This last weekend I had the opportunity to hang out with my MTC Companion, Sister Angela Parnell, from TX. I hadn't seen her in 5 years, since the first and last time I went to a Mission Reunion. Angela was my only American Companion in 18 months.
I really enjoy those visits you have with people where you don't necessarily "do" anything, you can just talk and enjoy their company. This was one of these visits. We talked about everything we've done, and thoughts about it, in the last 5 years. Tangents are good when you've got an entire day to talk. Tangents bring epiphanies and allow you to truly get to know someone.
She took some pictures of us, so I'll have to bug her to post them.
I hope she doesn't hate me for posting this, but she is kind of dating this guy... and when I say kind of, it really is just that... I don't know if he knows if he likes her or if he really doesn't know how to date... you know, show the girl that he likes her. My vibe from him was awkward... stuck in the late 80s early 90s... extra large polo shirt, tapered jeans, white sneakers (and no he didn't, but it wouldn't surprise me if he had a pair of velcro shoes), and he's a computer programmer or something? the total stereotype... Anyway, if she likes him that is great... but the dude seems clueless, even when she is pretty straightforward in her actions, head on shoulder, cuddling, flirting... What I'm saying is that the kid hasn't made a real move yet, and it has been a solid month and a half... if you agree with me and think that a month is too long to not make a move (of any sort) on a girl that you are interested in, or disagree with me and think that it is too soon, (does hanging out to play guitar hero count as a date? and if the kid is finding activities for the two of them to do, does that signify that he is "interested" in her, or just being friendly? ie- rock band, playing chess, reading books, playing card games and including yatzee? please leave me a comment... Is he interested or Isn't he?_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._.
Elder Travis Hook, my brother, for the last two years has been serving in the Washington, DC North Mission. He has had a pretty good run, here is a video of him and his companions having a good time... click here ending as one of the Assistants to the President. He loves it, but we can all tell that he is ready to come home. And he'll be home in less than two weeks! Since he's been gone, there's been two new additions to the family! One being, Andrea's baby- Lydia, and the other being, My husband, Jeff. As Travis put it, "Brothers don't shake hands, brothers gotta hug!" so I'm sure Jeff and Him will get along great.
Jeff and I are planning to drive down to Minden, NV where my parents live for Travis' homecoming... apparently he arrives in NV at 10ish pm on Wednesday the 31 March! And we'll get to be there for him. When I came home it was just my parents and Travis at the airport. I cried because I didn't want to be there necessarily, to me it was final - I was no longer in New Zealand and I was no longer a missionary. I do miss it, but I am very grateful to have moved on and progressed... ya know?
It will be really great to see Travis, from his pictures he looks like he's put on some weight, and he refers to himself as a chubby boy! :) I know he is ready to move on, he keeps saying, "I'm almost 26 yrs old, and I have no schooling under my belt, I feel very behind." I think that is just how our family works... both Dustin and I graduated College around the same age... 26/27? And Travis will be no different, a few years later, not a big deal. The good thing about coming home now is that Universities will take just about anybody, as long as they have money! Utah State University just got rid of 90 professors... I had no idea that USU was even that big!?
Travis, when he gets home he'll probably make his rounds to each of the different family members and decide what he'll do for the summer... a few options... work for my dad (that is if he has work), go to school (I don't know how he'll do that, he has NO money!), or he'll come sell with Jeff in Arkansas... and maybe take an online class or two with the money that he does have. But only he can decide that.
At the end of May our family is having ourselves a little get-together/family reunion in Branson, MO; which is about a 4 hrs drive from Little Rock, AR (where we'll be living this summer). We'll be staying in a condo for a week, we haven't figured out exactly what we'll be doing just yet, but it will be the first time in a VERY LONG TIME that the entire family will be together.
Mom
Dad
Dustin
Andrea
Mikke
Ayden
Norah
Ivy
Lydia
Melissa
Jeff
Travis
Jesse will unfortunately not be there, due to medical reasons.
I'm so excited!
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