Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thankgiving!  This year was the Rich's turn to host the dinner.  We switch off every year between the Rich's the Burton's...aka The Larson's!  :)  This year we were missing our Bobby and Sara and little Dunkers.  But have NO fear, leave it to Joanne to come up with some sort of activity for the whole family to play during dinner.  This year she made up little sayings and placed them on everyone's plate.  My saying was "These mashed potatoes is SO CREAMY..." from While you were sleeping.  (on a side note...Joanne and I ALWAYS say this to each other even if we're NOT eating mashed potatoes!)  So, the way the game worked was, that everyone's saying was linked to each other and cued the other people to say their little saying.  I hope that makes sense...  But, it was a riot to hear everyone go on and on!  It was hilarious!  

 

Here's my little Jadesy baby.  I love this hat my mom bought for him.  And he loves it too!  He will keep it on all day and actually try to put it on himself.  This kid actually Loves hats.  We can't pass the hat section in Target without having to stop and try on a few.  It's really cute!

OOOOh, I love that baby!

Here's Cobe and I and Ben and Whit at dinner.  I made those sweet yams - NO MARSHMALLOW, but they may as well have been a dessert because it's mostly brown sugar with a side of yams!  :) 

And then it was off to Lanae's house.  I LOVE this girl!  I look forward to seeing every single week and Thanksgiving is NO exception!  :) 

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This year was the first year without my sweet Grandma Burton.  We miss her so much.  But my Grandpa surely must struggle the most without his sweetheart by his side.  He told me that he sets the table for one and he cries.  Then he eats alone and he cries.  Then he washes his dish and he cries.  It breaks my heart every time I think about it.  I'm sure he wishes his time is short so they won't have to be apart so long.  I know I do...but only for that reason.  

This year my aunts on my dad's side of the family decided to come up and get Grandpa so he wouldn't be alone for the holidays.  He had his 98 year old sister with him and aside from a little hard of hearing, she was a sharp as a tack!  :)  I'm glad he has his sister there for company.  I'm sure the longing for my Grandma will never go away, but I hope that being surrounded by family will help ease the pain a bit.

I am so thankful so so many things!  I have much to be grateful for.  I am most grateful for our loving Heavenly Father and for the gift of his Son.  For without that, I'd never have the hope of holding my sweet Jack again.  What a blessing it is to have the gospel in my life and in the life of my family.  To know for a surety that we are an eternal family and have the opportunity to be together forever...such a gift is greater than any I could ever imagine.  I'm thankful for my sweet WONDERFUL Coby.  He is my rock and without I don't know how I could function...how I did function before I met him.  He is by far the greatest thing that has every happened to me.  And worth every single second of sadness and grief if I got to call him mine.  I love him more than anything.  I am grateful for my boys.  They teach me something every single day and make me want to be a better person.  Corbin constantly shows me to look at things in a more simple way.  He teaches me that it's okay to be silly and it's okay to cry...but more fun to be silly.  He's such a smartie...obviously from Coby!  Jack...what can I say about Jack that hasn't already been said.  He's one of the three reason I drag myself out of bed every single day.  I know he's busy being a missionary and doing the work that needed to be done by someone so innocent and pure.  I know that he's working on our heavenly and eternal mansion and to him I am grateful that I had the opportunity, though brief to be called his mom.  Jades, that little boy gets more and more fun every single day.  He makes me giggle and want to get on the floor and play on his level.  He has definitely been teaching me to have patience...that's for sure!  I love him and his sweet beautiful smile and contagious laugh!  I love my family and my in laws.  They do more for me than I will ever be able to thank them for.  They are loving and caring, never judgemental and always ready with a warm hug and listening ear.  I could write a novel on everyone in the family and how they have touched my life for good, but I'll save it for another day.  I'm thankful for good friends who have stood by me through our darkest hours and continue to hold us up.  We love you.  We are thankful for you....all of you.  My heart is full as I write this and I know that the Lord truly has been generous.  Very Generous!