Welcome Home!

I have an in-flight ritual.  I sit down and as soon as the initial take off butterflies settle, I pull out my legal pad and begin writing a letter to Zach.  Today, I sat down, pulled out the legal pad, and started crying.  Yup, crying.  The poor kid next to me.  Happy tears - happy tears that in a few short hours I will get to see my baby brother.  For all of you reading (yes, all 7 of you - that's being generous), you already know how much that guy means to me.  He's a gift from God.  Seriously.  He is the most fun-loving, kind and sensitive little guy.  He has a soft spot in the hearts of everyone in our family.  Of course, we love each other dearly, but Zach, he's special (and no, not in the short bus kind of way).  I know my siblings reading this won't hesitate to agree with me.  It's tough to articulate (even for me) how much he brings to our lives.  Anyway, the poor kid next to me, really.

Let's just say that as fast as these past two years have gone by, Zach's presence was really missed.  I can speak for all of us when I say we are SO excited to have him back.  Just to be able to Skype (or FaceTime, now) him randomly during the week will be awesome.  I have missed harassing him!

I am excited for Zach to get back in the grove of things, too.  He has a lot of catching up to do -

1. Meet DEAN - he hasn't met the little guy.  When I miss him so much it hurts, I think of how Zach has not been able to even meet him and it makes my little heart ache a little less.
2. Meet Hazel-Pop - he says babies don't do much when they are little anyway, so they are kind of boring.  Lucky for Zach, he missed the first few months (um, my favorite - they are SO sweet and cuddly and soft and cute and drooly and amazing).  I can't wait to see her huge smile when she recognizes him.
3. Meet Pete - my handsome.  After Pete finishes teasing him for being a redhead, they will get along like crazy.  Plus, to ensure he wins over my twin's heart, he sent me with the 2010 Giants World Series DVD.  He cannot believe that Zach missed the Giants win AND Jimmer.  So, I'm giving Zach a BYU Jimmermania DVD to recap the missed basketball time. Shhh, don't tell.
4. Give Mom enough hugs to make up for the two years.
5. Train for the 70 mile relay race that Dad signed him (US) for.

There's so much more he has to do, but those are just some highlights.  As happy as I am that he is coming home, I am just as happy that he loved his experiences in Texas.  This excerpt from his very last email sums things up pretty well:

"...my desires to serve have increased so much.  (I know that's true because when dad mentioned that there were a lot of chores at home, I didn't instantly think of my refuge, hiding spot (el inodoro -translate that one) [editor's note - that means toilet]

 

I can't really explain the way i feel right now.  All i know is that I will serve the Lord faithfully for the rest of my life."

 

He will.  He will do it in so many different ways.  He's going to meet a hottie wife and have some cute little munchkins.  He is going to succeed in the medical field and help others (just like my pops) daily.  He is going to keep being the amazing brother, son, uncle, friend, cousin and grandson that he has been his entire life. 

 

Anyway, I better get to work since I am working "remotely" (code for answering emails if they come in) for the next two days so I can welcome Z Wag home (and see my munchkins, siblings, parents and friends that I've missed so dearly)!

 

EEEKKSSS - so pumped!