The Best Week of my Life So Far!

That's right! Nathan is home! He got home on the 28th (Tuesday), and ever since then I have been meaning to blog.. but for some strange reason I have been verrrry busy lately ;) haha!

So here is how it all happened!
Tuesday, I worked pretty late (on purpose. I needed to keep my mind occupied). When I got home, I fixed myself up cute, and waited for the phone to ring. Nathan and I had agreed that we'd see each other after he was released, and without other people around. I thought I would be embarrassed with everyone watching me get emotional, or if people had expectations and it was awkward, I didn't want to have witnesses.

But it didn't happen that way...

Nathan's mom called me around 8:30pm and said that his appointment to be released had been pushed back to 9pm, and Nate was wondering if I wanted to come to the release.. but that it would be okay if I didn't too... just whatever I felt like. I just said it was up to him (even though I was dying to just jump in the car and race over there). He said he was fine either way, but that it would be really nice if I were there... So I jumped in the car and raced over there! Haha.

When I saw him for the first time, it was everything that I thought I didn't want. He wasn't released, so I couldn't hug him, and we had an audience of probably 10 people just staring at us. However, it wasn't embarrassing and horrific like I thought it would be! It was wonderful! It was hilarious! It really helped break the ice, actually! We were just kinda standing two or three feet apart and I was smiling and crying and he was smiling and not saying anything... and everyone was laughing! Then we shook hands for a few minutes (no really, we were shaking them!) as I continued to cry a little while the Ives' family friend Eric fed us lines like "Oh Nathan, it is so good to see you!" "I am so glad you are here!" etc. It was very funny, and perfect. I am so glad it happened the way that it did.

We went over to the stake center next and he was released, and it was great. It seemed so anti-climactic though, when the stake president was just like "well, okay then... you can take off your name tag. You're now released." I felt like there should be some big ta-do.. but after ALL of that time and service, it is just like "well, there ya go! You're done!" haha.. Of course he interviewed him for a while and talked to him more besides that.. but it was nice anyway.
The stake president gave him permission to hug me as we left the office, which was pretty funny (but awesome)... and ever since it's been perfect ;)

We went and saw my parents later that night too, which was so nice. I made Nathan ride in my bug with me to try and convert him to how awesome it is. He's always said he hated bugs so much, but I couldn't resist getting one when I needed a new car! I think it is growing on him because he has never really complained, even though I've given him a hard time about it ;)

The next night we carved pumpkins at his sister Rachel's house, which was really fun. I was all but dying at work all day to see him.. and I managed to control myself to just calling him once that afternoon.

Today I took the day off of work and we spent the whole day together. I only have one class on Thursdays and he came with me. We also went shopping for some MUCH NEEDED new clothes, which he let me pick out to my liking (yes it was SO fun, and he looks SO handsome). We then went to my Latter-Day Celebration Choir Halloween Party at my choir director's house. We dressed up as Samoans with our real Samoan clothes! I wore my Puletasi that he sent me the fabric for on my birthday. He said it was the most beautiful puletasi he has seen! (Hee hee.. I think he's probably a little biased, but it did turn out REALLY great.)

I am so happy he is home! I feel like smiling at every single person I pass in the hall or on the street. Everything is so much better than I ever let myself hope they would be! I was so afraid to let my hopes get too high before I knew what would actually happen.. but I never could have dreamed it could be this good!

I really wish I had brought my camera with me the night he came home! I forgot it as I flew out the door, but I've taken several pictures since for your enjoyment!

Here we are in our traditional Samoan Clothing:

Carving pumpkins at Rachel's house:

His new instrument of choice, the Ukulele:

Some of Nate's new clothes:

Here is a cute cute video I took of Nathan playing his Ukulele for me on Wednesday night: