Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Our Welcome Home!



Our final decent into the Ohio Valley. It was quite different scenery
than we were use to during the past three years.
In fact, it was a real contrast between greens and browns;
and both were beautiful. We had about 3 1/2 hours of
reflecting on what had just occurred that day, and our mission
experience. Emotions were on the surface and it didn't take much
for the tears to start flowing. But, we knew the Lord had
accepted our offering of serving in the Arizona Phoenix Mission
and that our family was awaiting our arrival.

As we came down the long corridor, in anticipation of seeing 23 members
of our family awaiting our arrival, I realized how much we had really given
up over the past three years. Off in the distance, behind glass doors were
13 grandkids jumping up and down. Some were dressed in white shirts and
ties and dresses but all with big smiles on their faces as they ran up to us
to give us big hugs. We were now just "Nana" and "Papa", and we were ready
to begin a new chapter in our lives with our family.

Papa was the Prize!

Lots of helpers to carry our luggage.

Home Sweet Home!

This was the last link of the countdown chain that Izzy & Katelyn used
the last couple of weeks of the mission. We both took it down from the
mantel in celebration of our arrival home!

Our good friend Carl McDonald was awaiting our arrival at home. It was
so good to see him as we arrived. Celeste and Rick (Ryan's parents) served
as surrogate grandparents while we were gone and took good care of
all the grandkids. They had pizza and salad awaiting for all of us when we
got home from the airport and the celebration began.

2 comments:

Padre Wells said...

Sister Wells and I thank you for your service as Mission President. We are especially grateful for your kindness toward our daughter, Sister Breanna Wells. Her health problems at times seemed to be an insurmountable trial to her. But with the help of the Lord, a good councilor, and a caring compassionate Mission President and Mission Mom, she was able to return to the field to complete her mission. Thank you.

BK Barnes said...

I've followed the last few months of your mission here Paul. I'll watch just a little longer to see if you make the transition from suit & tie to shorts & flip-flops.

Congratulations to you & your bride for a job very well done.