Simply Living: Preston's Mission Homecoming

Wow my brain is everywhere these days and I am forgetting all sorts of things... this post included. This past week I kept thinking that I was all caught up on my blogging and was even considering writing a post for "fun" just to write a post since I enjoy it. But this evening I realized that I had forgotten to write about Preston's homecoming. McKay took a million pictures at it so I figured I had better document on the ol' blog. :)

By the way, McKay can be an awesome photographer when he remembers/wants to be. The trick is getting him to remember to take the camera in the first place. Many times he will come home from an event (scout camp, a hike, etc.) and will have taken TONS of pictures. Which is so cool. I just wish I could channel some of that picture taking desire into our everyday lives. :) I think I would love to blog even more if I didn't have to remember to take the pictures in the first place. I am just not the best photographer out there. ok, random side note over...

Preston, McKay's younger brother returned home from his mission to the Lansing, Michigan mission on July 30th (forever ago, I know). He arrived at the Salt Lake airport. Originally niether McKay nor I were going to go to the airport to pick him up. We had a lot of family events those weeks that we would already be travelling to Salt Lake for and we were trying to save some money for the other fun events. I also do not like traveling to AND from Idaho Falls on the same day (too stressful with toddlers, they just don't handle that much car time very well). So we had agreed to skip this event and just see him when he gave his homecoming talk on Adalyn's birthday. But the morning of the 30th came and McKay randomly slept in and missed his bus for work (he was up way late the night before doing family history). He rarely does this (like once a year) and so usually when he does he just takes the day off work instead of trying to put in a 1/2 day or something (it is an hour drive to his work one way and they get quite a bit of personal days so it isn't too bad to miss every now and then). So we got up and started getting ready for the day. At this point McKay was not even remembering that it was the day that Preston got home, but I was. So a plan started forming in my mind and I decided to at least offer the idea to him in case he still wanted to go to see Preston at the airport.

So I just reminded him of what the day was and said that if HE (by himself, I still wasn't willing to take the kids) wanted to go to the airport and see Preston that I was ok with him going and I thought it might be a good thing since he already had the day off work anyways. He jumped at the idea and was off to Salt Lake within an hour.

Of course he had a blast seeing his baby brother coming home and chatting with all of his siblings. Such a happy occasion and I was so glad that he got to spend it with his family. He also got to stop by his uncle's house and talk family history with him which pretty much made that day "the best day" in his book. The man is OBSESSED with family history right now. We/he talks and thinks about it ALL the time. Sadly, I just tolerate our family history talks right now and say that I am working on our current family history ;)

I am so happy it worked out for McKay to go and spend time with family and welcome home to Elder Pace!

Here are a few of the pictures that McKay took. Preston grew up quite a bit on his mission literally and figuratively. lol McKay kept commenting on how different he looked. Preston seemed really excited to see everyone and could not stop crying. haha Especially when he saw Grandma Pace (who he had lived with before his mission, and hadn't been sure if he would see her after his mission). Lots of emotions to deal with all at once I am sure!

Everyone waiting...