Home from India

Wesley arrived at 6:30 tonight. Corey and ASNODP went to meet him at the airport. 

There were lots of other parents and families there to greet their kids coming back. Those people made banners and signs (see behind Abi below)... so Abi whipped this up last minute - haha

He's home! Peter has missed his big brother, and so did all the other kids, but especially Peter.

It was really fun hearing him talk and give us a brief summary of his adventure there.

We went through a few of the photos I had gotten from the Instagram account and put here on the blog, and Wesley told us some about the people and about the experience - Then he got out his ukulele and played us a few songs... (after giving K some kisses) 

Then he unloaded some of his other souvenirs. My favorite thing of all his stuff was of course his clothes, which made a big impression when I first saw the pics of him. He looked like a royal prince! But wait... there's more! Check out his new hat! WOW!

Wait, he's not done!...

He's got shoes too! The complete outfit -Wow! Direct quote - "I feel FRICKIN' AWESOME." I told him he can wear it for Halloween next year. He replied that it won't be just next year - "Every Halloween! I'm just going to wear this forever..." He's planning on wearing it to church next week, ha. Wes in his happy place - 

- at home, in his awesome outfit, playing his ukulele. (Wesley does a pretty solid Elvis impersonation, I think... Wesley singing "If I Can Dream")

So it's great having Wes back home! It felt like he was gone for a long time! We are glad that he's back. In other news - Katharine is closer to crawling. She is able to twist and roll herself all over the place.

And she was thinking we should box her up for Christmas and ship her to Mel!

After church, the kids helped me deliver invitations to our cookie exchange that will be on Saturday.

After an hour, they were understandably cold. 

We called it a day and will try to finish tomorrow. 

The hymns at church really touched my heart today - especially the opening and sacrament hymns. From Hymn 134 "I Believe in Christ" I loved - 

I believe in Christ; he ransoms me.

From Satan’s grasp he sets me free,

And I shall live with joy and love

In his eternal courts above.   

I have really felt freed from Satan's grasp this past week - freed from negative thoughts, doubts and fears. And I can live in joy and love with him above, and I because of Him I can live like that here and now, here on earth! We don't have to wait to experience the joy and peace he offers. And from the sacrament hymn, we sang all 5 verses of Hymn 187 "God Loved Us So He Sent His Son", and in the 4th verse, I loved - 

In word and deed he doth require

My will to his, like son to sire, 

Be made to bend, and I, as son,

Learn conduct from the Holy One.   

I was reading today about someone who has left the church and part of the reason for their disaffection was that the church expect them to change who they are. Well, Christ does expect that of us. And I WANT to change! I want to change in everyway to be better, to be more like him. I want to be made to bend and learn to act like him. I want to change and become like Him, to leave myself of doubt and disbelief behind and become like him, full of joy, hope, encouragement, in everything that I think, every word that I say, and every deed that I strive to perform. I will try to learn of his conduct in the scriptures so that I can emulate it.