Getting Settled

Together again after 3 years apart.

It's been two weeks since Kaitlin came back to live at home, and I feel comfortable saying that things are finally settling.   The first week of her being home was mostly a blur.  She was pretty sick that first week, having both the stomach problems that she's been struggling with in Paraguay, and then a cough/fever thing, which she also brought home and promptly shared with the family.  So that first week was full of catching up with her boyfriend, Ben, going to the doctor, figuring out what she can eat without being sick, and battling jet lag. Kaitlin spent the first three days in pajama pants because they were the only pants she owned and she didn't have enough energy/desire to go to the store.   

Kaitlin's "fellas" all home from missions and together again.

Things started to settle down in week two.  Shopping trips provided several pairs of jeans, some shoes, and a handful of shirts.  Food and eating started to settle too, aided by a definitive abstinence of all things dairy.  A  medication recommended by the doctor helped as well.  Things were looking up so much, that by the end of week two, Kaitlin felt so adjusted that she started to look into colleges and started job hunting. She even drove a car by herself for the first time in 18 months. Coming home from a mission is a huge transition and Kaitlin has done it like a champ.  She is doing great. 

Last Sunday Kaitlin spoke in church and then we had friends and family over to the house for food and visiting.  It was a great time.  Thank you so much to everyone who came out and who brought food.   In spite of feeling sick all day, Kaitlin handled it all with aplomb. 

We had so much support for Kaitlin's homecoming! 

Kaitlin brought us all gifts when she got home. One of the funniest was a gift from a teenager she had met there.  He had seen Ruth's picture on Instagram and decided that he was in love with her, so he drew this picture for Kaitlin to deliver to Ruth when she went home. The gift left Ruth speechless.  

She's Home!

Kaitlin stepped off the airplane a day and an hour later than we expected, but still safe and sound and happy.   I don't know if she'll blog about her experience, but here is the short version.  Her first flight out of Asuncion was delayed because Kaitlin felt sick and was throwing up in the airplane bathroom before takeoff.  After a 6 hour layover in Sao Paulo her next flight had a broken emergency latch, and after sitting two hours on the taxiway, they decided they couldn't fix it and canceled the flight. What followed was an 8 hour odyssey getting a new flight and problems getting vouchers and the challenge of negotiating in a foreign country and language.  She finally got a hotel room by 6am and was able to get a few hours of sleep before her new flight.  That new flight was delayed, but eventually took off.   She arrived in Atlanta facing another long layover, and then that flight was delayed an hour.  So it was a very tired Kaitlin that greeted us on Saturday, after traveling for 36 hours.

Kaitlin was home!  In spite of it all, she looked beautiful coming down the airport escalator and we are so glad to have her home.  The cold weather was a shock to her (I had brought her a coat) and she commented on how ugly it is here (yeah, after living in the jungle the browness of home would be a shock). We spent the rest of the day just talking and visiting.  She did the obligatory rolling around on the carpet and ohing and ahing over how fancy our house was. She had some amazing stories to share about her time in Paraguay and I'm sure we have only heard a small percentage of her experiences. She wasn't feeling very well so we forwent a fancy dinner and I made her some chicken and rice soup, which, upon the first bite, made her cry a little bit (my cooking is that good!).

Kaitlin gave a very good report to the Stake High Council and was released on Sunday morning.

She will be speaking in church next Sunday and we will be having a gathering at our house after for all our relatives and friends.

Nationals Qualifier

Ruth was heartbroken when Kaitlin's flight was delayed by a day, because Saturday was the Debate National Qualifier tournament and she could not miss it.   Ruth did really well and broak to semi-finals, and then finals, and in the end ranked 2nd place. The top two finishers qualified for Debate Nationals (which is in Alabama this year) so that meant that Ruth had made it! It was Ruth's goal this year to make it to Nationals.  She was so excited and we were so proud (she told us via text since we couldn't be there).  That evening she came running into the house with her plaque in hand, and Kaitlin jumped off the couch and ran and smooshed her in a big hug. They stood in the kitchen and cried in front of all of Ruth's debate friends. It was both touching and a bit awkward.   Kaitlin said that she would have been mad that Ruth wasn't there to pick her up, but since Ruth won, it was okay.

So Saturday was kinda a big day at our house.

"Five More Sleeps 'til Kaitlin"

Tonight I'll be writing my last letter to Kaitlin. Tomorrow we'll get our last e-mail from her.  On Tuesday Kaitlin will travel from where she is on the Brazilian border, 8 hours by bus to Asuncion.   On Thursday she'll get on a plane headed for Sao Paulo, and then another to Atlanta, and then Friday morning, really early she'll get on the plane that will bring her home.

We've been really excited around here to the point of breaking out in song more than once.  We did some shopping on Saturday, because Kaitlin will need practically everything when she gets home, so shampoo, and toothbrushes, and some t-shirts, and lotion.   I'm sure it's the first of many shopping trips to come.