I'll be home for Christmas....you can count on me!

So I went home to surprise my family for Christmas. It is kind of an unsung tradition in my family to come home at least once and surprise everyone. I had never had the opportunity of doing this as I was always the person who lived there. I was the constant. Well I never planned on coming home for this Christmas. Little elves that mean the world to me came through and decided I needed to be home. Which then spurred the idea that I wouldn't tell any of my family and be their Christmas miracle. Seeing my Mom's face made the whole trip worth it. More importantly however, was the reminder that I come from a long line of amazing people and am proud to be a future generation of such a legacy. The first day I was there, I went with my Mom to go visiting teaching, which anyone who knows me, knows I'm related to half my stake. So of course her visiting teachee was a cousin. I have known this woman my entire life. I grew up not five miles from her house. I've seen her every Sunday since I can remember, yet somehow, I did not know her name. That baffled me of course, and I realized how much I take for granted. My mom and I then drove to another relative's house to drop off something for her. Both women live on land that has been in our family for generations, in houses that are very old. We drove around and explored this mountain that we and our ancestors have called home. We then went to my great uncles house. He just turned ninety-six years old. He has recently been in and out of the hospital and that is probably the last time I will ever see him. I have been to his house many times growing up. Never with my parents though. He was always gracious enough to receive us after we came out of the woods, looking rough, having just ridden our motorcycles through. We would visit with him awhile and then be on our way. He talked about how all he wanted to do was go "home". He said he had no business being here on this earth anymore. I wonder what it's like, to get to the point where all you want to do is go home to our Father. I will miss this man who reminds me so much of my own Grandfather. I am so glad I got the opportunity to go home and see him one last time. He doesn't remember me when I see him, which is understandable since we were never really close. I just saw him on those chance occasions when I would ride through and decide to stop and chat awhile. I'm glad I did. I'm proud of where I come from. I'm proud of the people that I can call family. It's times like that, that I feel like no where in the world could make me happier, then right where I grew up. Surrounded by not only my immediate family but an extended family that is more abundant than even I know. Who knows if I'll ever live there again. What I do know though, is those are the people I want to be with forever.