She left September 2009 and returned March 2011. When she left, she spend a couple months in Sao Paulo in what we call the CTM (Center for Training Missionaries) to learn the language, discussions, etc. Laura is a smart gal, always has been, but Portuguese is tough. She diligently studied and before long, she was fluent. Once missionaries get to the CTM and all through their mission, they have a companion and their with them always. Companionship's often change throughout the mission when transferring to different areas, new missionaries coming, etc. Her companion once she left the CTM was completely fluent in Portuguese, and Brazilian...very little English. So needless to say, when that is your only option, you learn fast. You're fully immersed in it 24/7.
She had amazing experiences, met amazing people, learned valuable lessons and went through some tough things. I could write for days about it but, I won't. We got to talk to her on Mother's Day and Christmas and email with her every Monday. Every Monday and those holiday's we got to talk with her were very special days to our family. I would cry over some letters that I wrote to her and I would cry over some letters that I got back. I was and still am so proud of her. She always had a firm and solid testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, but she came home even stronger and more beautiful than when she left.
So needless to say, we missed her and were happy to welcome her home...but my parents were the ones that got to welcome her first because they now live in Virginia and Laura came home there. So what did I decide to do? Road trip with Leah and Violet to SURPRISE Laura in Virginia. My parents were in on it, too, so on a Thursday after Leah's school class and my Dance Team practice at KSU, we were off!
We drove through the night and made a pit stop at my Uncle Dean & Aunt Rebecca and family in North Carolina to stay the night and the next day. If we were going to this effort of making a 9 hour drive with a baby in the car, we were going to see as much family as we could and use every minute to the fullest capacity. We had so much with them and are so grateful they let us stay with them. Their kids, Nathaniel, Grant, Julia, Emma and Sammy are so sweet! Emma and Julia showed us some gymnastics tricks, I did Emma's hair, Sammy wowed us with video game skills and overall we're just so blessed to have loving family. Saturday morning, we left to make the last leg of the trip to Virginia. I was in touch with Mom as Laura and Dad were running errands. Fast forwarding through the fuel stops, etc. we make it to their house and park behind a tree in an attempt to hide the car. Luckily we see them eating at the dining room table and Laura's back it to the window. I documented in video, but the footage is filled with tears and so I'm choosing to keep that for myself. We sneakily move to the front door and my dad sees us walking up the driveway (we find out later he started kicking my mom under the table to get her attention..too funny!). The front door is open with the screen door. My dad passes us as we ring the doorbell and asks Laura to get it. We hear her say "sure" and no sooner than she makes eye contact with the front door than she lets out a typical Laura "squeal" and throws open the door and into the arms of me and Leah. Of course, we are choked up and I ask Laura "are you excited?" to which she replies through the tears "I'm thrilled." Mission accomplished...
So the rest of the trip is filled with random goodness, church, a trip to New Jersey to visit my Grandparents and another Uncle who hadn't met Violet yet nor seen everyone in a while. I unfortunately had to miss the New Jersey trip because I came down with something that turned out to be strep throat and my Grandparents have fragile immune systems due to health problems in the past and current recoveries, so I had to stay behind. That was the worst, but I am so glad they got to see everyone else. We left Tuesday morning for the drive home to get back to everyday life. Too bad we couldn't stay longer but that was definitely a trip that will go down in the books.
Here are a couple pictures from our weekend:
Second picture above: Uncle Dean and Aunt Rebecca
Next set of pictures:
First: Laura's tender moment putting Violet to sleep for the first time.
Second: Laura with Mom, Vi and Grandma and Grandpa
Third: 4 generations- Grandma, Mom, Leah and Violet
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