The Day Has Arrived....

Today is the day. My son, Elder Bunker , finally comes home after two years of serving a mission in the Mexico Cuernavaca Mission. I didn't sleep last night and woke up shaking in anticipation!! His flight arrives at 8:05 pm, so it's going to be a long, slow going day....for mom at least. When I start to picture him walking down the escalator or runway, tears just flood my eyes. My heart is full. We have all been blessed for his valiant service in the Lord's Army. And when we take his name tag off...will be a new chapter in all our lives.
I know what the missionaries did for our family 11 years ago. I know they are lead and carried by the Spirit! I am so proud of our missionary.
Now, if I could just stop tearing up and get to work on last minute errands, I'd be productive! :)

Called to Serve...our journey.

Our missionary is coming home is nine days! I've started pacing and crying in anticipation of his arrival. I imagine seeing him for the first time after two years..and tears begin to flood the core of my very soul.
When we started this adventure of a life time, we knew that we were to be taken care of from the word "go". We moved to Utah from California about four months before he entered the MTC. We felt we needed to be here...we had lots of reasons that sounded good in theory as to why we should move. But most of them, faded away. We've had inklings of inspiration that have told us, as parents, "this move was not for you! You are paving the path". So we planted roots in our new home state and work at magnifying our callings in church, embrace making new friends, and hold onto each other like no one else can! We wouldn't want to repeat the last 2 1/2 years, but we wouldn't trade it for anything!
Our missionary has not seen our new home. But it's just a home. He's been busy doing the Lord's errand and helping families to become eternal families. Missionaries did the same for our family 11 years ago. I am so thankful for those sister missionaries who knocked at our door. And I am grateful that our son felt drawn to serve and help other families have just what we have....an eternal family.

Missionary countdown clock....

I found a new gadget, hope this works. :)

Majestic Beauty....

The view from our backyard. I never tire of the beauty of these mountains! I will miss them when we finally do move into a place of our own.
Wasatch Front, Alpine, Utah.

Hermione Granger for Halloween....

Today we went to Halloween party #2 (out of 4 ). Hannah had a blast! Turns out that at the Lehi Rippy Literacy Center there was Harry Potter in attendance to go with her Hermione Granger! Couldn't have been more perfect! We love the Literacy Center, they are so caring and sweet to every child that comes through their doors! And my daughter has sharpened her reading skills because of their diligence!

Except for the leotards and shoes...we got all the components for her costume at the local thrift store or at yard sales! Her costume cost a total of $ 5.00. She made her wand out of a dowel that she sharpened with her "boy scout knife" (thanks Dad), put dots and swirls on her wand with a hot glue gun , then painted the wand red and the tip with a glow in the dark paint.

Sunday Drive

We took a drive up American Fork Canyon for some family pictures. We ended up at Cascade Springs hoping for some beautiful color to have as a background. The only color we had....was in our clothes!! All the trees were void of any color! The springs had color, but it's kinda hard to take family pics when the springs are at your feet!! Our missionary loves to get an updated family pic every few months or so..... this one is for you Elder!!

My attempt at dish towels....

This is my first attempt at making dish towels! I think I did a pretty good job! I bought a waffle weave fabric shower curtain on the clearance shelf at T.J.MAXX for next to nothing and cut it up for dish towels. I got eight towels out of it. They sat in a basket for a year not knowing just how to make them look purty enough for gifts. Then I saw some adorable dish towels on a blog and the light bulb went off in my head..."I could do that". I went to my favorite quilt store in Lehi and got some remnants! Since I now had an idea of what I wanted to do, the sewing went smoothly and I finally have home -made gifts for Christmas this year! I made sets of two patterned fabric dish towel's...and they match(not like my picture I posted) ....now onto the matching apron!! But first, I have to make an Alice in Wonderland dress (already made the apron for that) for the play my daughter is in. I have GOT to stop volunteering myself for some of these projects!! ")

Acts of Kindness....

Hannah woke up this morning wanting/needing to bake cookies and give them away to families in our ward that she knows. So off to Wal-Mart we went to get cookie mix, bags and paper plates. She took the ward directory and marked the families who she'll deliver the cookies to....a little treat for Family Home Evening. She organized herself quite well and when all the cookies were good to go... she loaded a cute basket and off she went....door to door to about nine families. I am grateful for the big heart's my kids have for those around them.