Gratitude

There is something absolutely nourishing about sitting in a dark room alone with a lit Christmas tree.

I have had a few quiet moments tonight to reflect on the past week.

I realize that few weeks in my life have been as full and joyful as this one.

One week ago, we learned of a crisis in Dallin's family.  I had the opportunity in person to bear testimony of Christ to my in-laws.  My love and understanding for them grew.  My love and compassion for my siblngs in-law grew.  I can already see how this crisis will bring this family closer together. 

It made me appreciate in a way that I never have the fact that there IS one Man who lived on this earth who was not a disappointment.

I spent most of Monday on the phone with Dallin's family members.  I did not mind this at all, except that I was nervous about getting ready for Thanksgiving.  I was expecting the first of a large number of guests to arrive Tuesday night. 

My friend Becky saved the day!

On Tuesday, my kids and I spent all morning cleaning the kitchen and making arrangements for an extra table.  Becky showed up just as we were starting to make ahead some of the Thanksgiving dinner items.  Thanks to her, we got 2 jello salads started, the potatoes peeled and cut up and covered in water, the cornbread baked and breadcrumbs made for the stuffing, and an apple crisp made. Meanwhile, her kids were helping clean my house!

And I got to do it while visiting with a friend.

I found a good deal on some carpet remnants that transformed our basement into a usable play area.  The store was willing to pick them out for me and deliver them that day!  It was so fun to surprise Dallin when he got home. 

Our guests were delayed due to a big blizzard, so we rewarded the kids for their hard work by letting them set up our small Christmas tree in the family room.  We bought some colorful lights and colorful shatterproof ornaments.  Why has it taken so long for these to be invented?  How many years have we expected kids to resist shiny balls hanging from a tree?  It has been wonderful to just let my toddlers hold them and move them around on the tree. 

Wednesday morning, my sister and her 6 kids arrived.  They had gotten up at 5:30am to make up for lost time from the blizzard.  We invited a friend we grew up with to come over with her 7 kids and have lunch and visit.  We had such a nice time, and all the kids played pretty well together.  Just when Dallin came in with the pizza, my brother Chris with his wife, 2 kids, and 2 puppies arrived.  Minutes after our friend took her kids home, Mom and sister in -law Renee with her 2 kids got here from Vegas where they had spent a few days with my sister Erin's family. 

There were 5 of us women working in the kitchen.  Some of us were preparing chicken noodle soup for dinner.  One of us was making pies for Thanksgiving.  A couple of us were sauteeing vegetables for the stuffing.  Three one-year olds, three three-year olds and a four year old were in and out and underfoot.
But nobody was feeling overwhelmed.  It didn't seem chaotic.  Even when all of the big kids came storming in for soup it seemed to be pretty manageable. 

Have I mentioned how much I love my kitchen?  It was made for days like this, and I am so thankful.

Not long after dinner, my Dad and my brother Steve (Renee's husband) and their puppy got here from Idaho. 

9 adults, 16 kids, and 3 puppies. 

We all fit pretty comfortably, and seemed to get along just fine.  Having my family in my home was pure bliss for me! 

My cousin's daughter Lauren joined us for the dinner the next day.  We forgot the rolls, and the yams weren't done in time, but nobody seemed to care. 
After dinner, I put my baby to bed and crawled into my own for a post-Thanksgiving siesta. 
It was wonderful to drift in and out of sleep with the din of children running and laughing and someone playing the piano and puppies yelping in the background. 

The big kids walked down to the golf course to go sledding.  They also sledded down the gravel piles in the backyard.  They took the toddlers for sleigh rides around the yard.  They played games with Uncle Chris in the court.  The moms stayed up and played dominoes while the dads played raquetball. 

Friday my mom helped me work on a Christmas project.  I wish I could post pictures, but I'll make myself wait so I don't divulge any secrets too soon.  I love to work beside my mom.  Sometimes we don't even say much, but I just love being with her. 

Saturday morning came all too soon.  I was really sad to see everyone go.  Thankfully, we had Christmas to put up.  We spent the morning cleaning the house and taking down fall decorations.  We read our Thankful Chain that we have been working on for 7 years and put it away for next year. 
Then we got out the big Christmas Tree and worked on it for a couple of hours.  Dallin and I headed out for a date to return library books, get a tree skirt, and do a little Christmas shopping. 

4 haircuts and 6 baths later I sit quietly by the lit Christmas tree and wonder at it. 

I wonder why some people don't like Christmas.  I LOVE it.  All the parts of it. 

When I look at the Christmas tree, I can't help but think of very happy things. 

The memories of this week will join all of the other happy times that mean Christmas to me.

My heart is full of Thanks.

...