Late Thanksgiving Post!

This is kind of late but better now than never. We had a really good Thanksgiving. It was different than any other Thanksgiving but I was thankful for what we did. We were able to meet my sister Sarah and her family in Nauvoo and stay a couple of nights there. We stayed in some really nice condos since it is off season for Nauvoo and the condos were half off. The weather ended up being really nice so we were able to see parts of Nauvoo, the carthage jail, and then we took turns going to the Temple. I love Nauvoo more everytime we go!


Since it was Thanksgiving, here are some of the things I am thankful for right now in my life!

Troy - I am so thankful for my husband. I seriously get so excited every night for him to come home and it makes me so happy when he walks through the door and then I can't stop following him around and talking to him! I am grateful for all he does in going to school and that he his also so good at spending time with his family as well. I am grateful for the person that he is and that I have him in my life.

Katelyn and Kylie - These pictures were taken by Danna Pettit. She is my friend and neighbor who is also from Shelley, ID. Her husband is going to school and DMU. She is so talented!!!! Thank you Danna, I love the pictures! Here is a few of my favorites, there were so many good ones it was hard to choose! They look really cute in black and white too.

Katelyn

Kylie

Need I say more? Just kidding. I am so thankful for these little girls that make me laugh everyday!! This has been a special time for us. I am grateful for this time that I have been out of school and before this other baby comes to just focus on them! We have had so much fun exploring here and playing so much! It has been so fun to go and do things all the time, like the Zoo, the library, science center, parks, the mall, Dad's school and basketball games, just playing at home, and so much more. They have been my two very best friends!

Baby number 3 - Yes, baby number 3, not 3 and 4 for those wondering! We are so excited for this little one. Pregnancy is so amazing and I love feeling this baby kick and move inside of me. We find out on December 16 if it is a boy or girl. I think it is going to be a girl, but we will see. If it is a girl we really like the name Makenna. Katelyn and Kylie also love that name and that is what they always call the baby. We went through a whole bunch of names and they said no to all of them except for that one. When we ask, "What if the baby is a boy?" They say "No, the baby is Makenna." So according to them this baby is a girl. I don't really have any boy names that I really love yet so I can't say what the name would be if it is a boy.

The Pioneers - It was fun to really think about the pioneers and early saints since we were in Nauvoo for Thanksgiving. Since it was kind of chilly were thinking how hard it would have been to leave warms homes and have to take your kids out in the freezing cold like when the saints left Nauvoo. I am grateful for all they did. It was fun to be able to think of them so much during Thanksgiving.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ - I am so grateful to be a member of this church and to have the knowledge that I have. I am grateful for Jesus Christ and for our living prophet. I am grateful that even though we moved away from home we have our ward family here. It is so wonderful that now matter where you go you always have the church.

Music- I have always loved music and at this time I am grateful for my calling in the ward (same as when I was in Rexburg) as the ward music chairmen even though it is stressful sometimes. I am able to really think about the hymns as I choose them for sacrament meeting. I have also been able to start teaching piano lessons again which has been really fun for me. I am also grateful to be able to sing to my kids at night and to here them singing those songs during the day.

Iowa- I do miss home so much but I am grateful that we are here at this time. I am grateful for the friends that we have met here and that we live so close to church history sites. I am grateful that Troy is able to go to school here since it is a really good school and that he is doing what he loves!

This Time of Year - I love this time of year. I love Thanksgiving and the Christmas Season. Katelyn and Kylie are so excited for Christmas and they love everything about it. It makes it so fun for us as parents. I love that the end of the year means the end of another semester at school. I love that Troy and I get to celebrate our anniversary on the 22 of December. I love that we are going to be able to go home to visit our families and see the mountains again!