Como puedo expresar los sentimientos que tengo en este momento? Ahora la unica cosa en mi Corazon es la memoria de estes ultimos tres dias… That’s the funny thing about it… I started to think of what to write about and it came to me in Spanish. For the last day I’ve begun once again to think in Spanish. It’s been so long since I’ve had that feeling, and it overwhelms me to think that the Spanish that I had been losing over time back in Arizona had begun to come back to me. I had started to think like the Spanish version of myself, but at the same time was at a loss for words. During the trip I struggled to express how I truly felt, and I hope that they were able to understand me while I fumbled around with the Spanish that had become far from me.
The trip to Atlanta started a little bumpy, but we made it to the valley the evening of the 10th, and had time to take Clancey to dinner before we slept at his new Townhouse. The following morning it was off to the airport about 630 to make my flight. The flight was completely full and my middle seat was oh so fun. Rush Hour 3 played on the fuzzy screen in front of me that had a problem with its V-Hold. Never thought I’d see that as a problem again. Upon arriving in Atlanta I made the walk from the terminal to the baggage claim area where Devin was waiting for me in the Dodge Avenger that he’d rented. We drove through Lilburn and into Conyers to make some stops on our way to getting to the Rendons. The Gonzales had become inactive, but we were able to visit with one of the girls for a few minutes before she needed to leave.
From there we made our way to the Wallace’s to see Grant, and I found him with long hair and punked out. After a quick visit with him we headed to the Facer’s home for a bit. We found them there, and I was greeted with hugs and warm conversation for the better part of two hours. They remind me so much of my parents that it was good to see that they were well.
The Rendons started calling us and we headed over there to have dinner. The missionaries were there as well and we saw the Elder Martinez that John trained in Athens. He is going home in two weeks, and that only put things into perspective for me on how long I actually have been home. We talked the majority of the night except when Devin dressed up in Gabriel’s clothes and learned how to dance from Maria. He ended up with a new pair of boots that fit him pretty good. They insisted that we stay with them, and had a great night of sleep. I was pretty out of it from the flight and short night of sleep.
Gabriel and Maria had to work in the morning so they left us a set of keys and told us to make ourselves at home, leave whenever we wanted, and we’d see them at the Temple. I took a shower and then made breakfast for us. Mostly leftovers from the night before, but with some eggs added in too. We headed for Lilburn where we met Tamara at the Stake basketball games. On the way to the Temple we found a Sonny’s and had the bestest lunch in a long time! (Probably since I’d taken Brad and Brian to the Mississippi one this last summer) We changed into our Church clothes in their bathroom and headed out.
When we arrived at the Temple we found President and Sister Browning who were just coming out of a Sealing with Patti (Sister Patterson) so we got to talk with all of them for a little while. They are finishing up their mission this year, and I’d love to get Amanda back out there before they go home. As we finished up our conversations with President and Sister Browning the Rendons arrived and I started getting a little nervous and very excited at the same time. We helped them get the children ready for everything and situated in the Nursery. After we found that there were no Spanish people to escort them and help them through the process so as we waited for them to get back from the Nursery a Hispanic woman showed up and offered to help out with the escorting. Is that a blessing or the Lord taking care of His children that are trying to do what’s right or what? I went with Gabriel and helped them both get all their paperwork straight, and then with him alone to get him all decked out in his clothes. They asked Elder Garner and me to be the witnesses, and that was just the Icing on the cake for me. I don’t know if someone can describe the feelings that I had as they went through, but I pondered about my own Sealing and was overwhelmed with emotion when they brought the children in to be sealed to their parents.
Totally out of nowhere we saw a member that we had taught together also in the Sealing… Yeah, she was taking out her Endowment that day right before the sealing. I guess that would be the Strawberries on the Icing on the cake.
We got back to Conyers and the Rendons wanted to take us out to Golden Corral for dinner. We ended up taking Diana, the neighbor girl that is about Karla’s age, and had a very good time just talking and enjoying each other’s presence. The night rolled about the same as the previous one, and we got to bed a little after midnight.
The next morning about 5 minutes before my alarm was to go off Gabriel came in and told us that Breakfast was ready, because they wanted us to get to spend just a little more time with them. The drive back with Devin was good, and he had a bunch of other stops to make before his flight home in the morning. The flight went smoothly, and I got home to my beautiful wife! We met Clancey for lunch, and are now on our way home. Such a blessing life is. To have friends like the Rendons is a unique and special opportunity that I wouldn’t trade for anything. It makes me even more excited to begin the journey into my own family.
Home, Work, & Play