THANKS :)

Thank goodness for holidays! I think that holidays were made expecially for people like me. People who are oblivious to the passing of time and neglect to tell those they love just how grateful they are to have them in their lives and just how much they love them. Are you following me, (that is alot of them's, they's and their's)? I'll clarify... I don't often take the time to tell my family and friends how much they mean to me...how grateful I am to have them in my life...how much I love them. Those closest to me say they know but I am sure it is still good to hear it from time to time. Holidays for me are occasions that remind me to let my friends and family know how much I value them. So here we are, another Thanksgiving come and gone and Christmas rapidly approaching. To all my dear old friends, to all my newly found friends, to all my brothers, sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews and their beautiful families, and to my precious children and their families and friends ... a heartfelt thanks. Each of you have touched my life in your own special way, enriching my life by making it interesting and fulfilling. I think of you often, (even though you may not know it), and love you dearly.

I had a great Thanksgiving. Dillon and Cerra came up to spend a few days. We were able to spend some relaxing, quality time together while we basically just hung out on the farm. We got to talk with Nolan and Sasha which was a special treat as well. As I contemplated all the things I am grateful for I thought of how it was when I was growing up. I had black and white TV. If someone wanted to make a phone call they had to do it from home and had to be sure that the other person was there to get the call otherwise the other person would never know of the call...no call waiting or voice messaging or even answering machines! I remember my mother writing letters to her sisters and brothers telling them that she would be calling them on Thanksgiving (or Christmas) so she would be sure to get to talk to them. That's nothing! When my mom was growing up making a phone call was a BIG DEAL. They had the crank up phones and had to share party lines and deal with operators. And as far as traveling, well that was a REALLY BIG DEAL. When my mom was a teen living in Oregon my grand father bought an old truck, built benches in the back and put a canvas over the top, loaded the whole family into it and went to Canada to the Cardston Temple to be sealed together as a family. No express buses or trains or air travel. WOW! Look at us now! Things have changed so quickly. We can travel and communicate with great ease using any number of resources. We can share pictures and letters over the internet with very little effort, something my grandparents couldn't even consider... and never experienced in their lifetime. Sooo... this Thanksgiving I found myself particularly grateful for the time I am living in that allows me ready access to my loved ones.

Christmas is just around the corner and with it our family reunion :) I am so excited I can hardly stand it. My parents and grandparents can only be their in spirit but as for the rest of us it will be the first time in many, many years we will all be together in the same place at the same time...YEA HA! Of course there will still be a few loose ends, we will miss Dustin for instance, but it is going to be so good to actually see each other face to face! Email, phone calls and pictures are great but nothing can compair to a good ol' face to face (and heart to heart) hug and snuggle. See you all soon!