Part 2: The (not so average) Homecoming

I was sure that the next morning I would wake up to a call from him…nope! There I go assuming again. Setting myself up for disappointment because no, he didn't call…he wouldn't be calling all day unfortunately. I spent all day with his sisters and than at his house, not seeing or hearing from him all day. He was to be set apart that evening at 8pm so I figured I'd get ready around 7 than head to his ward to be there for his "release" as a missionary. That was always a no brainer for me, to be there.

Come 7 pm my mind started going again…..
...should I be at the chapel for when he's released?
….Do I want our first hug/kiss to be in front of others?? (Absolutely not)
….Do I want to have another awkward moment in front of everyone, assuming when he came out of his release interview that we'd hug or kiss only to find him ignoring me?? (Definitely not, I felt enough rejection for 24 hours haha)
My mind was thinking all these things and going crazy. Especially when my mom came in my room as I was getting ready and said, "are you sure he wants you to be there? I just want to make sure he doesn't feel weird about you going?" -_-    That thought didn't even enter my mind until she brought it up and than I found myself really second guessing everything mainly due to his behavior the past 24+ hours…..and than I rewinded back to over 2 1/2 years prior….the night he got his mission call. That night we agreed we were gonna go through this whole experience TOGETHER.
E V E R Y - S T E P - O F - T H E - W A Y
It wasn't just one of us going through it, it was something WE were doing while supporting one another to do and be our best.
I was set on going. For the most part. to be absolutely sure, I figured what the heck, I'll call him and ask if he wanted me to or not. haha. So I called his sisters phone, and he answered. Talk about getting super nervous in the matter of seconds!
I asked his thoughts on it and he told me to come, so it was settled. I went.

By the time i got there, he already went into the bishops office for the interview. After being in the hall for about 45 minutes, I figured, at lease he came, his family will tell him I was here, but I want to have our first officially "embrace" to be a bit more private. hah. So i left. and than I waited…… (story of my life. haha)

It was about 9:45pm, an hour later, and his sister txt my sister that he was home and now on his way to our house. Holy cow I could have died of butterfly over load in my stomach! I was SO NERVOUS! I sat in my living room, but the window, waiting to see him pull up in his truck. (Talk about the little things you miss.) I almost forgot in the past that I could always hear his truck coming before I could even see it pulling into my house….those memories rushed back when I heard it coming from down the street…and than I saw it pull into our circle….. and than into our driveway. He was here. At my house. After over 2 years. Just to see me.

I couldn't wait for him to come to the door so I got up and ran out the door. He saw me and we both rushed to each other and (finally) hugged! He picked me up and spun me around. Agh, I could have died. It didn't even feel like real life. I am about to cry just writing and thinking about that moment but at the time I was so caught up in the moment and feelings I didn't cry. He put me down and we just looked at each other, big smiles and laughing, not believing we were with one another. He than told me he had something for me. He said he kept his (missionary name)tag on and asked his stake president if I could remove it which he was told he could do. So as we stood there, he asked me if I could remove his tag for him. (It probably doesn't sound like a big deal but it was to me. Usually their tags are taken off by their moms after their exit interview which kind of symbolizes their official release of being a missionary.) After removing it he said it was mine to keep and we hugged again. I than heard my sisters in the background and saw flashes coming from their phone cameras so I pulled away and we decided to go in for him to see everyone else. We went inside and he stayed for about and hour and a half/two hours talking and catching up. Him and I and my sisters. Just like old times :) In that moment, I was on cloud 9. Now I could officially have the ending of "the homecoming/being reunited" moment. It wasn't what I'd always expected, but he was home, safe, and I was able to be in his presense again. The nervous feelings were still there and I hadn't 100% had the feelings I'd had before, when we were together, so i was still nervous about that, but at lease to have those 3 things, was a blessing enough for me. :)

The awkward handshake. haha