As I wait, a lady comes up to me and says "I'm a church member too, so I understand your excitement and anxiety. May I take pictures for you?" I told her yes but it really didn't sink in what she was saying and I didn't care. All that mattered to me at that moment was that nobody prevented me from my first glimpse of Manti on that escalator. That was the LONGEST 45 minutes ever!! I stood the whole time, bouncing and crying. Finally he appeared and Mesa saw him first. She said "there he is!" and I looked where she pointed and yep, it was him! I couldn't help it,...I screamed and ran to him. I was aware of the DO NOT CROSS line and stopped at it. He stopped too because of the commotion and my screaming. I called to him and told him GET OVER HERE! so he came. I hugged him. He let me. He didn't say a word and didn't try to rush me, just let me hug him. He hugged back and his arms around me were so solid and sure. I don't have better words to describe it.... heavenly!
I had a stroke of conscience I guess, and remembered the rest of my family. So I walked him over to the others and shared. I couldn't even talk really. It was just joy....pure and absolute joy.
And then the lady who took the pictures came back up to me and asked me to gather all the family together so she could take a group picture of us. I did, and she handed me a slip of paper with her email address on it. She said to send her an email and she would send me the pictures. That's about the time I realized what this lady had done for me. Mesa had my phone, and the camera in my phone is a really good one, but you DO need to know how to use it to get the best pics out of it. She got a video, and I did post that....but she just got her brother and close friend back and her emotions wouldn't let her think as clearly and focus on photos either. I didn't expect that of her because I was so caught up in having my child in my arms the first second I could get him there. This lady gave me a treasure. She told me a little about herself and then we left after I thanked her. I emailed her, she flew back home to Colorado, and she emailed me the pictures. They are SO good! Here they are in order as they took place.
