Thanksgiving in Columbia

We spent another Thanksgiving away from family this year, but thankfully shared a lovely meal with some great friends! I am extra thankful that we celebrated with them because Brad was on-call for the holiday. He went in to the hospital all morning, came home in time to follow us over to their home in his own car, answered call after call during our visit, and even had to go back in for an emergency at one point. I would have been bummed to have all that going on if we were home alone. So in spite of the work craziness (he also worked all Fri, Sat and Sun as well - with calls into the night), we had a lot of fun eating yummy food, watching kids play, and dancing off some of the turkey and pie before we went home. On Saturday Brad even got to watch a BYU game in the evening at a friends' house - a nice break for him! The kids were starting to get sick so I stayed home with them and we watched Horton Hears a Who. Sunday Brad worked and the kids and I stayed home from Church because I was starting to feel sick - we watched home movies from when Eli was born, and he was totally tickled. It reminded me just how much I wanted to be a mother, and how thankful I am to be one.

We are also grateful for the good brothers and sisters in the Gospel that we manage to meet wherever we go, and for having good friends who haven't tired of hanging out with us, for having a job that is secure and promising, for having each other, for having our family whose love is felt from far away, and for having our knowledge and faith in God and his watchcare over us. It's been a full year, and we are thankful!

For a Family Home Evening we wrote things we were thankful for on leaves. Eli enjoyed hanging them out of Owen's reach, and reciting every night what was written on them.

Hand turkeys, and a fall tree - painted by Eli.

Playing with Lexi and Tanner - two of Eli's favorite friends.

Dancing with Lexi - she says she is going to marry Eli someday -
we'd be just fine with that =).

Dancing with Daddy!

Everyone was worn out by Sunday afternoon.
This reminds me of a pile of sleeping puppies - love my boys!