Traditions

Tonight we played cards. Specifically, Hand & Foot. We called it quits already and it's only 1:00AM. If you know us, you know that this is crazy early compared to other years (ahem, 5:30AM). I guess that's what happens when your parents are missionaries. :) so, today I am thankful for family traditions and playing cards on holidays. It just isn't a holiday until a couple of decks of cards appear. I definitely missed my partner in crime (Amy) and all the crazy shenanigans we would do but we still managed to have a fun time. I even got them to all sing some parts of Saturday's Warrior ;) oh it was good.

Also, at a visit yesterday, I was introduced to a family in my parents branch. They have 11 children and one of the daughters there named each person in a family photo for me. 4 of her brother's were introduced as "Available". So, now, Kim has taken to calling me Available. Loooove my new name.

Food

Today I'm thankful for a lot of things. And one of them is food. Especially potatoes!! I just love mashed potatoes. So so much. I just can't eat enough.

How is that for a Thanksgiving Day post? Pretty special, huh?

Elder and Sister

Today I am thankful for my parents. It is so good to see them sharing the Gospel and serving the Lord. I have missed them so much. And it's only been two months since I've seen them last. I might have to get a frequent Tennessee visitor card.

Drive

Today I'm thankful for my sister Kimberly. She flew from SLC to DC today and then got in the car and drove from DC to Tennessee. All so that I didn't have to drive by myself. It was so much fun and we spent the whole 7.5 hours talking and laughing. I didn't realize how much I miss my family!

tomorrow

today i am thankful for tomorrow. (isn't that a trippy sentence?)

I really am though. here is why:

tomorrow i get to see my sister.
tomorrow i get to see my mom.
tomorrow i get to see my dad.
tomorrow is my friday this week.
tomorrow my sister and i get to embark on an awesome road trip.
tomorrow i get to eat road trip food (aka junk).
tomorrow i get to change into jeans at work at 5:01PM.
tomorrow i get to start a mini vacation.
tomorrow is one day closer to PUMPKIN PIE.
tomorrow is one day closer to ORANGE ROLLS.
tomorrow is one day closer to a hand and foot marathon. 
tomorrow is one day closer that i can finally take a trunk full of stuff to my mom. (it's been piling up at my house).
tomorrow i get to be with family. while i will miss those i won't see...i'm super excited about those i will.

and for today...i am also thankful that i am almost done packing. then i can get some much needed sleep for the road trip tomorrow. it shall commence at 5:01PM (please cross your fingers that traffic will be light and nonexistent tomorrow).

surrogates

Okay, I've gone a bit sappy. Eh well.

Today I am thankful for friends who are like family. I have been blessed with many friends who I am not sure what I would do without them. The Lord has always placed people in my life exactly when I need them. Especially since I have moved away from my immediate family. Today I am especially thankful for my surrogate Virginian family and them welcoming me into their home :)

there. Cheese-fest over.

Here's to a few more hours left in the weekend .... Enjoy!

Dishes

Last night I had a great dream. I was 12 years old and babysitting my nieces and nephews at my sister's old house in South Ogden. It was after lunch and the dishes were piled high in the sink. I pulled out the rubber gloves and the dish rack to start washing. I washed each dish by hand....the majority of the dishes were cereal bowls and spoons. (I think that is still a favorite in their house.) I washed each dish and placed them in the drying rack. Then, I started drying them and put them away so that both the counter and the sink were clean. And then, I woke up.

Now this wasn't so much a dream, as it was me dreaming of a memory. For 2 summers I played with my nieces and nephew while their parents worked during the day. And washing the dishes happened daily in their small kitchen. At the time I remember thinking that it would have been really nice and convenient to have a dishwasher but still, the fact of the matter was that the dishes needed to be washed. And someone had to wash them. Since then life has changed a lot. My sister and her family moved to a new house. One with a dishwasher. And I eventually moved away as well to a house with a dishwasher. Not that the dishwasher is important, but it is a symbol of a change. That old way of life is no more. I don't have to wear gloves and use scalding hot water to clean each dish. All I do is put the dishes in the washer and an hour later put them away. Simple. Easy. But somehow this simple and easy lifestyle has developed into something very different and somewhat complicated in my life and the life of my sister. No, not all bad but not all good either. Just a completely different life.

Today I am thankful that I had the simple memory dream of washing dishes at my sister's old house in her tiny hallway kitchen. I am thankful for the fun and simple times of the past. I am hopeful for the future and hope I will always appreciate the good and the bad. One day things won't be as they are now. They might be better. They might be worse. I don't know. But I do know that right now I am enjoying where I am and I hope you are too.