WELCOME HOME ELDER HILL!!!!!

 I have been waiting for this day for TWO YEARS!!  I don't remember the last time I was SO excited for something.  I have REALLY missed my little brother and best bud and I was SO excited and ready for him to be home!  I wore this dress that Avery had the Kuna Indians make for me when he was serving on the San Blas Islands. (He served in Panama City, Panama) My dad wore a Harley Davidson tie the indians made for him. 

 We were all SO excited and waited anxiously for him to come down the escalators...

 While we waited we saw several Military members return home and meet their families.  One of them was a little baby whose mom held a sign "Meeting my Daddy for the first time"... TEARS!  We all clapped and cried watching them reunite!  Thanks to ALL the brave men and women who fight for our country!!!

 Then we continued to wait.... for like 45 minutes!!  This man comes down and says "Is the Hill family here?"  We all cheered and got excited! He says "Your son is up there with a bunch of other missionaries eating a Cinnabon!  I just gave him a lecture to get down here but he is just taking his sweet time!"  Those little stinkers- dragging it out!  I was DYING! 

 Then came the moment... I've envisioned it a million times and FINALLY I was seeing it for real!  Down the escalator came my little brother!! We cheered and I immediately burst into tears! 

 Then we rushed to hug him.  Best. Feeling. Ever.

 There were LOTS of hugs...

 The people he missed the most...

 And the person who missed HIM the most...

 The 2 year olds.  Hill had just gotten engaged the night before (Congratulations Hilly and Andrew!!!) -what a fun surprise for Avery!

 Our ENTIRE family FINALLY together again!! We were all so happy :)

 All the folks who came out to support (minus TT and Pat)

 Some of the Elders who came home with him.  Elder Hardy in the middle was Avery's first companion in the MTC.

 Ryder had grown the most. We talked about Avery everyday while he was gone so he knew exactly who was coming home!

 We wanted a huge welcome home for Owen so we went all out on decorating. 

 We lined the streets on both sides with balloons.  It looked pretty cool :)

 He had literally worn holes through the bottoms of his shoes!  He has been wearing them that way for FOUR months!  It's ALWAYS downpouring there so his feet were always wet.  Yuck!  and so sad!  But I guess a sign he worked really hard!

We are all SOOOO glad Avery is home.  I'm so thankful to my Heavenly Father for his SAFE return!  He is so wonderful :)  He is just like the Avery I missed from before- with a few improvements (and NO weirdness thankfully!).  I feel so happy and blessed to finally have my buddy home again.  I thought this day would NEVER come!  I'm so thankful it FINALLY did!