The Boy Cometh Home...and Disneyland

Oh heeeeyyyy! 

A couple things: 

Anders is coming home in 3 days. He's been struggling a lot emotionally, more than is normal or acceptable. He knows Denmark is the mission for him. He loves his mission president, loves the people, loves the food, loves his ward, etc. etc., but he has bouts of depression that can't be solved with external factors. We let Pres. Mattsson, the mission president, know that we thought he needed some help. That set the wheels in motion. He talked with a counselor, and a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist said he has ADHD, and his depression is a symptom of that. He needs to come home so we can figure out a plan with medicine that will help him. His mission president is amazing in all the ways- the perfect guy for Anders. He's funny, he's direct, he's lenient, he loves his missionaries like crazy. He told Anders that if he doesn't come back to the mission, he'll hunt him down and kill him. 😂 We're hoping he's home for one transfer, but it could be 2. We'll see! 

Oh, how we love President and Sister Mattsson! 

In other news, at the beginning of February, we were all jonesing for a trip to Disneyland. None of us understand why this keeps happening to us. We keep going back, and we get so excited about it. Then we go and we have all the fun, but we're so exhausted and feel like we're going to die and vow to never return. 

At this point, we recognize the pattern, and we figure we can just plan on an annual trip and we are accepting that reality. We all sat down together to sync our calendars, and found 6 days where no one had anything pressing. It was the following week, so we made it happen. 

We CRACKED the Disneyland code! We figured it out this trip and did ALL the things, without the crazy crowds. It was awesome and we feel like we won! It was pretty cold the whole time we were there, and we went the weekend/week before President's Day, so we avoided that insanity. We bought the Lightning Lane passes, which is another way Disney squeezes you dry... but it was totally worth it. We hardly waited in any lines and it was fabulous.

Unbeknownst to us, the hotel I booked was about 2 miles away from Disneyland. We didn't realize that until we got there, since there are 2 hotels by the same name on the same road, and ours was the far away one. I was so bummed. We like to stay close to the park so we can walk there and not have to deal with parking. Wellllll, Anaheim has a bus that picks up close to all the hotels, and drops you off at the park entrance. When you're done for the day/night, it picks you up right at the entrance, and drops you off at your hotel. We absolutely loved it. 

We ate all the treats, rode every ride, some multiple times. Space Mountain is our absolute favorite, and we were able to ride it 3 times! We also took advantage of single rider lines as much as possible- that's the best part of having older kids at Disneyland! We were able to ride the Cars ride 2 times in a row that way. We are becoming such Disneyland nerds. It's like a challenge/mission to conquer the park and do all the things.

On our first day, my energy tank totally ran out. Around 6:00 pm, I felt like I couldn't do one more thing or take one more step. I've been exhausted at Disneyland before and felt depleted, but this was another level. I needed to eat! I ate dinner and within 15 minutes I was good to go again. It was so weird. I don't know how people don't eat and can still function. Katrina need food!

Driving through Victorville on our way there, and the sunset was 👌.

The Nemo ride was open for the first time ever since we've gone! It's cute. 

Gotta make our droids! 

Beignets! 

We rode Mr. Toad's Wild Ride for the first time ever as well! We were able to do so many things.

Nils tried taking a nap, but a Disneyland employee told him he couldn't lay on the ground, he had to find a bench to take a nap on. Haha!

I had to get my gluten free cupcake at Sprinkles in Downtown Disney- the girls were soooo tired. We all were, but I had just had my cheeseburger and was rejuvenated. :) 

Nils' heaven

We're Disney victims and are fine with it now. Take our money! 

After we had planned this trip, Nils was invited to go to YouTube headquarters the day we were scheduled to drive home. He has been part of a beta program with them, and they wanted to have him and others go there to talk and answer questions about their experience with it. SO, he flew out early early from LAX on Wednesday morning to San Francisco, spent the day at YouTube, and flew back home on Thursday. 

I drove home, and Addie helped me out for a couple of hours by driving from St. George to Fillmore. We made it, and Nils had a good day at the place that pays for our lives. 

Randoms: 

Nils and the girls went to Youth Conference at the beginning of February in Bryce Canyon. Addie gave a devotional and amused everyone. Nils took pictures of everyone cross-country skiing, and got mega sunburned. They had fun and were tired. I was home by myself for like 36 hours, and was so lonesome! 

Sometimes you make a milkshake and you just gotta go for it. 

Nils, Doug, and Dave (our neighbors/Melting Pot friends) bought a wall printer and have been experimenting with it and trying to fine tune it. The hope is to get some business. The little boy in this picture is Doug's son! And, I grew up in the same ward as Doug in Orem. So many coincidences. :) 

Anyhoo, Doug and his wife Sandi have volunteered to use one of their walls to print on, over and over, so Doug gets to do a lot of painting over them. 

We went to JCW's with Doug and Sandi on Saturday, and the kid at the register typed my name as Kachena, so that's what they're calling me now. 

Had a waffle brunch/ministering check-in yesterday, and it was a success! Nils captured this from the Wyze Cam. 

Anders and his zone were able to go to Lego House, which is in their area. He made this picture of Jesus out of Legos. We talked today, and he told me he bought a new Lego set that he's bringing home. This kid loves Legos. 

I think that's it. Another crazy, crazy month in the books. Thanks for reading! Go get yourself a snack!