A Day of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving at our home woulds not be complete without family to share in the joy. We have now graduated from one large table to the large 16 seat table, and two 10 seat tables in the living room. This year we were able to have all of our family over at some point during the night. Every year, Janene works like a slave to get this all ready, but by the time the night is over, and we have had a chance to visit with every grandchild, son and daughter, we both go to bed tired, but filled with joy.

Sometimes big crowds are difficult for Nathan, but we all enjoy having him near us. Angie is such a good mother for him. We never foresaw the difficulties that Angie and David would face, but the two of them are the perfect parents, probably the only parents who could handle the diverse family they have been given. Nathan loves his mom and would rather be with her than anyone else.

 We got an extra blessing this year as my sister Vikki was able to join us. She has been helping my father while my other two sisters are out of town. The two of us are less than a year apart, but we have been separated by distance ever since we each married. Sometimes we have been more than a half a continent away from each other and she is still 250 miles away so it was especially nice to share Thanksgiving with her this year.

 Poor little Tessa took a tumble earlier this week and got to have stitches, but by Thanksgiving she was feeling fine and was a lot of fun. She says the cutest things and has such a sweet smile. I cannot imagine Shon and Melinda's family without this perfect little girl.

 Stephen is a great dad - and Jeffrey James is a darling little boy. Jeffrey is a new addition to our Thanksgiving celebration. He and grandpa got to spend a few quiet moments napping in the rocker. A perfect way to spend Thanksgiving evening.

 So here are the other three Phillips girls. It has been a long time since we got them all on the same couch together. Chelane was able to pass her boards and is now finished with everything she needs for her medical career. We are so proud of her determination to pursue this goal in her life. Heather and Brooke are each great mothers of five children and active with other major responsibilities. Each one has followed their mother in some way, each becoming capable and confident in their own right.

Shon has completed a move this year and now has a home on the same street as Angie. - And the best garage in town. All of our children live close. Some of our grandkids walk over to our house sometimes. The other day day Max rode his bike over to help us with the bees. We are truly blessed beyond our wildest dreams.

This year we noted with sadness that my mother was not with us, but she would be the first to say that we should enjoy this day of thanks whether she was with us or not. My dad was here and he misses her terribly, but we all look forward to that day when we will be reunited again. Our family has had its share of sorrow and troubles, but we all love each other and enjoy being together. What blessing could be better than that? Janene and I used to pray that our children would grow up to be independent and able to make their own choices. When they did just that, we went through a period where we wished we had prayed for something else. They were gone from home too soon for us, but now as we see each of them with their strengths and accomplishments, we really do have something to be thankful for on this special day.

The Monster Tree and the Spirit of Christmas

 Christmas at the Phillips home is not for the faint of heart. Our tree is over 14 feet tall (not counting the angel) and has over 4000 lights and it seems it has just as many ornaments. Over the years we have accumulated ornaments from trips, from neighbors, family and special ornaments created by or for our children and grandchildren. One year, we took out a magic marker and wrote on many ornaments what we were thankful for. That is why you will find ones that say "LIPS"or "TACOS". Some were brought home from the Soviet Union where we served as friendship ambassadors. One commemorated the first landing on the moon (this happened on our first campout together in the Uintas). And many priceless ones belonged to our dear David.

One by one over the years, each child has taken their ornaments to their new home with their new family, and one by one, we have had fewer and fewer helpers to put up the tree.

 This year some of our grandchildren came to help us, and some of our kids. Little Jeffrey didn't help much, unless you count the increase in the Spirit that could be felt as we had our own little Christmas child to love.

 On Thanksgiving Day, Laura told Janene just how much she loved putting up the tree at her home. "I don't necessarily like it while I am doing it" she says, but " I really like it when it is all done". Her Dad and brothers put up the tree without her this year, so she called to see if she could help us. The tree would probably still be hanging in sections in our new "tree room" in the basement if it wasn't for her call. She was able to see and help hang ornaments that had belonged to her great great great grandmother who also bore her name.

 Lily had a fever and was asleep on the couch in the family room for most of the night, but we finally coaxed her into coming up and sitting on the floor as we worked. All I could get was one of those Mona Lisa smiles from our cute girl, but I think she still had a good time.

So with Christmas carols in the background and Frosty the Snowman on the family room TV, the work progressed like a house afire. Ryan had been told not to climb the ladder. (14 or 15 feet is a long, long way for a small boy to fall.) But we caught him a few times sneaking ornaments to higher elevations on the tree. Amazingly, no ornaments were broken this night.

 Tyler took on the task of tying on the golden butterflies. He is so patient and can stick to a job until it is done. He especially enjoyed the upper portion of the ladder too, for some mysterious reason.

Uh -Oh, here are three little boys playing video games instead of helping. These little guys deserved a break. This was probably the first time we have ever gone from box to completely up! in one evening. We could never have done it without the help of these guys. Max came over and helped me hang all the outside lights the day before. That is the fastest that that has ever been done too! I only wish we had actually planned to do this so that other kids and grandkids could have helped and enjoyed the fun.

That's right, you heard me. FUN! After Dave died, it was hard to put this up without his help. I don't think we would have done it again except for Chelane and her insistence that we remember the Spirit of Christmas. And remember, we do. We are grateful for the knowledge that we can be together again as a complete family thanks to the special gift from a loving Father that made this possible.  He is the Gift.

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