It's Official!

It's official! Elder Harris is now on his way home! Today at approximately 4:10 pm his time and 12:10 pm our time he departed Recife, Brazil.

I'm sure the moment was bitter/sweet for him. At this time I can't explain my feelings but I am sure for him, it is much harder. Sleep seems to not be an option these past couple days as I've prayed and thought much about his thoughts and his feelings. He said goodbye to everything he has known for two years (his 'other' home). All the new things he learned has become the norm for him. His new comfort zone, his routine. Although he has a lot to look forward to upon his return, I've taken a look back at the people he's met and taught, experiences he's had, the way he's grown, the way he's depended on the Lord and I can't help but feel for him right now. A chapter in his life has come to an end.

I don't say all this because I am sad. I am very happy! I am proud of him, his desire, and his vigor! He was and always will be an amazing missionary!

On another note: 'The Plan' for TOMORROW!!

I have to work tomorrow. Well I chose to work. Once I decided I wasn't going to the airport I decided I should probably work and do something semi-constructive and try to keep my mind off him for seconds at a time. So, about the same time I arrive at work he will be arriving in Atlanta, Georgia. While I'm at work I will be trying to avoid the texts and pic texts I get from his family of him :D Ok maybe I won't avoid them but hey- my emotions are so crazy right now that who knows what I'll do when I see a pic of him and realize it's FOR REAL!!!!

Anyway, I'll get off work around 1 and go to lunch with one of my good friends :).. That will help kill some time! After that who knows. Go home. Chill with my mom. Have my mom paint my toe nails he he. Get in the shower. Do my hair yada yada... Um, hopefully by then it will be close to 5! If it's not close to 5 I'll probably watch the clock like usual :/

His parents and I have code words that we are going to text to each other which means they are leaving for the church for his release and for when they are headed back home :) While they are at the church I am going to drive to their house and wait on their porch! And then the MOMENT will happen!!! I will be able to give him the most GINORMOUS hug ever!!! Wish me luck! I'll post all about it later!

One More Preparation

So I decided to do one more preparation before Elder Harris gets home and that was to do a spray on tan. I can't be like pasty when he gets home! He is gonna be all tan! I mean he is in Brazil soaking up the sun! Can't decide if I am regretting my decision or not. I was told that I wouldn't be able to tell at first but throughout the day my tan would get darker and darker. Sure enough that was true! My hands look the worst. They are orange and my finger nails look dirty haha (bad pic I know)! OOPS! The rest of my body seems to be doing ok though. Lets just home it tones down a little in the next 3 days!! Yep I said 3 DAYS!! Ahh I can't wait!!!

1 WEEK!

SORRY THIS IS SO LONG!

So I have one week til Elder Harris gets home! ONE WEEK! Can you believe it?! Not gonna lie, this month has been the SLOWEST month of my life! Oh my gosh! Dramatic? Yes! Why? Cause the moment I see him, the time I get to spend with him, EVERYTHING!!! It determines my future! MY FUTURE! The moment I see him is basically the thing I've thought about most the past 2 years!

I'm not quite sure how to get my thoughts out of my head to make them make sense to anyone, even myself. There are so many things I think about.

I remember so vividly the day he left, the day my life changed, the day I started having my relationship with him thru paper and emails. In a way it was perfect. We'd prepared ourselves together for that day. Have we prepared ourselves (not necessarily in the same way) to meet again? Will it have that same sense of 'perfect' as when he left? Our relationship can once again go back to face-to-face!

Face-to-face sounds like the greatest thing I've heard of in a long time. But, will we pick up where we left off? Will he be weird? Better yet, will he think I'm weird or different from before? I play in my mind how I think our 'moment' will be, but how will it really be? I know he's changed and I've changed but how exactly? Sorry for the question overload! Should have cautioned you... Too many things in my head I tell ya! I know I'll come back to this post later and think about why I even had these thoughts. Funny, but what can I say?!

On a different note my life has seemed to already change in the last week. I can't really tell you why, but it has. I think it's a good change.

*I've prayed and pondered much.

* I go to bed early- like 9:30 or 10:00. Don't call me a loser cause I already know I am haha! Maybe this isn't good or bad but in my head I just tell myself that 'the earlier I go to be the faster the next day will come.' Which means...da da da... one more day down!

* I watch the clock.. ok a bad change! (FYI I never recommend this)

*I am excited! Not nervous! The nervousness of it all is gone!!! Amazing feeling!

*I got my hair dyed! Gotta look good, right?!

*Maybe this isn't a way of preparation, but last week I went shopping! I finished getting Elder Harris' bday presents and I got an outfit for the day he gets home :D (pics to come)

So maybe all my preparations are good... Maybe I don't really know how to prepare, I'm not gonna lie. I guess all I gotta do right now is remain composed ;) wish me luck on that one!

Happy Note: Yesterday as I read Elder Harris' email it kinda hit me that this is actually happening! Whoa!

Catch Up

For Halloween weekend I went to Logan. I was so excited when I found out there was a basketball game that weekend :D! Gotta support my Aggies! I had a blast at the game! My friends went super early to get in line so we could get good seats! We won! Yay! The next day we got all dressed up and went to the Howl! It was a lot of fun! Not as much fun as I was expecting cause it was PACKED with people but we did get to see Massive Monkeys from America's Best Dance Crew and an illusionist/mind reader so that made things a little more interesting! Good times though :D

A few weekends ago I went to St. George for the What Women Want Expo. I hadn't seen my sister or her kids since this summer so it was so good to see them. Marli and Dylan are growing so fast! The first night we got there they had me in tears cause I was laughing so hard at them. They were doing tricks and sliding off the couch and their faces would get stuck in between their legs haha! Oh the funny things they do!... Later that weekend we carved pumpkins! I had so much fun!

What Women Want Expo

This weekend, the 23rd and the 24th, my sister will be selling our kangaroo bracelets and rings at the What Women Want Expo in St. George ! We will also be selling little kid capes! They are so cute! They are for boys and girls! We are very excited and hope if any of you are in that area you can check it out!!

Just Plain Mean!

So like I said, we got Elder Harris' itinerary. His parents told me they plan on bringing him straight home after they leave the airport :) (BTW I have decided not to go to the airport. Hence, the smiley face. We get to have our own 'moment'!!) Now, this story may not mean anything to any of you but if you know Elder Harris' dad you'll understand ;)

Since Elder Harris will arrive so early I was a little nervous about him even being able to get released that early. His dad has been telling me that he was going to talk to the Stake Pres to get it all set up and let him know exactly what time they would be home. He's been telling me that he would talk to him since the day we got the itinerary.

Soooo... On Sunday in between Sunday School and Relief Society I got a text from Elder Harris' dad saying he talked to the Stake Pres. I was so excited. So of course my response was "what did he say?!?!" I was not ready for what came next. He said:

"The Stake Pres will be going out of town and won't be back until Saturday night and he won't be able to release Elder Harris til Sunday morning."

FYI, November 19th (the return date) is a THURSDAY! Nooo!!

So, through Relief Society I was FREAKING out on the inside thinking about what I was going to do if he didn't get released til SUNDAY! A whole 3 days after he gets home :( I couldn't respond to the text to get more details cause by that time Relief Society had started, ugh! Needles to say, I did not focus durning the lesson. Horrible, I know! I just had to tell myself that I would just have to leave town that weekend and just come home and see him for the first time at his homecoming! NOOOO! That would kill me! Literally! What kind of welcome home would that be??

Anyway, after church I finally got to text back and I told his dad how I was freaking out and all, so he said:

"I'm just messing with you. He gets released at 5."

AHH, I really did just want to cry! What the heck hahaha! It really is funny now. I should have expected it coming from him but I won't lie, I am relieved! Phew! Now I guess all I gotta worry about is keep myself composed til 5 o'clock!

Great News!!

So good new people! This morning we got Elder Harris' itinerary! Exciting hu?! He will be flying into Salt Lake City on November 19th at 10:09 am!! Ahh! It all seems a little more real to me now!