The next morning I woke up, worked for a couple of hours and then headed to the airport with my parents in the new Bronco Bridger still hadn't seen. We showed up and met up with extended family and anxiously waited in the family greeting area at the SLC airport. 

And after waiting for 15 or so minutes all of the sudden we saw the most handsome boy turned man walk through the doors and hug my mom and dad. He seriously has grown up so much it's crazy how much changes in two years. You can see the ways his experiences on his mission have impacted his testimony, perspective and shaped him into an even better disciple of Christ. 

That evening we went and saw the Stake President who formally releases missionaries it was an emotional time together as a family as we talked about each of our mission experiences and how those two years Bridger served will bless him the rest of his life. President Sargent asked my mom to remove Bridger's mission tag and then he entered that weird in between period we all experienced as we tried to readjust to life at home and making decisions that are focused on ourselves instead of the people we are serving and teaching. Bridger said to me at one point during those first few days "I just feel selfish," and I totally remember feeling that same way. It's a weird experience devoting so much of your life to the Lord and serving your brothers and sisters in a far away place that being home and easing into a reality of work and school and not having a companion or teaching appointments is weird and feels selfish. And it's not but can quickly turn that way. And that is the tricky balance we all have to figure out: how to live my life that isn't completely focused on myself? One that gives room to my Savior and to my neighbor. 

Bridger is going to do great things. It makes my heart hurt at times that I live so far away and can't be as involved because I'm not around. But it's times like these that make me so grateful for modern day conveniences. I was able to fly in an airplane and be reunited with my family for a sweet reunion. And I'm able to text, call, and FaceTime Jaden which makes him feel less far away. And as cliche as it sounds distance really does make the heart grow fonder and I love the reunion times when we see family we haven't seen in several months. Makes you realize how blessed you are to have people you love and love you and miss you.

So to round off Bridge's welcome home week we had a cookout with friends and family and served up some pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw and all the fixins of a good Southern barbecue. It was fun to watch people come and support Bridger and to see so many people I hadn't seen in a long time as well. We really grew up around amazing people in our family, ward, neighborhood and friend groups. So humbling and heartwarming to see people rally together and show up for one another. 

Finally Bridger gave his welcome home talk at church and since it was the 24th of July aka Pioneer Day he spoke about the pioneers who journeyed to the Salt Lake Valley and their incredible faith. One of my favorite things he said was that "the pioneers walked by faith and not by sight, they knew the Lord was with them and guiding them." And as I look at my brother I think of the faith he demonstrated as journeyed into a new land, knowing no one but the Lord and how he walked by faith and not by sight. And as he worked and served and sweated in those hills of Kentucky he changed into a better version of himself and a more converted and devoted disciple of Christ and helped others do the same. That is the point of a mission and honestly the point of this life. To help each other home.  

After church we had some family over but since we had done the big party the night before I was able to sneak over to the Richins family dinner and see everybody there. Again so blessed to have amazing family on both sides.

I think I can speak for Bridge and myself when I say: it's good to be home.

Peaches:

• Seeing Bridger
• Visiting with family, friends and neighbors
• The smell of my parents house
• Fresh cut grass, I miss laying in the grass which might seem weird but I always take advantage of it when I come home in the summer
• Being able to be home
• Sloane made me a welcome home picture 

• Love seeing client's products "in the wild" aka when someone I know owns a product I help to setup and sell on Amazon. For example these NEBO magnetic lights at my neighbors house

• Seeing Bridger jump into a pool for the first time in two years
• Watching my parents have their boy back
• Jeff and Amy came to Bridger's welcome home talk and brough Hayes with him and it was so good to see him

• Saw my favorite girls I used to babysit
• Jaden got a full time offer at EY where he interned and a list of cities we get to choose from to move next, big decisions to make with a big distance between us but thank goodness for FaceTime
• Joking that my office space downstairs feels like I work at Cabelas with all the animals surrounding me 

Pits:

• Saying bye to Jaden and not having him here for the festivities
• We had some rain threaten our outdoor barbeque but we escaped the worst of it
• Found one of Jaden's wedding rings at my parent's house (I buy him silicon rings in bulk on Amazon because he loses them all the time)

• I swear my parents house is -10 degrees inside. It's July and I wear a sweatshirt and blanket inside and come outside occasionally to dethaw

• Had to run to Instacare, because of course had a minor infection arise as soon as I got home, love when that happens
• Gas prices are ridiculous even for Jaden's little Accord