saying hasta luego to the evans family

I couldn't be more grateful for this opportunity and blessing it has been to be here in Argentina as a family.

I love that I have walked the walks my mom makes every day to go to the grocery store or bakery.

I love that I have seen the tree lined streets in every direction and walked them with her.

 I feel like I know a lot more about this little town of Acassuso outside Buenos Aires where my parents live.

 From the pasta shop, the craft store, the hardware store, the ice cream store or catching the next train to go buy vegetables with our cart in tow...I really like this little town.

 Its a dang good thing we don't have a Cappelia's near us. The amount of dulce de leche facturas we consumed was, well, a lot.  Best morning walks ever!

We saw where Brianna goes to school, which happens to be located right on the Rio de la Plata, the widest river in the world.

 And dad at his board.  If you couldn't find my dad, he was usually either asleep on the third floor, or working on the board.   We had a number of missionaries who apologized to us that we needed to do missionary stuff while we were visiting.  We tried explaining to them that it was part of the reason we came.  We came to be part of the missionary experience, and it certainly blessed each one of our lives.

I love all of the other small memories that were made.
As we were sitting in bumper to bumper traffic on our way home one day, the boys were getting restless, so my mom started a game to see who could find English words.  Before she even finished her final word of explaining the game, Elliot came through from the back, "Bacon".  For days we would randomly throw out "bacon".
I loved singing all of the Christmas hymns in Spanish this year.
I loved watching the Elders and how they look up to my dad and love him.  Almost every conversation ended with the elder telling my dad that he loved him.
Likewise, it was neat to watch the missionaries love each other.  They are a huggie bunch!
I love that Spencer was so excited for me to see and all that we saw, because he said I now have a better glimpse of what his own mission was like.
And while I didn't think I would miss the noisy streets that start around 10pm with cars honking, music playing and fireworks going off, or the garbage man who comes around midnight, our house seemed far too quiet as I lay in bed our first night back.

 Well, I think it is obvious that we loved it all.  Every day.  All of it.

And it was really hard to say goodbye.

But we've made it half way, and we can do it again.  But now it will be a little different, because we will always feel part of it.  Our boys have seen what its like to be a missionary with a whole new light, and they are more excited than ever.  Elliot said to me on our final day, "Well mom, now I know where I want to go on my mission...to Buenos Aires, Argentina!"
Mom and Dad, thanks for being such wonderful examples.  As we waved our final goodbye, we rounded the corner at the airport and Nolan looked up at me and said, "Mom, I am going to miss them soooooooooooo much."  And somehow, I choked out, "Me too."