giving thanks

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We all met at my big sisters to eat.

There was lots of food.

Lots of teenage girls (we run heavy on girl grandchildren

on my side of the family....poor Josh!)

Grandma Ladanye came for the day.

It was our first Thanksgiving without Grandpa,

it made my heart a little sad.

Olivia ate from 1 PM onward until she finally

threw up at 1 AM.  My peanut butter cream cheese

pie made a reappearance then.  

At least she made it to the toilet!

Three cheers for that right?

Kyle geared up for his usual Black Friday routine.

He had 3 helpers this year.  Josh, Grace & Eliza.

They each took a line at Walmart to "score" some

good gifts for Christmas.  Kyle said it was

actually the MOST crazy year he's seen in a long time.

I slept and went BACK to Target  & Walmart at 9 AM-

the stores were strangely "empty". (The quietest I have

ever seen them on a Black Friday morning).

This year I am thankful for family and friends, I am grateful

for dear friends who walked me through grief and surgery

and held my hand without asking why I was crying.

I am grateful for a husband who is still picking up pieces of my life

that seem to be left falling behind me.  Some days in huge chunks.

 It's been a hard year emotionally for me.  

Death, fear of cancer, a surgery and watching a big son grow up

and get wings.  In many ways, a harder year than I thought it would be.

I am thankful for a house full of teenage boys many days

and many nights.  I love to hear the sound of their laughter

drifting up from the basement.  I love to watch them eat me

out of house and home.  I wouldn't want it any other way.

I am thankful for 3 beautiful (albeit very spirited) daughters.

They teach me about love, and sometimes its painful.

I'm grateful for all the primary kids in my ward that make

me cry when they sing.  I'm grateful to work with amazing,

strong and wonderful women who teach me so much.

There have been lots of tears this year 

and lots of breathing IN and OUT.

I'm thankful 2011 is almost over!  

It will be a good one to shut

the door on. 

 Lastly, I'm thankful for peanut butter cream cheese

pie.  Dang! That stuff rocks!

Seriously, seriously rocks!