Sneaky Sneaky....

So this last weekend I was very very sneaky.

Why you may ask? .............because I snuck to Idaho last Thursday!

YES.

What a success my sneaky plan was!

Here is the behind the scenes info:::
The beginning of October, I was sent an invite via email to my darling Granny Browns 80th Birthday party. I read the invite and became pretty sad about the situation.
-side-note- upon moving to New York, my sweet husband told me that I could go home any time I wanted.
Therefore I went to my sweet husband and told him of this monumental event happening the weekend of Halloween in Twin Falls, Idaho. I had come to the conclusion that this would be the first time I would like to take him up on his offer/bribe. :)
I booked a round trip flight for the end of the month and told only one person back home...My little sis ALEXA. I decided that I wanted to keep this a surprise. Then I realized that I needed help getting from the airport to my parents house, so I commissioned Lex to be apart of my sneaky plan.
For an entire month Lex and I had to lie to everyone! AND LET ME TELL YOU~~we had a blast doing this.

Looking back it might have been a little cruel to my family....everyday that I spoke with my dad, mom, or sissy Carly I pretended that I was SO SAD that I couldn't be home for the big shindig.
-side-note- This was the first time in YEARS that my whole extended family on my moms side would be together...because of missions and such.

My mom was so funny about it. She kept trying to cheer me up and keep me positive when I would talk to her. But then Lex would call me and say that she just got off the phone with my mom and that she was so sad that I couldn't come. Lex totally egged her on too, telling her that I had cried to her on the phone the day before about it and stuff! How mean are we!!!!

Well it was all planned out. After a MONTH of waiting...I flew out of JFK October 28th and headed back west. I had a connection in SLC that I almost missed and finally made it to BOI at 9:30 that evening. Lex had driven all the way from REXBURG to pick me up. Yes I know...2 hours in the wrong direction. Luckily she had a friend who needed a ride to Boise and didn't have to drive alone. She picked me up at the airport in her cute little bug. We then hopped on the road (I drove-for the first time since moving!) and headed to Twin Falls. Since neither of us had a house key at the moment..i know weird...Lex called Carly and told her that she was coming home that night to surprise mom and dad and that she needed her to unlock the front door. Carly had NO CLUE that I was coming too!
Here is the surprise part:
We got to Twin Falls around 11:30 that night. Lex went in and made the big surprise while I waited out front in the dark. After she had been in the house for a couple of minutes, I gave her a call on her cell phone. Her phone rang, and she said something like this, "Oh, it's Erica! She knew that I was driving home tonight and kept me awake...she's probably calling to see if I made it home okay!" Then my dad said something like, "it's 1:30 am in New York! Why is she still awake!?" Before that question could be answered, Lex put me on speaker phone and said "Hi E! I just got home and I am in mom and dads room with everyone, say hi!" I then continued to say my hello's to my special family. We talked about my work day and how much we missed each other. As Lex started talking in response to something I said, I snuck in through the front door and tip toed into my parents bedroom. Keep in mind we were still connected on the phone. I got to the door and jumped right in! It was the perfect reaction.

Carly: First one to understand what was happening. She screamed so loud and came running over to give me a big hug!

Dad: Freaked that someone just walked in through his bedroom door and looked shocked...and very happy.

Mom: Best reaction. What was going on clicked, and she came running over and started sobbing as she hung on me hugging me for a looooong time. I will admit=I may have teared up a little too.

Let me make this very clear: I love my family SO much. It was so important to me to be at this party, because I would have been the only family member not there...sadly, the only two people who couldn't make it were Jeff Tingey and Nate Kitty Larsen.

Even though Nate couldn't go, he knew it was so important to me. Lucky. :)

I had such a fun few days there with my family. I only got to spend 4 days with them...but I needed it.

Now I am back in the big city with my tank of family time filled up. I needed that, I was definitely running low.

TO ALL THE PEOPLE I DIDN'T SEE WHILE I WAS IN IDAHO: I'm sorry!!!!!!
This was an extremely quick trip and it was for one purpose...to surprise and spend some time with my family for Granny Brown's birthday. I promise that I will make a trip in the near future to see everyone. Please know that I miss you all too!!!!

I am so grateful for my sweet husband and his willingness to let me go home! He stayed home and worked like a beaver to provide for us. What a lucky duck I am!

I am so grateful for my sweet little sis Alexa for agreeing to come pick me up. She drove all the way across the state to swoop me up from the airport. I wouldn't have been able to complete my fun plan without her. THANK YOU CUTE SISSY. <3 I am so grateful for my family and their willingness to deal with me when I just decide to "drop in" for a few days. I have the cutest parents and little sissies anyone could have....and for my mama and dad for driving me back to the airport when it was time to go home. I am so grateful for the chance I had to go home and to spend time with my loved ones. I miss them all SO much, and I know that families are forever. I am so grateful for that. I cherish so much the knowledge I have that I can be with them for ever and ever. What a lucky duck I am!

Today I am grateful.

Families are forever!