Stuffed with Stuffing!!!

So it is Thanksgiving weekend! We started a little early to facilitate all our family being together for that special occasion. We started by picking up Shylah on Thursday night and bringing her home. We got here kind of late. Before we came home we had some shopping to do and Shylah was a good sport and put up with our ponderous purchases - one of which was a fish tank in which we can place our fish from the outdoor fish pond. We got home around 10:00 and everyone was up, ready to welcome home their big sister and smother her in hugs.

Enjoying their new habitat!

Friday Shylah took the kids to seminary and attended with them for the morning. The kids all went to school for the morning, but we pulled them all out at noon so we could have our Thanksgiving feast with everyone present. During the morning Chad, Shylah and I prepared pumpkin pies and peeled potatoes and yams in preparation for the noon meal. BUT we found a little extra time to put the new fish tank into service as well so when the kids got home at noon, there were a bunch of goldfish inhabiting the new facility. They are much larger than they started out to be, and everyone seems to enjoy watching them.

Melodee and her guitar

Before the meal Shylah gave Melodee a birthday gift - a guitar. It was  certainly a hit!!! With the meal ready, we sat down to eat buffet style, but before we started dishing our food, we each mentioned something we were grateful for among which was of course that Shylah was here with us, some were grateful for the food, their family, their home, family relationships, cooperation and so forth. We ate well, but during the meal we had an interesting conversation.

We enjoy the stuffing! Melodee mentioned that she always thought that stuffing was called stuffing because it makes you full!!! We chuckled a bit and made sure she knows it is actually because the bird gets stuffed with it. The meal was well enjoyed as was the dessert. Alisha had to run off at 3:30 for some help with her school work and then she had to work after that as well. She didn't get back until after 9:00. Everyone waited for her to get home before turning on a new movie she had wanted to see. They were up late but the companionship and camaraderie were wonderful for us to see.

It all ended too soon however as Shylah had to return home so she could go to work this morning. It was a wonderful start to a special weekend. Monday we will celebrate Melodee's birthday.

 I love to watch my children together - when they are enjoying each others company and doing things together it is a joyful thing to watch and participate in. I am so grateful for each one of my children. Each one holds a special place in my heart, and I can't help but wonder at the amount of love - perfect love - my Heavenly Father has for me. What joy there is for each one of us, knowing that not only do our families love us, but that God himself loves us brings an indescribable feeling of awe and wonder to the heart. Life is good, and I feel so blessed every day.