Their Finally Here.... Africa Arrived!

After 18 long and short months my parents are home from serving a mission in the Democratic Republic of CONGO, Africa. What a joyous reunion it was. While they were gone the time seemed so slow and yet when we were sitting at the airport - I really wondered if it had been 18 months. My only gauge for that is Cinch. When they last saw him- he had just learned to crawl stairs, would just say Da, was still nursing and well now- he is a total toddler- and ran circles around them both.

It was so great to finally see and touch them both and know they were finally SAFE back on USA soil. It wasn't easy getting out of the country as security ended up keeping treasured items, but luckily their friend in the law helped get them through security the best he could- they flew from Africa to France and if they would have been delayed in France at all- they wouldn't of gotten out of the country as their airport employees went on strike right after they left.

It was hard to see how tired, worn, and skinny they looked but hopefully with time and love they'll perk back.

The night before their arrival Cinch & I flew into SLC and met my sister Barbie from AZ. On our way home some of our siblings were painting the cement factory for the arrival.

These cute girls- and their parents brought over this big sign for the garage door and tied yellow ribbons all around the property.

We were ANXIOUSLY awaiting their arrival at the airport- pacing watching the monitors for their plan to touch down. My brother Jared had just gotten in from AZ on business and didn't come out of security so he could watch for them to walk off the plane to customs- he was the last one to see them off and the first one to see them home.

After we knew their plane had landed we had to wait for them to go through customs. Finally after 15-20 other people had come from behind this wall from customs- they appeared!

Words can't even describe the feelings that rush through your body when you haven't seen your parents that long and you know they are finally safe!

They made their rounds through all 40+ of us- it had to of been overwhelming for sure, to see your children, grandkids and the ones that were little babes when you left.

My brother Matt brought my dad a new hat- a Ford one of course- it made it seem even more real to see my dad in a ball cap again.

And well this was all of the immediate family crew that met them at the airport-

After we ate some lunch in SLC we headed home- they were SUPER surprised to see the cement factory painted  and when we pulled into their home- they both started crying. It took them 60+ minutes to walk through the house and kept asking if this was really thiers and how in the world they ever left it all behind. One of the funniest comments was when my dad kept hitting the light switch on and off, on and off and then turned to my mom and said- I don't have to go fire up the generator - and the lightswitch, it works everytime.

It so crazy to think they are really home- I guess that's why I call the house phone everyday just to hear them answer and know they are home- home in Elwood, Utah, USA.