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Helen Atkin November 30 at 8:50am Report

I am thinking that you probably didn't have one button left anywhere on your clothes after Sacrament Mtg on Sunday!! I'm soo proud of that cute, CUTE Josh...and I'm pretty sure you are sooooo feeling the same!! I just HAD to tell you what an amazing job he did!! Sooo humble...and the spirit was soooo strong! This is "true" joy!!
xoxox
Seriously, how did you let him go to Africa?? I thought Peru was off the planet, but seriously!! Africa!!! But he came home...and so did you!! Prayers are truly answered!!
________________________________________
Love me some Helen Atkin....
my reponse:

Natalie Broadhurst Harris November 30 at 10:46am

I LOVE YOU. Yes, I can't even try to be modest. This boy ROCKS our world, our life, our love. DANG PROUD of him!!! Such goodness....
THANK YOU for mentioning it...it means a lot that someone else thinks so too.

Thanksgiving 2010

Pretty much been on a running pace for a few weeks now. Got back from Africa. Took Josh shopping for clothes, took Josh to Logan to get his scholarhip instated and apartment squared away. Came home. Closed some deals. Cooked ALOT. Everyone showed up for the feast and we loved being together. Ate. Cleaned. Cooked some more. And then here we are today!
Josh's first time in the hot tub...weird to think it wasn't here before he left! The "brethren" had a few hour long "meeting"...but Elle, (now coined my kindred spirit) outlasted them all the next day with like a 3 hour soak totally ALONE. That girl understands true bliss. You and me Ellie, you and me xxooxx

The "BOYS" are back

Josh, Greg, Mike and Chad...all over 21 years old....had their sweet reunion after 2 years, and the next thing I know they are in the basement building a "fort" like when they were 10 years old....feeling disgruntled that I didn't have TWINE and only PINK YARN for a fastening tool......they built it, laughed, left, --then Spencer and friends came and invaded for the pictures.....boys will be boys. Makes me smile.

Random Who knew?

With all these MEN FOLK around my house, I generally try to buy all the SAME kind of socks...all the same brand BLACK, all the same brand ankle, all the same brand low cut, all the same brand mid calf....so while pairing the socks this morning, there are 7...yes SEVEN brands that are NOT ours, that do NOT have a match. Think I need to hold a community meeting and get ALL us moms buying the SAME brands so that when our children's socks are left at each others homes they match and we come out about even.....this is pure testimony to the number of men friends that visit our home....and take their socks off. And just so you know...I DON'T have the no shoes in the house rule:)

Mission Highlite

Josh was able to meet and be with Elder Holland TWICE during his mission---he was pretty stoked about that.

Monday...our first day

That night we had a dinner for all the missionaries being released and leaving that week. It was in the Broadbent's flat. Each missionary told some aspect about how the mission had helped them grow spiritually. It was a great and interesting meeting. I was impressed with the dinner Sister Broadbent made considering the ingredients she had to work with. I love America. This is the morning I realized there would be no hairdryer even with the adapter. He took us to the best grocery store and I was pleased to see that it had a lot of things like unto what we have. The more Americanized items were super expensive. This grocery store is not common, but it was in Nairobi since it was such a big city. Near the store there were STORKS in the trees all around the round about! They are so HUGE and UGLY!!!! How did they ever decide that it was the STORK who delivered babies????

Arriving in Africa

I'd been consistently weepy just thinking about FINALLY getting to see him for about a week before we left...when we took off from Amsterdam I just LOST it...I KNEW that it was going to happen. MY JOSH was just 9 hours away. I was grateful that everyone around me was mostly sleeping. Spencer kept giving me the best "side" hugs he could from the plane seat next to me. We get off the plane in Nairobi and we had to go through customs. I thought I would explode. Don and Spencer let me go through first. As I ran to go down the stairs to the luggage area I realized we would have to get the luggage FIRST before going "OUT"---I thought they were killing me...and then I saw him behind the glass enclosures. My sobs must have portrayed all that my heart felt because the guard closest to me came over and said "go to the entry and you can see your loved one, I will watch and let you re-enter". AN ANGEL I TELL YOU!!! AN ANGEL!!! He came out of the crowd to me and I couldn't talk for sobbing. He is so skinny. SO BEAUTIFUL!!! I guess in African culture you would NEVER display those kinds of emotion in public. Too bad they will never know that generally you don't in America either...they just got a "special" one. I am so glad he loves me and just let me hold him. They made Don and Spencer wait until all the luggage was gathered. His mission president and wife- THE BROADBENTS (they are from Odgen and AMAZING people) had brought him and took the pictures. THANK YOU. At this moment, ALL WAS WELL IN MY WORLD!

SOooooo........THIS IS REAL!!!

Josh reported his mission to the High Council this morning. We had to be there at 7. As I was getting ready Megan comes in and says "Mom, I have something to show you, but I have to wait until you get home". I said "Just show me now...". And these are the pictures she pulled up...there are more with close ups of the cuts. I am right now doing what JOSH HATES and this is the very reason WHY he didn't tell us (ME) I am sure. But I am FREAKING OUT! I know its over. I know it happened a few months ago...I KNOW he is an adult....but THEY SHOULD HAVE CALLED ME!!!! The other Elder sitting on the bed was driving and he rolled the car. Josh doesn't remember any of it, he awoke in the hospital. They didn't give him any stitches but they should have. When they got him back to the mission home they got him an MRI in Nairobi and it showed that all was ok except his concussion.
I have MANY thoughts in my head. Mostly I am face to face with the control freak of myself that I am....and the FAITH issues....and then there are the authority issues.... But still.....SOMEONE SHOULD HAVE CALLED ME. Josh says the car was destroyed and looked as if NO ONE could have come out alive. He considers it a missionary miracle. I take the miracle with DEEP DEEP gratitude. Really, I do. I know anger is not the better emotion at this moment, but it keeps overriding the gratitude. So I am asking myself...what IS IT that you are REALLY upset about?

Josh speaks in church today. We have so many friends coming to visit and eat. I am excited. I am trying to shake it off. Not such a good shaker offer when it comes to my kids. Have I told you lately HOW MUCH I LOVE MY KIDS???? Well, I do.

Happy THANKSGIVING 2010!!!

This made me laugh...and how true (on a LOT Of levels)...anyway...not doing the big old bird this year. Just 2 turkey breasts and a spiral ham. Jeremi, Preston and girlies are already here. Jeremy, Kori, their kids and her mom will be here any minute. My Dad is going to come, and we have Mike Hardman....but BESTEST OF ALL...we have EVERY HARRIS family member HOME !!!!! With all my heart I LOVE not wondering for days what the MISSING family member will be doing with out us and HOW can I make there day better....
I started my morning as usual in the Hot Tub...no run first...just me and the disappearing stars. It was glorious.
Karie called this morning. Her Dad died around 4:30 am. I am sad for all she has been through the last few years. Of course it is a blessing with his Alzheimer's, but he was such an AMAZING father. So many of life's lessons I can't wrap my head around. I hope she is FILLED with PEACE.
I saw a saying on a journal in Barnes and Noble that read "Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly...." Proverb. Liked it MUCH.

LOGAN

While I was in Africa, some CREEP took $1400 out of my personal account using my Debit card...still a mystery how they got my number. But I LOVE YOU UCCU for taking care of me and helping me to get it back into my account...I hope it comes SOON! Not so crazy about my Debit card anymore though.....
Spent all yesterday in Logan with Don and Josh getting Josh his apartment, his scholarship instated, and all set up for Winter semester. He is SO HAPPY to be rooming with Greg. I can't help but wish he had stayed closer to home. But men need to be men. And I need to adjust better.
It was SO GOOD to be with Preston and Jeremy and their families. I LOVE that they belong to me, and that I belong to THEM!!!
We had white outs in Sardine Canyon on the way there, and you know me...I don't want to leave the house EVER in snow....so so so so glad to be home in my safe and warm office :)

And we're OFF!!!! TO GET JOSH in Africa!!!

This was either in Salt Lake or Minneapolis....but you can see were are bright eyed and excited to be getting closer to seeing JOSH!!!!!!
This is like 17 hours later or maybe more (still had 10 + hours to go) ...in Amsterdam...lets just say I was SO TIRED I didn't even TASTE the oh so cool hot chocolate on a cubed stick that you stir into the hot milk...just could NOT keep my eyes open! I was also FREEZING so sweet sweet Spencer gave me his hoodie. Love my boys!!!

And then on the way home we were in Amsterdam so early their time this shop was closed so I still missed the whole experience. Don and Spencer vouch for its yumminess.

1:15am Good morning!

My jet lag has me officially tagged as an OLD OLD woman. I awoke last night at 2 am and could not go to sleep so I was up for the day. I thought I would fall down in Walmart. I got dinner ready at 4:30 and said to the kids...I MUST lay down...don't let me sleep past 20 or 45 minutes. I was hoping to be able to make it until 9 or 10pm. But it was Friday night so everyone left. And now it will be another LONG day.....(morning). If you are wondering why I haven't posted Africa pics yet, its because I don't have all of them downloaded...hey, maybe I can do THAT in these wee hours...

Bed bugs

Don got bed bugs at THE ARUSHA HOTEL the first night we were there before leaving on Safari. They got worse as time went on...THEN we had to go back for two more nights before heading back to Nairobi. The most bizarre thing to me is that we slept in the SAME bed of course and I didn't get them at all. Could it have been all that pleading with God and the Angels to PLEASE PLEASE keep me safe and protected and unharmed????? Now I am dealing with my OCD self and literally cleaning and DETOXING every single thing that went with us to Africa...and still SO pyscho me---I feel like I am itching everywhere.

Books read on trip

I LOVED them all!!! It was humbling to be reading on the bus ride from Nairobi to Arusha (6 hours)...and passing such poverty and hard physical labor to be seen all around. The women carrying so MUCH WEIGHT on there heads and backs. Dirt, dirt and more dirt to be cleaned. Garbage everywhere. No fast fcod...every meal a production starting with killing the chicken. It gave me great pause as to the blessing all of our modern conveniences are. Conveniences that allow ME to have the TIME to read. What a miracle it is that we have captured shared labor in this country.

Kate Morton is a new FAVORITE of mine...I had just finished THE FORGOTTEN GARDEN before leaving...it is on my ALL TIME FAVORITE, TOP TEN list..later I will blog some blurbs and quotes from it. Kate's HOUSE AT RIVERTON kept my heart and mind delighted for many hours of the 28 hour traveling time there. I write "Kate" because I feel like she is a new best friend. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the way she pricks your brain to the issues of suppressed women. Her latest book , THE DISTANT HOURS came out while I was gone, so I am off to Barnes and Noble today. THESE IS MY WORDS....lets just say at first I was put off by all the seemingly TOO incredible and plenty horrific events that were taking place in Sarah's life, but those feelings left pretty quickly...and women...Nancy Turner TOTALLY has it down as to HOW a woman wants to be LOVED by her man. FLIPPED was light and cute, but I could have passed, but was dang grateful to have it on the flight. And Deepak...what can I say? I LOVE THAT GUY...now if I can just LIVE it!!!

SO SO SO SO Tired....

Yes, it IS TRUE...I was so freakin' tired in the Detroit Airport that I went into and used the Men's room and didn't even notice until Don comes out to wash his hands---while I am washing mine and says "Natalie, what are you DOING?" And then I quickly exited...there Spencer...it is blogged...so now you DO NOT NEED TO ADD YOUR VERSION. Thank you.

FINAL EMAIL FROM JOSH IN AFRICA

Hey!!!!

So i dont know if mom and dad will be checking their e-mail before they leave for the airport, but i thought i would write just in-case. This week was great though. the kilungu hills were awesome. I have always said i liked the rural places better than the city and this week just reaffirmed it. we would hike through the hills about two to two and a half hours just to get to the area and then it would be about an hour hike between appointments and then the two to two and a half hour hike back. i think i got shin splints from it, but it was still worth it. one of the days we just went and helped a guy in his "garden" (it is in quotations because of how big the garden is, but it is too small to call it a farm, but all of it is worked over by hand so it is quite the project) the whole day. we spent the whole time just manually tilling the ground so that they could plant it the next day. it was a pretty physically intense week, but it was one of my favorite weeks of my mission.
Today we are just organizing for transfers and trying to get everything done that we would normally have done throughout the week. it will be a busy day, but not necessarily anything super fun to tell you about, just office work.
I love you all sooooooooooo much. i cant believe i will be seeing some of you tomorrow and the rest in about a week. its crazy, absolutely crazy. i really dont think i believe it still. anyways, have an amazing week and i will see you all soon!!!!!

Love,
Elder Harris

NO WORDS....

Listen... did you hear anything? You don't have to because there is no keyboard noise...okay, maybe a grateful sob...NO MORE POSTS TO ELDER JOSHUA DAVID HARRIS....just person to person, MOM TO SON communication.... I'll post as I can.

Wanna know what I've been doing trying to survive the countdown?

Well......cleaning out every dang closet, room, pantry, storage cranny... and moving the whole back part of the house so we could get NEW CARPET!!! This makes Don VERY happy. The orginal 20 year old gray carpet has gone( yes, no longer is there a Spencer made BLEACH hole at the end of the hall for putting, and I forgot to take the picture of it for TV when he makes his big PGA debut!!!!)...and now we have this oh so so so so lovely and cushy tan carpet. What a PROJECT!!! THANK YOU BOYS and Meg and everyone for helping! It felt like a move!! (it kind of was). But mostly, I just feel READY for the BOY TO COME HOME!!!! Hours away...just hours away.

NEW Favorite TOY

See that shop vac??? Yep...$65 of pure Natalie LOVE! It sucks like a machine should suck. Best of all I can vacuum the GARAGE, and nasty sand from underneath 20 year old carpet, AND the back walk when it has leaves all over it, and the pool cover, and the Sequoia after I've picked up chicken feed, and the front porch...and ...and...I LOVE THIS PUPPY!!!

Primary kids practicing for the PROGRAM

Because Elder Maynes is coming in for this MINI Stake Conference...and then the Holyoak girl is leaving on her mission...the program has now been pushed until the 21st....we've never EVER had it this late. The kids are ADORABLE. I love them ALL.