The long road home....

We're excited to be going, but sad to be leaving... what a mixture of feelings we were having today.
We headed first to Chad & Michelle's home in Virginia. This is what greeted us:

And... we arrived in time to help celebrate Annalese's first birthday - on the 6th !

She was being pretty particular with the cake -

But she finally came around...

They showed us their newly-built playroom - up in the attic.

Next, it was on to the Sanders' home.

Cameron just accepted a new job with a company in Tennessee, so while we were there we helped them pack some things.  Colby and Cambria will finally have a little more room.

Cambria would have her first birthday right after we left:

While we were there, we ran into some old friends. Ron and Charlene Olson from Lindon, UT were serving in their ward on a mission!

We drove from there to see Uncle Bill in Marion, Ohio. Of course, did I even think to get a picture? NO! Sheesh. Uncle Bill is Roger's Mother's brother.... the only one still alive of the 3 kids. He is over 90 - so we wanted to see him on the way home, in case we didn't get another chance.
Then it was on to the Monroes - This is what greeted us there....

It was fun to see everyone and especially see how our little miracle, Ashlyn was growing:

We gave Kaden his candy bar poster for earning all of the activity badges in Weeblos:

And HAD to take a picture of Ashlyn - in one of her darling outfits:

Then we set out to cross the rest of the country. We got stuck in Topeka, Kansas for 2 days in the "Blizzard of Oz". Luckily we were in a very nice Hampton Inn... but getting meals was a little hazardous.  We hit another blizzard only an hour south of home in Price Canyon. It was the worst road conditions we had the whole trip!

We finally made it home - but because Barbara and Dick were out of town, there was no one there to greet us... Just this homemade sign from Chelsea and Shay.  

It was wonderful to be home, and sad all at the same time!  What a marvelous experience this mission was for us. Our testimonies have been strengthened, our boldness has increased, our knowledge has expanded, our love for so many has exploded!  We thank our Heavenly Father for the opportunity we have had to show our love for Him by serving in the Kingdom and hopefully helping the work to go forth. If our example and service has made even 1 of our grand-children desire and determine to serve a mission for themselves or encouraged our children to serve when they are older, then it has been totally worth it! We have already received our blessings!  Thanks for the Memories!

Time to go...

Before leaving I had to get a picture of Sister Cannon's refrigerator. She has this 2nd refrigerator in the laundry room that she puts on the transfer board cards of departing missionaries. I wanted to get a picture of it with OUR cards on it. The double door front is totally full... this is on the side:

Then the AP's - Elder Teuira and E. Babin came to say good-bye to us:

Oddly enough, Sister Cannon took all the pictures of us with our loaded down car and of us pulling away, so I don't have those to add to the book.

(Former) Elder Aquim Garcia's wedding

 Elder Garcia was one of the first missionaries we had come and stay in our apartment. He and his companion worked in Hawkesbury and they would come to Cornwall to work every other week, so they would stay in our apartment. We became really close to him.  When he went home from his mission in January of 2012 - he went to Laval. His parents had moved (with his dad's work) into our mission while he was serving here.  So, we would see him from time to time, and when we worked in the office, he came to introduce us to his fiance. When we told him we were leaving the first of Feb. he asked us to stay long enough to come to his wedding - so we did.  We left Cornwall, and went up to the Mission Home to spend the weekend and attend his wedding.

It was soooo cold and snowy that day and so everyone just about froze going out onto the steps

of the temple to take pictures after the sealing.

We attended the temple with them, then went to the reception that afternoon. It was wonderful to see them so happy! 

Last District Study

Well, I pretty much cried all the way through the meeting and lunch today, so my eyes are all puffy. We are really going to miss working with these wonderful Elders and Sisters! They are such wonderfully faithful and devoted missionaries!

Elder Neff - District Leader, E. Ballard, E. Randy Wright, E. Ryan Wright, E. Freeze, and E. Mortensen and us... in Mount Royal District 4.

One last gift from Mother Nature

It was a challenge getting out to the car this morning!  This is probably the last BIG snowstorm we'll
have to deal with before going home... I HOPE !  ... Last time of taking our car "out of the garage" (which means, we take the silver front and back windshield covers off) ...

Now, the hardest job of all... trying to keep the windshields cleaned off  WHILE it's still snowing!

Won't be sorry not to have to shovel, chip off ice, plug in car, wade through snow, and spend hours putting on and taking off all the snow gear anymore!

Last Bienvenue Dinner

On the way up to Montreal we always pass this interesting house. We jokingly refer to it as "The Burrow" (like where the Weasley's live in the book Harry Potter). We're pretty sure WE are the only ones who can see it. So, we HAD to have a picture to remember:

We headed on up to Montreal - for the Mission Home- where we were going to our last Bienvenue Dinner - the one to say good-bye to us and hello to a new couple... The Woodruffs.

Their official call never came to them... so the missionary department mailed it to the Mission Home and they opened it in front of all of us... their NEW family.

We have really enjoyed serving with all these wonderful senior couples!

Elder and Sister Conway, President Cannon, and Elder and Sister Bendio

Elder Mahaffey, Sister Shirin Cannon, Elder and Sister Cannon Sr., Sister and Elder Jarvis, Elder and Sister Saintonge

Sister and Elder Cheney and Elder and Sister Bendio

Sister and Elder Allen,  Elder and Sister Conway, Sister and Elder Saintonge, Elder and Sister Woodruff.

Sister Cannon Sr, Elder and Sister Jarvis, Elder and Sister Arhets, Elder Cannon Sr.

Of course, we HAD to take our traditional picture under the good-bye banner.

Good-bye to our wonderful Mission President Nelson Cannon and his wife Sister Shirin Cannon.

This is the parting gift they gave us. The Book was signed by all the senior couples, a cute Quebec towel and of course... a Happy Cat... like the one Sister Cannon has in the kitchen.

Great neighbors

We have had the best neighbors in the world for these last 18 months. George and Jean Kelly live right
below us. We invited them to our ward Christmas party every year and they were wonderful! They took great care of our Elders who lived in our apartment while we were up in Montreal working in the office. They often helped us with everything!

Since this was Jean's birthday, we invited them up to our apt. to say good-bye and give her a little birthday treat!  We will really miss them.