Another Week

It's been a week since I last posted. I think about blogging something every day - I guess that's not good enough though.

This past weekend we celebrated Thanksgiving here in Canada. On Saturday my mother-in-law, three step-children and daughter-in-law came for dinner. We had a wonderful meal and played a few games together. The kids left soon enough that we were still able to go to the Saturday evening session of Stake Conference. Sunday was Stake Conference and then Monday we did the whole Thanksgiving dinner thing all over again.

We held the Monday meal at the stake centre and served 34 people. Several years ago we started having the dinner at the church so the kids could run around in the cultural hall and the adults could sit in the other room to visit and still hear each other. This year all the young cousins got together and decided to put on a play for us. We were treated to a skit detailing the first Thanksgiving, another skit about the Thanksgiving food and a lip-sync number to "Once There was a Snowman" by Inside Out A Capella. The good food, company and entertainment made for a fun afternoon.

I left the dinner early so I could get home and do some studying and as I sat in the chair listening to the wind, I started thinking about some of the things I have to be thankful for. Of course, family came first on my list. I love my kids and my husband and everyday I grow more grateful for them. Then I thought about all the comforts we enjoy, living in Canada. So many people in the world go without, and even though our finances are very tight right now, we have a roof over our heads and sufficient food. The odd thing I thought of was the wind. I sat in my chair and listened to it blow and decided I am even thankful for the wild Southern Alberta wind. When I lived in Idaho I missed it and I realized, for me it is the sound of home. At 4:30 yesterday morning I about changed my mind when the wind woke me up by pelting buckets of rain at my window. Not appreciated since I had to be up at 5:30 and hadn't slept well to begin with.

Yesterday was our Federal election. This year I served as a poll clerk for the first time. It was a long but interesting day and I got to see lots of people I haven't seen in a long time. The biggest downside was when the return officer I was working with started feeling sick part way through the morning. By the end of the day she could hardly keep upright. I kept telling her she should call someone else in, but she was the boss and I couldn't force the issue. Meanwhile, I got to sit next to someone with the flu all day long. Now I'm doing everything I can to keep from getting sick. I just don't have time for that.

This coming week doesn't look nearly so exciting, but how do you beat two turkey dinners with all the trimmings, stake conference, and a federal election?