day number {28} grateful journal

{just a darling picture that needed to be added}

I woke up this morning with an internal battle.

It is gonna sound completely selfish and stupid to even write, but it was a fight nonetheless.

{so I will write it}

Today my oldest nephew came home from his mission.

My sister sent me his flight plans, but let me know that we could just go over to their house later in the afternoon and have our quality time then.

His flight would arrive at 10:15am

{problem}

My twice weekly zumba class is from 9 to 10 am.

{and I had mountains of laundry stacked up for me after}

And unless I wanted to go sweaty and fly in a helicopter to the airport, there was no way I could do both.

I rationalized in my head that he wouldn't care if I was there right when he got home.

{i could be there later that day}

But I couldn't kick the feeling that I did need to be at the airport.

{to hug that fresh, seasoned missionary}

I dressed the kids and we headed to sky harbor.

We got there with a few minutes to spare.

I watched my sister, Lisa, watching down the corridor with anticipation.

It was a look like only a mother who has dreamed of seeing her child for 2 years can have.

I watched his Dad and brothers do a manly version of "the search".

But before anything was said out loud, I knew he was coming by watching Lisa.

Her smile lit up the room and she started fidgeting, hoping for him to walk faster.

Elder Dillon Martin walked out of the terminal to a family {and friends} of screaming fans.

But, none more of his fan than his own mom.

As she and her boy, who was now a man, hugged each other tears came, but not just for them.

{for most of us}

As a mom, one of my greatest hopes is to be able to have that same hug one day.

The hug of "well done", "I am so proud of you", "thank you for being a worthy servant of the Lord", and "I am so glad you are home".... all in one hug, with my own boys.

And I could feel theirs, even by just being a bystander.

As I drove home in the car I reflected on Dillon.

I was at the hospital when he was born.

I got to see him within minutes of coming to Earth as a tiny, helpless baby.

Today I watched his mom greet him again.

This time as a man.

I am so grateful that I let those quiet urges win the battle today.

{it was so worth it}