that's what she said: Valkommen Hem !

My how time flies! It felt like they just left and lookie here - they are right back home again.

My Mom and her awesomingly cool husband just completed serving an LDS mission in Sweden. I would tell you about all the hard work they did, the long hours, the doors slammed in their faces, the miles walked. In the pouring rain. With dogs chasing them. I could go write paragraphs about the long hours. Early mornings, late nights. Sleeping in primitive conditions. Chopping their own wood for fire.

But none of that would be true, 'cause dude, their mission was CUSH! I really shouldn't say totally cush, because they did do a lot of work in the temple but sheesh! They also got to see a lot of the country, the surrounding area's and visit some pretty cool places. And with full disclosure in place - in my church, senior missionaries foot their own bill. So really, no begrudging the good times they had over the past 18 months or so.

My bestest niece put together a family get together and then let us all know her flight 411 so we could meet them. When they came home earlier in the year for my sister's wedding, no one even met them at the airport (we suck), and she wanted it to be a big deal for them. I'm glad she is about the only one on the ball to keep us in line.

I headed to the airport for her flight that was to land at 2pm. When I got there however, I found that her flight was delayed by 2 1/2 hours! What in the world? I talked to the Delta agent and she was perplexed because "it only left Paris 10 minutes late and the pilot is bookin it". Huh. Quandry. Do I drive all the way home and then turn around and come back? Do I stay and just pay for the extra parking time? After some calls and texts with my brother and niece, it was decided to just hang out and wait.

The ever helpful Delta employee let me know that I was waiting in the wrong terminal so I wandered down to the international building and settled in. I have to admit that just kickin it with the fam was fun!

Catching up and laughing at the little's.

Her flight finally landed and we gathered our signs and headed to the breezeway that they would be coming through. Other families were there for some other missionaries and I couldn't help but remember the same feelings of anticipation when Luke came home. GAH!! So exciting!

We were standing there as a group when a flight attendant coming through asked us if we were waiting for the missionary couple. When we said yes, she told us that she is just getting her baggage and that she wanted us to know she was okay.

Huh? Well, alrighty then. Seemed very odd but whatever. My mom didn't know all of us were there, she thought it was just my brother so it didn't really make any sense, but whatev's.

We waited several more minutes and then an airline employee wearing blue gloves approached us and asked if we were waiting for the missionary couple. After telling him yes we were, he said, "She's had an emergency on the plane. The paramedics are going to bring her out but I'm not sure if she is going to come out this way or that backway over there" pointing to an outside exit.

WHOA WHOA WHOA....an emergency....paramedics...... he was saying that she was okay and had refused an ambulance but he just wanted us to know.

As we questioned him HIPPA laws crossed my mind and I wondered if he would tell us anything. All he would say is that there was something with her back like a disc. And then he was gone.

My nephew headed to the window to watch the back exit door in case they brought her there. The rest of us were a little too stunned to do anything at all. I texted Splenda and then we just stood waiting. And waiting. And then some speculating as to what the problem could be. And waiting.

20 minutes or so later, the same airline employee approached us again and said, "You are the Osgood's right?"

*blink* *blink*

Uh......nope.

"Oh well, then you're not the ones waiting for the missionary couple with the emergency" and.he.walks.off.

Deep breath. Well, good news for us, but crappy for the Osgood's! We did see them wheel out a lady in a chair and gingerly put her in a waiting van so we assumed that it was her and she looked okay. In pain, but okay.

Back to watching the breezeway. See other missionaries greet their families and I get all teary eyed. I'm thinking that this is taking FOREVER, but remind myself that they have to get through customs and all their baggage before they actually get to us.

FINALLY