Thanksgiving Weekend 2011

Thanksgiving weekend was a little crazy for us. Jeff headed down to Cardston with Clara and Donovan on Friday night to spend some time with his family. That left me and Elliot all alone. When I woke up Saturday, I cleaned a bit and then admittedly, I was so bored!! It's crazy how going from 3 kids to 1 can be a huge adjustment! So I dragged my parents to the mall with me and went shopping. That evening I left Elliot with my parents and headed to one of my best friends (Alysha) houses for a surprise birthday party. It was great to see her, as we certainly don't see enough of each other. It was a good night, and I sure love that girl.
When we woke up on Sunday, I packed up and we drove down to Cardston to join Jeff and his family. His whole family was there at one point (minus 2 grandchildren, one who is on a mission). It was a big weekend for the family because it was a sort of reunion before Jeff's parents head on their mission for 18 months. They leave this Sunday and are going to the London, England mission. We are very excited for them, but words can't even describe how much we will miss them.
The weekend was very busy. Imagine having 11 siblings, their spouses and 34 grandchildren all in one house at a time. Thankfully the weather was nice so we weren't confined to being inside the whole time.
I love Jeff's family, and I am thankful to be a part of it. I am thankful for so many cousins for my kids to play with, they love seeing them and look up to the older cousins. I am thankful for so many sister in laws that I can rely on, and I am especially thankful for the ones that I have become such great friends with. I am also thankful for Jeff's parents. They do so much for the family. Imagine having 36 grandchildren (and more on the way) and remembering birthdays and special events. I feel so blessed that my kids love their grandparents and have such a strong attachment to them.
It was a bittersweet weekend. It was great to see everyone, but it was sad to say goodbye to Jeff's parents as it was the last time we will see them before they leave. We spend a lot of time with them and that time is very important to our family. Clara and Donovan were so sad to say goodbye and cried on the drive home until they fell asleep. We used it as an opportunity to teach them about missions and to teach them about blessings that come from sacrifice, but it was still a tough drive. As much as we will miss them and especially during special events, we look forward to hearing their stories and learning from their experiences. What a great example they are to their family. Jeff's mom has said a few times that this is the hardest thing she has ever had to do, but she knows it will be worth it.

In all the hustle and bustle of the weekend, we didn't get to do Thanksgiving with my family. We haven't forgotten about them, we will make up for it this weekend as we celebrate Thanksgiving and Elliot's first birthday. It's crazy to me that my baby is 1 but if the next year goes as fast as this past year has gone, I figure Jeff's parents will be home in no time!!