one year flashback

On the 11th of July, I celebrated being home from my mission for a year. 

Well, technically... I was released a year ago...I was lucky enough to travel a bit before coming home. But still- I remember this day as if it was yesterday. 

aaaaand scene:

I couldn't sleep the night before. I was just praying and crying all night. (My companion later told me she could hear me- which made HER cry. haha oops) 

I woke up and finished packing, because I had put it off- of course.

As I packed, my cute mini missionary companion made me the best blini ever. 

(Blini is the Russian version of crepes) 

And we headed to the mission office. I was fighting tears the whole time.
I looked over and saw that Cectpa Klimash drew something on her planner that just cracked me up

She wrote in English "Sister Irion...Never Forget" on the tomb stone. haha She's hilarious. 

The next page/day on her planner she wrote "Return Sister Irion! I miss her!"

We made it to the office and I got all of my suitcases together. 

I traveled around, and ended up in a new area the last 3 weeks of my mission, so I was just living out of a carry-on at that point. Made me realize I packed too much...

It was so much fun to see all of the missionaries- as always. They would try and talk to me about home and I'd just say I couldn't talk about it. I was just trying to soak in every second. 

At one point, the Sr. Couple Elder that works in the office came up to me and asked what my twin brother looks like and how tall he was...cause he was about to go to the airport to pick him up.
WHAT?!

I obviously knew that Russ was coming, but I never asked when he was coming! I assumed it would be the next day! I got SO excited at that point- but tried to hide it so the other missionaries wouldn't get real trunky or anything...but woah. I became REAL curious at that moment!

We had our transfer meeting where 2 missionaries were randomly chosen to testify about our purpose as missionaries...then it was my turn to testify.

I was the only exiting missionary, so when Pres. Clark was saying the program, he said I would testify because I was finishing my missionary service today...in fact, that NIGHT because I was going to skype my Stake Pres. back home and be released in a few hours..

WHAT?!

Again - I had NO clue that would be happening so soon! 

I was probably put into shock right then. In fact, I gasped and reached for my name tag. 

haha What a nerd. Guess it was a bad idea not to ask specifics about my last days in the field?

So with that...it was my turn to testify...

Ah it was just so hard to do. In English, for one.. but to talk about missionary work and

try to express how much it meant to me and to try and inspire those there to give it their all. 

Also, not fun to look down at past companions just crying as I was trying not to cry. Pshh..yeah right.

After the meeting, we sang our mission song that Cectpa Clark wrote that just makes me cry every time anyway. And said a few goodbyes. The worst. 

 Did NOT look great. But what do ya do. 

(Cectpa Kovalenko from Moscow, and Cectpa Denisenko from Ukraine)

 Pres. Clark decided to have my exit interview at his office at home when he got finished with things... So I helped Cectpa Clark carry things over to the home and helped her finish up preparing my exit dinner. I kept looking around for my companion.. so weird.

My interview was so good with President. A lot of reflecting on favorite experiences, what I loved and learned from companions, hardest experiences, etc. 

Aaaand since I can write about it now- He asked about boys. To which I said that I had been writing someone for 3 years and hoped something would come of it. He asked his name, where he was from, where he served...but that was pretty much it. 

He didn't go into marriage advice because all of the sudden- the doorbell rang...and we both smiled SO big at each other!

We booked it to the door (along with Cectpa Clark) to see that Russ was on the other side of the door! AHHH! ALREADY!

 THAT was one AWESOME and CRAZY moment! Weirdest/best hug ever!

The Clarks couldn't get enough of us twins together. haha (or Russ' beard. hilarious)

A bit after Russ got there, he and President went to the store to grab something while I would have my skyping/releasing session. (fun fact- Russ and Pres. would speak to each other in German because that's where Pres. served his mission.) 

So, I went in the office and there was President Daw and also had my parents listening in on his cell phone! (they were in the middle of a zone conference or something- bless their hearts for leaving to listen in on this!) We talked about my mission and the church is St. Petersburg, I testified, and then boom...like that he released me. I ended the video and I just sat in there and cried a bit. 

Luckily though, he didn't tell me to take off my tag...which I was dreading that moment...

so I kept it on :)

After I controlled myself a bit, I went in the room and apparently still had cry-face cause 

Cectpa Clark was walkin towards me with her arms out saying "ohhh....this is hard isnt it?"

cried. again..... shocker. 

BUT Russ and Pres. came back and  dinner was ready - so that cheered me up real fast :)

They spoiled us with Cectpa Clark's amazing cooking. Complete with a traditional Russian bread for celebrations. Cectpa Clark is incredible. oh my world. 

At one point as we ate, Pres. mentioned to Cectpa Clark that I was writing someone- she just lit up and

said "ohh! We have to wait till the end to ask these questions! I have good questions!" haha They didn't ask too much, but every once in a while, they would just randomly say "...Kody Wood..."

I loved it. 

After dinner, we had a mini testimony meeting, us 4, where Russ testified in German. Then we had family prayers and they went to bed while Russ and I stayed up (PAST 10:30!) and talked. 

It was a roller-coaster day to say the least. But most of the tears were tears of joy.

I can't believe it's already been a year...but at the same time. I can. 

I just wanted to share a bit of what it was like that specific day, because it's hard to really put all of my thoughts and feelings together about my precious mission, or the year that has passed since then. Plus it's just fun to have detailed flashbacks and share them :) 

I miss my mission so much. I loved it with all of my being. 

Russia, the people, the missionaries, the food, the embarrassing/awkward moments, even the hard ones. All of it. 

Still love it. 

I am changed forever because of it. 

my ladies man

it's fine. 

I always knew that he was a ladies man, chick-magnet, you name it. 

Remember when I had the whole Relief Society shooting 

lazer eyes at me once we started dating?

I sure do :) 

But I like this kind though- it just melts my heart. 

Doesn't make sense right? Just you wait...

 I mean SERIOUSLY!? 

hello my biggest weakness. 

I mean, I was a goner for this boy way earlier than this (try years earlier), 

but really...how attractive is a guy being adorable with kids? 

nothin better.

 We can't really put our thumb on it- but sometime/for some reason 

 my adorable niece Lily just started LOVING Kody. It is the cutest thing.
She seriously lights up when she sees us (ok...him).

After we got married she would always say "I'm gonna marry Lindsay and Kody!"

She would pray that we would come to her house and have pizza.

Lily would just run straight to Kody when we were with our whole family. 

I just can't get enough of it!

And neither can Kody :)

One time we offered to go up to Sandy and watch the kids-

unfortunately, Kody had a test and couldn't come. I text my sister saying that she should warn Lily

or at least give the heads up that Kody can't come...

to which we got the cutest little "hey tell" voice message from Lily: 

"hey Kody! Can you come..to our house..PLEASE?!" in her cutest little voice.

Broke his little heart. 

(she always sends us hey tell messages...I am obsessed with every single one)

So, I got there and asked her if I could take a picture of her cute crown

she wouldn't really focus or smile...until I said "K let's send this picture to Kody! Say 'KODY!'"

....biggest grin ever. 

The best of all is this video though...hahah oh man I brag about it and show it to anyone I can.

(background: This was the weekend Russ and Ellen got engaged - us 4 were just tossing a frisbee around and Lily came outside and started doing this all on her own)

Over Christmas break, we went to Tennessee to be with my parents and once Lily just randomly 

started chanting "hooray for Kody!" I guess that's when it started.. But nothing was this good!

I even asked her "Lily, who else is playing?" ...nothin. 

Point proven.

If that wasn't enough - Kody has gotten my other cute niece, Sophie wrapped around his finger.

Once we walk into the house she is non stop chatting and showing us stuff
(totally her personality- love that little firecracker party girl)

Here is a little card and heart she made for us. 

 One time Kody asked her "Sophie-why do you love me?"
S: "because you let me play on your phone"

hahaha That made me laugh so hard...until this happened...

K: "ok, why do you love Lindsay?"

S: "Because she married you"

again...point proven. haha

 This girl will never let him out of her sight. 

It is adorable. 

As if I could love him more...then he goes around pulling all of this off..

He's good. too good. 

My other nieces better buckle up...they are next.

Digital Get Down

Please don't look up that song. haha I'm so glad my 5th grade 

innocent self had no idea what that song was talking about. 

I was reminded of it while driving out here to Virginia and was just singing along 

when Kody says "what the...why do you know every word?" 

No clue. 

ANYWAY- that is NOT what this post is about. 

I'm getting back into the swing of things and finally gonna post on here. 

I've been thinking a lot lately about how great technology is

 ESPECIALLY helping us keep in touch with those we love.

I tend to take a lot of 'mental pictures' of my every day life...but I love 

when I actually take a picture to capture a great moment. 

Some of these are pictures of those digital moments. 

double whammy.

 Google Hang out and all of its goodness. 

We were all rockin a little somethin somethin in this party. 

Seriously, once these effects come into play- that's all we can do.

 hahahaha this makes me laugh EVERY time! 

Look at that cute mom....notice no one else with the effects on themselves 

and notice that ZERO grandchildren are around. hahahaha

My mom > the world.

 The best part about google hangout with my family is that we talk about nothing. 

For real. Hours later and we might have brought up the upcoming wedding 

or an idea for a vacation together...but nothing gets planned. So funny though.
Although who knows...maybe trying to figure out who parts their hair on the left or right 

is something that needs to be figured out.
mom: "ok...everyone put your right hand on your head...." 

 Teaching my family how to add/use emojis in texts. 

Success. 

 Major success... hahah 

Texting your nieces is the best thing in life. 

 Maybe the problem is that when we are actually talking about wedding plans or anything

Russ is just secretly playing a game and letting Ellen take over. haha

This boy... He loves his apples. 

tv, apple tv, macbook, ipad, iphone

An apple a day right? 

safe to say he's set. :) 

back to bloggin

Well there... I'm back to the blogging world!

and i'm so excited. 

I forgot how much I love doing this and end up obsessing over it for a while

Hopefully I do a fairly good job of keeping this one up

Kody has been wanting me to get back into this for a while now

So here we are! 

It's good to be back :)