The BEST Thanksgiving EVER!!!!!!!!!

Thanksgiving was kinda weird this year since it was Zack and Mal's year with the in-laws. Bob, Maddi, and I decided to go to Bob's mom's for dinner with his siblings. It was fun to visit and laugh with everyone. We came home and waited for Mal and Tom to come over for pie. Maddi invited her friend, Andrew, to come as well so it was just the six of us (Zack and Kenzi stayed in Brigham to do the Black Friday sales). We'd been visiting for a while, had our pie, and all of a sudden, Mal and Tom got up and went outside. Mal had said she made little treat bags for her neighbors and decided she wanted to do them for family this year. She had sent Sammi's the week before with instructions to not open hers until Thanksgiving afternoon. She passed out little white gift bags with green tissue paper in them. (She apologized to Andrew for not having one for him...he said it was OK.) We all pulled the tissue paper out at the same time and screamed!!

How cool is this?!?!?!?!

I screamed, squealed, jumped up and down, you name it. I ran to her to hug her and just couldn't let go! Maddi kept saying, "You lied to me!!" (A couple of weeks ago, Mal told her smells were killing her and Maddi asked her if she was pregnant. Mal said, "No!" We excused her from lying that one time. :) ) Bob was in shock! After all the hugging, we found another little gift in there... our first picture of our baby!!

We'll find out in January what she's having but in the meantime, I'm looking for all kinds of cute stuff and bought my first material for rag blankets...one boy and one girl. I can't wait and figure whatever it is, I can put the other one away for future use. 

So much to be thankful for!!!

Time is FLYING!!

I honestly NEVER in a million years thought I would say this but...

TIME IS FLYING!!!!!!!

As we get older, we realize time is going quicker than it did when we were kids. (There are those times when it seems to drag still...) 

1. It seems like yesterday school started...we're already two weeks into second term.

2. It's been almost three months since Sister Denson c6ame home for "Transfer #10."

3. Halloween has come and gone.

4. It's twelve days until Thanksgiving.

5. Christmas is just around the corner!

6. 2010 is less than seven weeks from changing into 2011.

7. Second Term/First Semester has about seven (school) weeks left.

8. Sister Denson will be home in 87 days!!!!!!!! 

I know I'm not supposed to be counting the days...it makes time go more slowly. But there are things I want to get done before she comes home and for her Homecoming. It's a "Mom thing." Maddi keeps telling me to stop counting because the time will go slower...NOT TRUE!!!!!!!!! I was counting backwards the other day...trying to figure out perspective on how much longer we have. I was tired and evidently miscalculated because I was thinking it was the family camping trip in July. NO!!! It was August! School was starting. Sammi came home. 

HOLY COW!!!!!!!!!! 

That was seriously just a minute ago!! 

I am so anxious to have her back and have our family all together again but...this whole "Missionary Mom" thing has been such an amazing experience! I really didn't think I'd be strong enough to do it...but I have. I didn't think I'd survive missing her...but I have. Looking back, I've really enjoyed it and have grown so much! We've drawn closer as a family. My sweet Maddi and I have gotten to be better friends and have had fun together. Overall, it's really been a GREAT experience!! However...as much as I've loved it, 

I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE HER AGAIN!!