yay.

i love thanksgiving. it was always the best growing up in villa park - using the fancy silver, going to a matinee after, marie callendar's pumpking pie and mom's stuffing! aah! so this year i told toni we have to stay away from the libraries and seminars that day and celebrate proper: spend all morning cooking, then eat around 3pm. also planned: seeing the new "wuthering heights" movie later that evening. proper p* fam thanksgiving, right? :)

but in all honesty. i remember driving up to sundance at the start of january this year, with mom's leg in massive pain from her surgery, dad's knee swollen 5 times its proper size... we were returning from a stay in a hotel off the I-15, praying that by the time we got back to the house the power would indeed be restored after 48 hours+ black-out. both mom and dad were not in the best shape, and i just didn't know what we'd do if the house was still frozen over with no heat in sight. our house was the only one of a handful whose power was still off despite mountain repairs, and i have rarely prayed so hard for a miracle on that drive... it had been a stressful 3 weeks of SO MUCH SNOW and power outages and non-functioning roads and SO MUCH SICKNESS of every one of the visiting extended family (except me, miraculously). remember that, ya'all?

anyway. the miracle happened. the power was on. mom could rest and recover in warm peace. i vowed to pray for more miracles, big and small, this year. and by heaven! what a year it has been. miracle after miracle, and the prayer of gratitude to be said on thursday is going to be very very long... here's a quick list of the biggies:

toni moved to brazil to join me.
a quick 3 weeks later, toni and i decided to get married!
and just 6 weeks after that, toni and i got married!
i got into oxford (again).
toni got into oxford (again).
i got a full 3-year scholarship.
toni got a full 3-year scholarship.
we got to move back "home" to england, and found a lovely little flat all our own.
both sides of our families flew all the way here to celebrate with us in september.
that wedding seriously was miraculously wonderful.
toni and i got to go to ethiopia (already) and explore and learn.
we bake bread.
we get a bursting box of yummy seasonal veggies from the neighbouring farm every monday morning.
the oxford ward is wonderful and i have two perfect callings and some beautiful women in the relief society to be friends with.
there's really yummy chocolate in england.
we live across from a peaceful meadow with cows in it.
we have hot, running water and a lovely, clean kitchen with electricity.
we have grocery stores really close by that have everything we could need. (and more.)
libraries! seminars! lectures! professors!

ok i'll stop there. but really, what a year, no? what a life! it's too much. the too-much-ness is astounding. i had no idea the year would end up with so many miraculous things happening when we were driving up provo canyon that cold january night. i'm sad to be so far away from everyone on thursday, but i'm also so happy that this year i'll be celebrating thanksgiving with dear toni in our little flat as a little family. hurrah for that!

and hurrah for 2011! and happy thanksgiving to you all!

loves!
jooj.