Surprise!

I'm huge on surprises. I love to be surprised, I love surprising people, I love watching people be surprised, but let me tell ya. This surprise was a hard one to keep on the DL! I mean, it's HUGE! I had this grand plan to get all creative and fun and tell my parents with a little present. I had t-shirts being made that I had spent a ridiculous amount of time making and probably too much money (thank you slow days at work), and had the whole situation planned out. I was going to film it so I could always watch their reactions and remember the emotion of it. But, we all know some plans just don't work out.

It was Memorial weekend, and the annual camping trip in my grandparents backyard/magic land (seriously the greatest place on earth) was taking place. I had come straight from work on Saturday with all my campin gear, and was attacked by the hugs of little cousins and playful giggles, stories of their day and warm greetings from my family. I went and played "bad guys" with the cute kiddos while everyone else got dinner ready. My uncle called us over for the annual picture scavenger hunt, which very quickly reminds me of how out of shape I am EVERY. TIME. He had taken pictures of random things on the property and printed them out. We had to look at the picture, find the object, take a picture, run back and pass it off to get our next one. It is so much fun, and so exhausting! I was teamed up with my awesome cousin Avi, and the cutest little tag along, Kendall. We ran, and ran... and ran.. and ran.. and finally got a break for dinner. Thank goodness, I was dying. We mingled, had some more family show up, and began to clean up. My dad had asked me earlier to do a little announcement for him for a medal him and my brother won at a tennis tournament, and I just knew I had to make my announcement with it too.

 My Plan = Big change.

Everyone gathered around, cheers and laughs here and there as my dad was telling the story. Then I got everyone's attention one more time. I had my sister film it, wanting to keep this moment with me forever. My heart was pounding and the spirit was so strong!

"I'm going on a mission."

Tears, hugs, a TOTALLY shocked dad, and excitement burst into our little campsite! It was seriously one of the best moments of my life. And guess what, the video accidentally got deleted. Yes there may have been tears on my end about that... I so wish I could share it, watch it, and relive it over and over and over again. But, the memories will have to do. Oh, and my little scavenger team ended up winning. BOO YA! Bragging rights for the next year.

The mission topic was brought up several times throughout the weekend with questions, and stories, and hugs. I loved it! And with it being Memorial Weekend, we went to visit some graves, one being my sweet, sweet Great Grandma D, and I could feel her there, and how proud she was of me. I wish I could explain it, but just know my heart was beyond full. (ps- come to find out... she sent many Book of Mormons to Tallahassee with her testimony written in them! Go figure!)

So we head to my mom's to finish off the weekend. We get there and talk a little. I handed her the t-shirt design on paper and asked her to look at it. When she finally understood what it meant (it took her a little bit) she sat there, totally shocked. No words for about ten minutes. It wasn't quite the reaction I was expecting, but so funny. I couldn't tell if she was happy, or sad, or mad, or excited, and I got a little nervous! I ran over to my other grandparent's house to tell them the news, hoping it would sink in with my mom a little bit. And it did. She was excited! Super surprised and caught off guard, but so so excited.

We ended up going to breakfast at Jeremiahs like we do every year, and to a movie afterward, and a mission was a popular topic.

Needless to say, Memorial Weekend of 2014 was an amazing one, full of so much love and support. It made me that much more excited and sure about my decision! And yes... my mom and dad eventually both got their shirts that were from plan A. Thank you O'shirts Screen Printing. 

Oh, and I leave in exactly a month... TIME NEEDS TO SLOW DOWN.