Sister Ava Bocanegra, Washington D.C. South Mission. March 2021-September 2022.
While Binnie was still in the field, we celebrated her birthday on Sunday, September 11th, with brownie sundaes. Her due date as a baby was September 28th but she came a couple of weeks early. For that reason, it seemed fitting that she was due home from her mission on September 28th.
The countdown is on!
Which meant…a room re-do, obviously.
Freshened up from top to bottom. New paint on the ceiling, walls, baseboards, and new carpet!
Ta-da, a room all ready for our little princess.
Wednesday, September 28, 2022
The nerves that set in while waiting for the plane to land were no joke! Graham was tracking its every move so he could point out her exact plane outside the window. Someone from the mission had texted me a picture of the sisters before boarding, so I knew that Ava would be in a blue floral dress. Mallerie had flown in from Kauai just hours before. Her presence was to be a surprise…
There is a new waiting area at the Salt Lake Airport for missionary reunions but everyone waits outside the doors and at the glass railing. We chose a cozy spot towards the back of the waiting room. This made for a dramatic reunion. (Plus, I had my Mickey hands!)
Best. hug.
(Love seeing our sneaky Malmal in the background:)
Ava could not believe how much Callie had grown! (Course, when she got home and saw Poe, Ava said, "Actually, I think she has grown the most!")
Above: Ava's farewell— February 2021
Ava got to meet baby Pearson for the first time.
Ava left and arrived with her home MTC Companion, Sis. Otti.
Matt took us to lunch at Buca di Peppo in Salt Lake. I was so thrilled that Romney and Austin joined us. She asked as we were leaving to lunch, "Or do you just want it to be your family?" I said, "You are family!" The empty places are for Kat, Gray, and Gav, I suppose.
Mallerie was meeting baby Pearson for the first time as well.
Temple Square
I like to take an annual peek at the progress at Temple Square. I am kind of surprised that I don't have a picture, but there is still a lot of scaffolding. I didn't realize the North Visitor's Center was being demolished. Gone! The pictures would have been of piles of rubbish. We chatted with the Sister Missionaries about Ava getting home right. that. minute.
A visit to Grandma Donna the next day.
Homecoming—Sunday, October 16, 2022
Ava got to reconnect with extended family when she gave a beautiful Homecoming talk on October 16th. Callie was the youth speaker and also gave a beautiful talk. Matt was conducting, and he also did a beautiful job. Because the girls were both sitting on the stand with Matt, and Graham was passing the sacrament, it was just me finding a seat. I had no idea who would be there, so I was blown away by the love and support. We had Granny and Grandpa, the Gouldings, the Cashs, the Shafers, Eliza and Kate, and Adren! From Matt's side, Grandma Donna, Mark, and Jamie.
We are standing in front of the Heber Valley Temple site. The ground was broken by President Nelson just eight days before, when Ava and I ran down to the corner in our socks to wave at his black car driving by.
Ava with fellow Washington, DC South missionaries Easton and Sienna (who are now engaged!).
The weather was in the low 70s, which was perfect. It was the last pretty Sunday of the year. Perfection.
The fall days were absolutely gorgeous leading up to that day. I will always remember jetting off to the food truck in Midway with Ava, eating at the park, doing a little quaint shopping, laughing, and finishing the night with sampling at the newly opened Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in Midway.
Matt remembers the times that just the three of us were home in the evenings for scripture study and we could have a gospel discussion with Ava and hear more about her mission.
Ava reported to the High Council the following Sunday at 8 am. Graham didn't know we had left that morning. When I told him where we had gone, he said, "So is that the last thing for her mission?"
I said, "Yeah, I think she can finally move on now!"
I said, "Yeah, I think she can finally move on now!"
Between getting released, the homecoming/party, and the report, it's been over three weeks of ending this thing, haha. But the good thing about it was that in each situation, I heard different stories about her mission.
Can't ya just smell that new carpet?
