Home Sweet Home

December

December First was week three until Andrew would come home!

The YSA Branch always has a Christmas dinner.

The Interfaith Nativity Festival was the first weekend of the month. Mom, Dad, Anna-Marie and I were able to sing in the Institute Choir. What an amazing spiritual moment to see so may nativity sets and hear the songs of Christ. When I looked out at the people it put a smile on my face to see Diana, Carrie and Joe, and his parents. Of course you can't forget FRIENDS! I love the Young Women in our Stake!!!

I was able to put some time aside to help Delores, a good friend of our family, put up her Christmas Tree! For me it was such a small service, but for her it was the world!

My family had fun attending the Wauseon Branch Christmas Party!

Finals were the week Andrew would be flying in and I was so excited because if they were after I would have not studed at all! Haha.

Five days, four days, three!!! TWO!!!

I had to work the night James, Diana's boyfriend, landed in Ohio. But when I came home it was like some big pow wow!!!

ONE more day and the house was up and moving around getting ready for Andrew to come home! Carrie, Joe, James, Diana, Anna-Marie and I had a sibs nigh at Toney Packos and visited the Toledo Art Museum! I'm positive every time I go, I get caught using flash on my camera!!! Haha. This is a clip form Andrew's last email he sent to my famliy. 'I can't wait to see more miricales the next few days, amidst our busy dinner and lucnh appointments with church members! I need to accept the fact that everybody's hosting a party specially for me and that my loving little zusters, ana-kun and sarah-kun, mama and Diana too are hleping to make the house tip-top shape for my arrival. It's a unique feeling, I hope that I can do more for each of you and help you feel happy, but this will be great!! I can't wait to meet br. James, yes? two J's: br. Joe and maybe soon to be br. James!! Quite funny I'd say!!... I can't wait to prepare for Defiance College and Wal-Mart deli??'

On Saturday, December 18th, Diana, James, Anna-Marie and I have decorated signs and were all ready for when Andrew arrived off the plane. We had to talk two vehicles to pick up Andrew! Carrie and Joe went up in their car, and Mom, Dad, Grandma, Diana, James, Anna-Marie, and I went in the van. It was so much fun going to the airport, and trying to figure out which terminal we had to go to. Carrie and Joe made it before we did but it was all one happy evening! We were able to find a wheelchair for our sweet Grandmother which I pushed her in. ;) When we saw Andrew, we were all scraming! I'm positive they called security to watch out for the massive group down in baggage clain! Haha. Here are some right before Andrew lfet to go to the MTC for a two year mission to the Belgium Brussels/ Netherlands Mission.

NOW when he returns!

So, have we changed?!!?!  

On the way home Anna-Marie and I called dibs on being with Andrew in the van!!! It was the sweetest feeling when Andrew sat in between Anna-Marie and I in the back seat! It was like old times taking road trips... Andrew had said to me right before we got home, 'Sarah, it doesn't seem like you have graduated and are in college now.' I said, 'It feels like we just picked up where we left off at... two years ago!'

That Sunday we filled two rows at church! ;) It was a tender moment having the whole family together. It was nice to have one of Anna-Marie and Is YSA friends come for work on that same weeked. She was a big help with taking pictures! We took family pictures during Sunday School but it was totally worth it!

It was kind of odd having James leave. He felt like a part of the family already. Little did we know!!! ;) He was such a trpuper with dealing with our crazy, happy, loving family that not onlly made sugar cookies, and then delivered them to neighbors and family during the Holiday, but sang at their door step! James was totally fine with that, because that is what his family does too! We had and early Christmas day for hime to open our presents for him! Diana gave hime a super cute one!

We had another visitor for the Holiday come and visit Anna-Marie and our family. Gail moved to Navada because of a job offer. She really likes it there even though we really miss her. She came to cook Indian food with us! It's the best and we were excited!

It had snowed so much during December. So Christmas Day was just a lovely day. We didn't have any expecting phone call to make since Andrew was with us now! As we woke up to sweet smells of pies and gathered downstairs to open wonderful heartfelt presents that we each gave each other. But Christmas won't be the smae if we didn't go to the American Legion to help prepare and serve meals for those that wouldn't have a meal of family to go to on Christmas Day. It has been our famliy tradition for as long as I can remember... about 15 years!

Diana and Anna-Marie were off to Utah with a car loaded of clothes, books, food, and so much more!