I hope they call me on a mission...

March 17, Travis got his mission call to the India New Delhi Mission!  It is hard to get into India as a missionary unless you have Indian blood in you, so we kind of all expected that he was going there but are still so so excited for him!  

That was over a month ago.  Just this last week, we dropped him off at the MTC.  It is SO bittersweet...It is so sad and so hard to say goodbye for 2 whole years, but at the same time we know this is where he needs to be and are so proud of his decision to commit 2 full years to the Lord's service.

Travis was supposed to be at the MTC at 1:00, but Dustin was in AP testing until noon.  We weren't going to leave without Dustin, so we just waited and didn't get to the MTC till around 3.  There was nobody else there so we kind of just took our time.

The tears started coming as soon as we pulled up and saw this sign!  Then you see all the cute little missionaries walking in groups together, either to the temple or just in between classes.  What an amazing spirit those missionaries have!

Travis loves these boys and it was hard for him to say goodbye to them.  They both will be so different when he gets home.  But what a great example he is to my boys!

You wouldn't be able to tell from the picture that we were sad...

Ok I have to admit, I was getting annoyed at Ryan snapping SO many pictures, but I am SO glad he did!  Boston was so cute pulling Travis' luggage to the door.  So we got to the door, hugged, cried, hugged again and cried some more as we said our goodbyes and watched him walk in the doors.

He was welcomed by a sweet sister.

Watching him through the window trying to see every last second with him...

This is what he was doing...(I know...we're pretty lame! But you cherish those moments!)

The last we saw of Elder Randall as he was escorted down the stairs to wherever they go from there...

Travis we are so proud of you and are praying for you each and every day.  You will be so loved by the people of India.  Just enjoy every minute of everyday and learn and teach as much as you can and we will see you in two years!!!

After we dropped him off, we stopped and ate at In-N-Out Burger...delish!  This picture I thought was cute cause you can kind of see Carter's little snaggle tooth...just by it's lonesome!  Such a cutie!

And keep scrolling down...there are quite a few new posts!  They are in order so to start from the oldest go to the bottom.

My husband the graduate!

Ryan did it!  He graduated with a Bachelors in Technical Sales.  It was a long road for him but he is done and has accomplished such an awesome goal!

Boston was so proud of his daddy too!

Ryan's brother Dan was able to walk with him also.  So that was really cool.  Way to go boys!

President Monson spoke at the graduation and he gave such a wonderful speech.  He is such an inspiring man!  After the graduation ceremony, Ryan was able to walk down on the floor where President Monson was.  He was holding Boston and as he was walking towards the prophet, he caught eye of Boston and said "let me hold the boy!"  So Ryan tried to hand Boston over to President Monson and Boston wouldn't go!  He was too scared to let him hold him!  It's funny now, but when Boston is old enough to understand what he did I'm sure he'll be disappointed!  But how neat that Ryan was able to shake the prophet's hand and have a short conversation with him.  They did get a picture with him, but not with my camera, so I'll post it once I get it.  If you ask Boston about it now he'll say..."No...I didn't let the prophet hold me.  I have to get older.." funny little boy!

Way to go sweetheart!  You did and I am so proud of you!!!

Easter

A couple weeks after we got back from Washington DC we headed out to good ol' AZ!  It was a blast!  And we couldn't be in Arizona and not visit our favorite friends!

We met up at a park and just let the kids play.  When we get together, even if it has been a few months we just seem to pick up right where we left off and it never gets old!  Carter and Miranda were playing so cute with each other.  Miranda kept wanting to sit on top of or right in front of Carter.  They were so cute!

And we were able to meet up with Hilary too!  I'm so glad I got to meet baby Sophie!  She is an absolute doll!  And Hilary you are a beautiful mother!  It has been such a long time since we've seen each other and I really was so glad we met up before her and her husband move really far away!  Good luck with everything you guys!

Boston and Ian are best buddies.  We really wish they lived closer so they could play more!  But we are lucky that we get to visit them whenever we go out there!  We love you!  Oh and Ian I'm so sorry your stroller sank into the pond!

Coloring Easter eggs with Grandma!

Usually we spend Easter in Arizona but this year we decided to fly home Saturday so we could spend Easter with my family.  It's been 4 years since we've been with my family on Easter!  So it was fun being able to do Easter for our little family this year at home.  The boys got pretty spoiled!  It was so fun watching Boston look for his basket and see all the treats the Easter Bunny left behind.

Carter with his basket

Ryan with his basket of goodies!

Easter this year was very different.  Coming home for Easter had to have been an inspiration at the time we were booking our tickets because the night we got home we received word that my mom's dad from India had passed away.  So although Easter is such a great time of year to remember the resurrection of Christ, it was also very hard for our family.  Thatha (that's Telegu for grandpa and that's what we always called him) was 86 years old and for the most part pretty healthy besides just old age setting in.  He was sick for about 4 days before he passed so although he was getting older, it was kind of unexpected.  All of my mom's family still lives in India so for her to be so far away was very hard for her.  They do things a lot quicker in India than they do here so my mom wasn't able to go and be with her family while they buried her dad.  They had his funeral service the next day and the flight to India is a 2 day flight so she wouldn't have been able to make it anyways.  So that was hard for her also.  

We have so many great memories of thatha while him and amamma lived with us here in the US while we were young.  I am so grateful for those memories and the great man he was.  I know he is with his sweetheart and he is happier where he is now.  We love you and miss you thatha!

Washington DC

In the middle of March we had the most amazing opportunity to go and visit Ryan's grandparents while on their mission in the Washington DC Temple mission.  If you ever get the opportunity to travel to the nation's capitol do it!  We had so much fun!

We were able to do a tour of the White House.  It is so beautiful!  We were able to see the Green Room, the Blue Room, the Red Room, and a couple dining rooms.  We stood in the exact place the President stands when he gives his addresses.  We weren't allowed to take any pictures so this is the best we got.  We were told that while we were there the First Lady pulled up.  So we saw her car but not her.

The missionaries!  Elder and Sister Andersen meeting Carter for the first time.

What a small world.  My dad's aunt Sally and uncle Ramone were serving in the same mission as Ryan's grandparents.  So we were able to say hello and visit with them as well.  Aunt Sally even took Carter out during sacrament so we could listen to Ryan's grandparents give their farewell talk.  

Dan and Ryan trying to get Carter to crawl.  They were bound and determined to get him to crawl for the first time on this trip.  He took a few steps while we were there.  But it was about a week later he really figured it out.

One night we drove around and saw as many memorials as we could.  The Lincoln Memorial was my favorite.  And they are all so beautiful at night!  I was glad we did that even though it was raining!  

The Washington Monument from a distance.

My favorite museum was the American History Museum.  Here are Dorothy's actual red slippers from Wizard of Oz.

There was so much in this museum!  But the boys really liked the war stuff.

We also did a tour of the Capitol.  Also just so beautiful inside and so much to learn!

Funny boys...

Washington DC Temple.  This is where Ryan's grandparents served everyday.  It is a beautiful temple.  And at night it is breathtaking.

Probably my most favorite thing out of all the things we saw was the Arlington Cemetery.  We were able to watch the changing of the guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers.  That was a really neat ceremony they do.  But seeing the thousands and thousands of gravestones at this cemetery just brings things to perspective.  There was such peace and honor felt here and really it was just beautiful as well.

I never saw this show, but Ryan, Dan and Brittany did see Real World DC.  So we looked up the address to the house and found it.  It was huge!  We looked inside the windows and it was so cool!  We saw a wall that everybody who lived in the house signed.  So it was kind of cool to see the house.

Welcome home Grandma and Grandpa Andersen!  They arrived home after a long road trip on May 1.  They were so stinkin cute!  Grandma was kind of in shock that first night but I think they have adjusted a little more.  It is so nice to have them home but we are so proud of them for completing an 18 month mission.  What examples you are to us!  We love you!