Uncle Steven Is HOME!!
We all had so much excitement and were anticipating yesterday for weeks leading up to it! Thinking about what it will be like to go to the airport, making fun and embarrassing signs for us to hold at the airport as we welcome him home in "style". It was really cool! I didn't go to the airport when Brian got home from his mission, so it was really fun to be there for Steven! Steven is Brian's second half really.. so Brian was SO exited.. like couldn't sleep the night before excited! It was really fun to watch him get so excited to see his brother again. All us sisters had been planning, decorating and making the arrangements for his welcome home dinner gathering after and it was really fun! Lena and I got together to decorate just before we left for the airport (Thank you so much to Ben & Becky, Jarren and Brian for all your hard work, making signs, food and helping with decorations.. Lena and I would have had nothing to set up if it wasn't for all your help!)
("RM" stands for "Return Missionary")
The kids and I left from decorating straight to Brian's work downtown and we drove straight to the airport from there! Deerfoot traffic was a mess and we didn't have much time to spare once we arrived! We got the signs out and ready and the anticipation of seeing Steven coming down the escalators was crazy! We were all SO excited!
Carter was cracking everyone up. I had been telling Carter all about Uncle Steven for the past little while and much more often as the day approached, but I really didn't think he would react the way he did! Carter is usually pretty shy when first meeting someone or he will act kind of silly and awkward lol but he was standing at the bottom of the escalators SCREAMING "WHERE ARE YOU UNCLE STEVEN.. UNCLE STEVEN!!!!!!!" like seriously screaming it. He was so excited too.
Then we saw him! We all shouted and were so excited to welcome him home!
I thought that the excitement would probably change for Carter to being shy once we said "There he is!" but it didn't for Carter at all! He ran directly to him and gave him a BIG hug!
Needless to say.. my heart melted! Last time Steven saw Carter was when he was 9 months old! And Yesterday was the first time that Steven met Bentley!
I love this family so much! In fact, since the day Brian and I were married I've called my mother-in-law "Mom" and my Father-in-law "Dad" and now it just seems weird to say mother-in-law or Father-in-law let alone calling them by their first names! I consider Brian's siblings my siblings too.. no need for the "in-law" portion.
I am grateful to be apart of their eternal family! I am one lucky lady! I am so thankful for Steven and his incredible desire to serve. Last night he bore his testimony of the church and his mission and one part that will stick with me forever was when he said that he knows prayer works. For all the amazing times it would lead him and his companion to people seeking to learn more about the saviour. I was once that person seeking to learn more. So I have a special place in my heart and always will for the two missionaries (Elder Burnham and Elder Hall) who taught me all the discussions while they served their mission here in the Calgary Canada Mission. Steven, you have not only changed lives while you were serving your mission but they will remember you forever and that is a great blessing.
Thanks for being such a good example to our two boys who will probably serve a mission one day too. We are grateful for your loving and kind letters and emails we got while you were gone and are excited to have you home! So without further adieu, Welcome Home Elder Reed!
Steven's Mission slideshow from Brian Reed on Vimeo.