Sister Sadie comes home

A HUGE thank you to Victoria for these amazing pictures!

Videos are clear if you don't enlarge screen.  And I could probably fix this, but Sadie is HOME and you'll get the idea:)

taking it in

There's an anthro vanilla fig candle burning in her room.  The linens have been washed and dried with two dryer sheets.  We've dusted and vacuumed. Her window is open and there's calm  breeze blowing in.  The signs are made.  The house is clean.  And soon we will drive to the airport.
   
Eighteen months ago, on a bitter-sweet september day we said good-bye.  Today will be all sweet as we welcome our daughter home.

 Home.

5 days

It's been a busy week.  Utah and back in three days for my niece's wedding (congrats Meagan and Scott!), and now we're in full blown prep here for Sadie's return.  Today I'm tackling her room.  It's become a second hangout/craftroom/sleepover stop for her sisters,  and it's time to reclaim it.

Our countdown chain.  LESS than one week. 

Last night, right before we checked in our luggage in the Salt Lake airport, we noticed some commotion by the baggage claim.  A large group of people were congregated together and several were holding balloons and signs.  Sierra and I looked at each other and both immediately teared up.  Yep. Missionaries were about to be returning to their families.  We drifted closer to  the crowd and stood watching.  The center escalator section was full of people streaming down from the arriving plane gates upstairs.   Every once in awhile someone in the waiting crowd would do a little shout or yell thinking they had seen their missionary start to descend the escalator (only to realize it was a false alarm).  I keep thinking, "This is surreal.  This is us in five days!"  The excitement of the crowd felt something like a rock concert with everyone smiling, laughing, and  this crazy happy feeling of anticipation.  And then suddenly we saw them.  Seven Elders in suits walking down the escalator and smiling.  The entire crowd started cheering and then, we had the privilege of watching as seven honorable and hard working young men were reunited with their families after two years.  And this Wednesday, it's our turn.  I may not even bother with make-up.