Christy Comes Home!!

Last Tuesday night, March 17, 2009 Mike, Jimmy and I flew to Utah to pick up Christy from her mission on Temple Square. We almost didn't make it to the airport on time. Jimmy's art class at Ohlone College had a tour of an art museum in San Francisco that day. He took Bart to San Francisco and knew he would have to walk a little way to get to the museum...what he didn't know was that the walk turned out to be over 5 miles! I kept telling him to make sure he left the museum in plenty of time to get back home to leave for the airport. He assured me he would...but he didn't! He walked as fast as he could back to Bart but when he decided that he wasn't going to make it back on time he called and we had to pack his suitcase for him and drive to the Oakland Bart station to pick him up and then head to the Oakland airport. We knew it would be close but what we didn't know was that there was a baseball game at the Coliseum so we ran into a lot of traffic. We drove like crazy to the airport after picking Jimmy up at Bart, Mike dropped me and Jimmy off at the curb to run in and check the bags while he parked the car. We made it to the gate just as everyone was in line to board. It was close and I was a nervous wreck but we made it! Shawn picked us up at the airport and drove us to his home. We had to get up early and pick up Christy at her apartment at 8:00 a.m. We were all pretty beat when we went to bed that night. Mike set his cell phone to wake us up that morning. I was up half the night with a bad sore throat...when I thought it should be time for the alarm to go off I looked at the clock and it was 7:30 a.m.! We all had to jump up clean up and get dressed as fast as we could. We were a little late getting to Christy's apartment...she was wondering if we had forgot to come! We helped her pack all of her suitcases into Shawn's little car. We were all crammed into the car with suitcases and bags all around us. it was hard for Christy to say good-bye to all her sisters from Temple Square.

Here is Christy with one of the many sisters that gave her hugs!

Packing the car!

After taking all of her suitcases to Shawn's place we went to the Humanitarian Center and Welfare Square where Christy was able to give us personal tours! She had us in tears as she showed us around and bore her testimony. It was very touching to see all the humanitarian service that the church does. We all left with a bigger determination to want to help serve others and see all people as children of our Heavenly Father. Christy is awesome in her strong testimony of the gospel and her tender feelings for all of Heavenly Father's children. It was a wonderful experience.

While we were in Utah we drove to Spring Lake and visited with Aunt Jerolyn and Uncle Joe. We also visited Aunt Barbara and Uncle Leon in Payson and visited the graveyard where we put flowers on the graves of my mom, dad, brother and grandparents.

We also got to visit Grandpa Patten and celebrate his 94th. Birthday! Here is "Sister Patten" and grandpa Patten. Singing to Grandpa!

All of us with Grandpa!

We flew home from Utah on Thursday night. Stacy and Cailin were flying in from New Jersey. We were supposed to meet them at the airport about a half hour after we landed. We decided that Christy and I could stay at the airport and Mike could take everyone else and all the luggage to Fremont and come back for us. We figured by the time Stacy got their luggage Mike could be back. What we didn't plan was that our flight was a little late and Stacy's was a little early so both our flights got to the airport at the same time! Which would have been a great thing but we couldn't all fit into the car at the same time. It was funny because Christy and I were waiting up at the gates for Stacy's flight to come in when Stacy called and said she was in baggage claim. By the time we got there she had run into Mike and the boys!

We were able to load all but two suitcases into the car along with Cailin, Stacy, Christy and me. We drove back to Fremont and left Mike, Shawn, Jimmy and two suitcases to take a bus to Bart and ride Bart home. It was a long night but we all got home safe and sound .

Friday afternoon Christy was officially released from her mission. We went over to President Hodson's home where we got to hear Christy talk about her mission and bare her testimony. It was so nice, all of our family was able to be there to feel her spirit and witness this great event!

By Saturday we had a house full! Cory and Kristal came with their family on Friday morning, Shawn's friend Kim came later Friday and my sister Kathy came on Saturday. On Sunday Christy gave her talk in Sacrament Meeting. She did a wonderful job. It was a very touching and spiritual talk. Mike's cousin Doug Patten and his wife Martha and daughter Sarah were able to come and hear Christy's talk and spend some time at our home with us on Sunday too. We always enjoy having them come. Doug took notes and wrote up Christy's talk and e-mailed it to us....Thanks Doug!!

We had a fun few days with everyone here! Here are some pictures of the fun times! Here is Christy in her civilian clothes for the first time after getting home!

This is what her room looked like after getting all her luggage in her room...she accused me of adding stuff to her room...she just didn't believe that all the bins of clothes in her closet were really all hers!! She has spent the last couple of days tossing a heap of clothes in the "donate" pile!

We all took a nice walk in the sunshine on Friday.

Shawn Pretending to throw Jonny into the river!

Kathy and Christy

Fun food times for the kids!

Stacy and Christy!

Christy and Stacy took some time to go through all their dolls and barbie stuff from the attic!

Just like old times with the Barbies!

Cailin, Ethan and Megan having fun in the yard.

Adam looking so cute in the flowers!

Ethan, Adam and CailinCailin sharing a lolly pop with Adam!

Cailin having some fun with Uncle Shawn and Kim.

Cailin, Megan and Adam enjoying the brownies that Jimmy made.

Cailin and Grandpa having some fun!

Having some fun rocking out! Having fun playing games!

Sunday night my sister Kathy went home. On Monday Shawn and Kim flew home to Utah and on Tuesday morning Cory and his family went home. Tuesday afternoon we took Stacy and Cailin to the airport to fly back to New Jersey. So now it is back to "real life".

As if she isn't sweet enough!

Just before going to the airport Cailin decided to reach up onto the counter and grab a bowl of powdered sugar that Jimmy used on the Lemon squares he had made. I saw her just as the bowl tipped and covered her in white. Stacy and I were standing there and ran for our cameras leaving poor Cailin standing there like this....!!!

And so ended our wonderful fun filled family time! Thanks Christy for giving us the opportunity to come together as a family and celebrate your homecoming! We are so proud of Christy for serving an awesome mission on Temple Square. Her testimony, knowledge of the gospel and love for our Heavenly Father has grown so much.

We give thanks for families!!!!