Much to be Grateful For

Exterior painting on the house is complete!!! We had the two warmer days we needed for the second coat two weeks ago. Dave must have gotten some flack for my house painting from neighbors because he didn't want me to do the second coat alone, but the constraints on his time have not yet lessened at work. Intentions were noble, but the weather was tempermental. So I proceeded on the back of the house and the west faces of the upstairs and garage. Karl Kidman arranged to come help Dave Friday at noon. As is turned out, Dave didn't have as much time as he'd hoped. Yet we got the front of the house completed that last warm day. It felt so wonderful to put it all away and Dave did all the clean up that night.

We had a sad professional couple of weeks. Dave had to terminate an employee. We knew enough of what was happening to justify the action, but once he was gone, we have uncovered serious grievances that have required further action on our part. When the scene had all played out, I felt such admiration for David. He truly had seen this person for what he could be rather than how he had acted and was able to tell him so. It was not enough to make ourselves whole, Dave gave opportunity for repentence. In the end, we will not be injured by his actions which he is cooperating to make right. Dave is a good, good man.

This week brought a special treat: my Grandma and Grandpa Bramwell came down for Thanksgiving from Idaho. Since we were scheduled to be with the Parishes for the holiday, I took the kids up to Layton to visit with them. We just don't get to see them often enough! What a pleasure to sit and talk with them and enjoy their company. I took the kids up again Friday so Grandpa could take pictures. It was wonderful to sneak that second visit in. (My mom had a little surgery that day and seems to be healing up well today.)

Thursday was a wonderful Thanksgiving of course. Johnny and Heidi and Mike and Shan'l came down from Idaho to be with the family. Jeff and Amber brought their clan. Plus Debbie's best friend in New York has a daughter at BYU, Lisa, who came to share the holiday. The food was supurb! The kids just played and played with cousins. Mike brought a long personality test which all the adults took and discussed much of the evening. It was interesting and made me consider how dynamic we are. I know that my breakdown would have been different, less rounded, 10 years ago. What will another decade bring?

Yesterday we all worked like a farm family! We put up 96 quarts of applesauce. That is a serious acheivement! Everyone helped and kept helping all through the long job. Dave took pictures of the kids enjoying the project, to be sure they remembered ENJOYING it.

Today brought a wonderful surprise for me. A single sister in the ward, Cherice Montgomery, invited us to dinner on the spur of the moment. That just doesn't happen; we are too big of a group. She put together some Thai food and I whipped up an apple crisp and we had a wonderful afternoon. She was very complimentary of our children. I was so unburdened all afternoon without having to cook the main meal making for a special Sunday treat.

All in all, we've had a good couple of weeks replete with the same kind of blessings we enjoy all year, so much to be grateful for.