Thanksgiving Day

We have so much to be thankful for this holiday season and we enjoyed celebrating with our famly last week. We are grateful especially for our family and our health, and for the chance we have to work and serve. We have had a chance to learn some good lessons in the area of service recently, which will bless us forever... but first: Some random shots of Thanksgiving Day>

Grandpa Tom and Kwinten (I love this pic- they are the best of friends and we love our Pa very much!)

Krystal and Brennan eating grapes. Brennan had a huge one in his mouth in this picture.
As usual, the grown ups spent all day in the kitchen preparing and mostly eating... but the kids spent the day downstairs with their cousins!

Anna and Kaeleb- The kids drew and cut out paper Bazookas to blow up all the bad guys who came to Thanksgiving dinner. We were the safest family in the west.

We had a lot of fun together. In the afternoon, Grandma and Grandpa stayed with the littles while the rest of us went to see New Moon. Oh wow- we totally loved it, of course. On Black Friday we slept in... while everyone else went shopping, because our kids were up all night coughing. We did hit the stores after lunch when things had calmed down a bit, and had fun. We went to Bailee's 8th birthday party at the Parkers. We always love a good Parker party. :) Saturday we went to see a Christmas Carol, which was really well done by Disney.

So, it was a happy and fun weekend, which we needed, because we had a really long week after that...

The best thing that happened was that on Monday my big brother's new wife had a baby boy... Lucas Alan McDaniel. I was sad that I couldn't be there, but it was nice to get pictures and talk on the phone.

The week before Thanksgiving my friend Brynn had a baby boy and the week after, my friend Andrea had a baby boy, so I am feeling surrounded by new baby stories. It is fun to meet new little ones but I have to admit that I am not jealous. Brenny is still my baby. :)

So, here is the long story of the long week. The kids were sick, which makes any week a long one. Kaeleb had croup and Brenny had bronchitis. Then, on Thursday night I hurt my back and was literally leveled. I have never been injured to this extent. I layed on the floor completely unable to move, in so much pain that I started going into shock-- granted I am wimp, so it doesn't take much to put me into shock.

We have a friend who is a chiropractor, so after giving me a blessing, Kwint called Jon, my hero. They carried me to his car where he drove me to and they carried me into his office where he adjusted, re-adjusted and tractioned my back. We took him away from his family from 9 to 11 pm, and he brought his daughter to babysit our kids and he wouldn't let us pay him. Then, an hour later, I walked out. I couldn't walk alone, but I could walk.

That night I realized how lucky I am to be married to Kwint. The boys were coughing all night and I couldn't sleep at all. The boys and I were in the bed and Kwint slept on the couch, getting up every few minutes to walk me to the bathroom, bring us all medicine, water and extra pillows all night long. It was horrible to feel so needy and not be able to help. He was so tired but he took really good care of us all.

The whole experience taught me to let others serve me. I am pretty independent, and I hate asking for help, but I had to. I laid in bed worrying about how in the world I would take care of my kids on Friday. Then I remembered that I could call the Relief Society and I was filled with peace and gratitude. Kwint took the morning off and my neighbor Mindy came over in the afternoon to cheer me up and play with my kids. My niece came after school to do my dishes and play with the boys, and my visiting teacher brought us dinner. It was so wonderful!!

I went to the chiropractor again yesterday and I almost all the way better now, which is absolutely amazing to me. He said I can start exercising tomorrow as long as I don't do anything that hurts. I am so thankful because I really thought it was the end of me when I was laying on the floor unable to move 3 nights ago. It feels like a miracle.

I have been thinking about service lately, anyway. I have often wished I were better at serving others. I don't have the gift that some have, to see a need or feel a prompting and know what to do. I get so stuck in my routine and go about my life not thinking about much else. I admire others who are so thoughtful and giving, but it just doesn't seem to be one of my spiritual gifts.

So, a few months ago, I started praying for the gift of becoming more service oriented and to receive promptings of needs I can fill. I wish I could say that I am suddenly amazing at it, but I haven't changed much. In fact, I forgot that I had said those prayers. But I have realized last week that God answered my prayer anyway-- even though I am still unaware, I have been getting more phone calls from the compassionate service leader and emails from the Relief Society, so I've been able to provide dinners and babysit children, and help with Christmas projects. I love it! This church is so perfect, that even us imperfect people are given the chance and reminded to serve and do the things the Lord wants us to do.

And now, when I was in my hour of need, my giving was given back to me. And so I am thankful-- thankful that I can serve, thankful to have been served, thankful that I can walk, thankful for people who I love who also love me, and thankful for God and His perfect plan.