Looking Back on the Mission....

A tribute to Lex's Mission that is.   

Today marks 3 years since Lex got home from his mission!  I kind of think of it as my mission too....except a lot less work than he had to do.   This post is going to be all over!  2 years of memories in one post!

Missionary Girlfriends kinda get a bad reputation...  mostly because some are crazy.  Luckily, I wasn't crazy.  (Ask his parents and you'll probably hear a different story...)      It has been 3 years today since Lex stepped off the plan...and let me tell you... it is just STARTING to get to the point where we can talk about the aspect of being away from each other that long without feeling sick to our stomachs.

I had made the decision to wait faithfully without dating.  There are many types of "waiting" but I chose to not date.   I wrote every week, and sent him packages whenever I could.  He did the same.  We also sent tapes back and forth where we just talked without having to send a 10 page letter!

So lets start at the beginning.  For those of you who don't know, 24 is "our number".  We became "official"  on the 24th and after that....it was just our special number.    On our first date (I'll have to write a whole other blog post about that!) we went to Mandarin Palace and it was the first time I had ever eaten Chinese like that.  I loved it and became addicted to egg rolls immediately.   It was our thing to eat there every month on the 24th.    And I continued that while he was on his mission.  I didn't miss a month.  It was my official countdown!

I also have a box of all the fortunes I got.... but that makes me sound weird.... so we'll just move along.

Anyway....  He left for his mission June 24, 2009.  God blessed us from beginning to end.  The two weeks before his farewell,  I was going to MDA camp with my cousin for a week, then I would be home one day... and then fly to Colorado for Drum Major training and I would get back the morning of his Farewell talk.  Then he would leave 2 days after that.   Ugh... still kinda makes me sick to think about.    So I went to MDA camp and that was a good trial run for us.   I even wrote him a letter from the hotel.   

Then when I got home we spent the entire day at This is the Place in Salt Lake.  I was communicating with my friend Torie the whole time because something had gotten messed up with our drum major tickets.   Long story short,  we were both thrilled when the trip got cancelled and I gained another 3 days with him before he left!!

Ah... so many memories.. I could write a book instead of a blog post... so I'll skip to his mission. We won't dwell on the goodbye.       It is sufficient to say I cried a lot.

I kept busy while he was gone and we served as a support for each other.    I checked the mail religiously.  Often making my mom text me the SECOND something arrived.

Then it was time.  HE WAS COMING HOME!!    His original arrival date was June 29, 2011 but because his mission president was leaving for home as well they changed it to June 22!!

Not that I was counting....

This change was a miracle in Lisa land because that meant he would be home for June's Chinese food date :)  No more dates with my mom.  (I mean that in the nicest way possible mom!!)

I drove to the airport with his family and as we pulled into the parking garage I couldn't even believe it.  In fact, I stepped out of the van and my MIL looked at me with this concerned look and said ... um Lisa...  Lisa... ?    Then I kinda teetered and then jumped out of it and realized I wasn't BREATHING!  She was like LISA KEEP BREATHING!!    His siblings got a good chuckle. I literally stood there and forgot to breathe.    After what seemed like longer than the mission itself.... we saw him!

Lex coming off the plane!!

It was the best day of my life! (up till we got married of course SPOILER!)

We went to the bird refuge the next morning and we haven't been away from each other since.  Literally....have not spent one day apart since he got home.   And I'm trying to keep it that way. 

So go away scout camps. 

Lex is the most amazing man I've ever met. He is honest to the core and just GOOD.  I am so lucky that not only did I get to marry him.... but I got to share his mission with him and his family.