Derek Comes Home!!!

Well a lot of the past couple months has been filled with anticipation of my youngest brother Derek coming home from his mission.  My parents went to pick him up and so it was a doubly fun reunion for all of us.  He served his mission in the Ghana, Accra mission in Africa.  We were all so excited! I even had a count down going on my phone for it!

Jess, Alysia, Justin and I were waiting at the Airport with a few of his friends.  Lisa made the cute posters for us!

 We all barely could hold in our excitement.  It was a little strange because in the past for Reed and Jess's homecomings Mom and Dad got the first hugs.  But they'd been with Derek for a week now, so we got moved up in the line of hugs!  It was so great!

He looked so thrilled!

Jess got the first hug, then me!

All the family that was there!  We missed Reed, Tina and their cute kids!

 I love his freaked out face here!!  Welcome to Freezing Utah!

 

 On the way home we stopped at Wingers in Salt Lake City, as it is his favorite!  It was so fun to see him interact with his friends and to hear his stories of Ghana.  What a handsome kid!

Mom had made this awesome flag sign for the garage.  It looked so good!

Grandma Jackie was so excited to see Elder Gann! We went and visited her at her place after he got home, and it was very touching.  She cried and said that she wasn't sure she'd ever see him again:)  He just told her that he knew she would make it, and here they were together again.  It was really neat. 

Derek had asked if anyone wanted an African dress while he was there, and my Mom and I did!  So we wore them to church for his Homecoming.  They are super colorful and handmade!  It was a fun added touch to the day.  He also brought home a bunch of ties, and so we had to get a cousin photo of all of the handsome boys with their ties. 

And of course here is me with my handsome hubby! 

Derek put together a slideshow of a lot of his mission pictures and videos and showed us them one night.  It was so neat to hear his stories and to see how much he has grown as a man and as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  He is one of my heroes.  I look up to each of my brothers and my Dad so much for their sacrifice of two years of their life for the Lord.  I wish I was that awesome, but I try in my small way to contribute:)  What a fun month to add this to the excitement of Christmas!!  I love you Derek:)