The primary had their program yesterday and only one practice. I didn't understand as it feels so late in the year. I don't recall there being a primary program this late in the year - not with any of the wards I've been in - including this one. Last year we had more practice and performed on October 18.
This is the first year that Jenna wasn't on the stage as she is no longer in primary. But as I looked out in the audience, I could see her singing along, and it really made me smile. I'd have to honestly say that it was my favorite part about having the primary program. I think the children did quite well for only one practice.
Growing up, my favorite thing about Thanksgiving was spending it with a different group of people than the year prior as I mentioned here. The smallest Thanksgivings I can remember included only 5 or 6 people. Those were: one year with just my family. My second Thanksgiving in the mission field: our landlady, her son and his wife, and my companion and me. And my last Thanksgiving with mom mentioned here
Three of mom's children and their families were able to meet on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. There were just over 20 of us gathered in a room between the kitchen and the cultural hall of my brother's ward. My mom felt overwhelmed by the tremendous amount of people that were gathered there. Roland, Jaime and I had only played one game one game and could sense mom's desire to leave. The theater may not have been as crowded. We had taken her to see the movie: Brave. She seemed to enjoy herself as she no longer reacted to a possible crowd of people, but had lost herself in the movie. She said she liked it.
The most people that I've ever had Thanksgiving with was just over 30. Peggy Bird lived across the street from my mom. Her Thanksgiving philosophy was the more people, the better. It was held in a room by the kitchen of the ward building where her son attended Church. That was a lot of people. Several years later, Peggy invited my mom and her children to spend Thanksgiving at her house. That year all of her married children had committed to spending the holidays with the in-laws, which would have made for a much smaller table otherwise.
Last year we drove to McMinnville to spend the holidays with Beth and Graham. It was a nice to see them again, and of course, the meal was superb. But the drive was long - not as long as if we'd gone back to Utah. I think my oldest daughter-in-law was quite miffed that we didn't. It just hasn't been practical or realistic for us to go back for just a few hours and then have to turn around and return as Roland works on the Friday after Thanksgiving. I suppose he could ask for it off, but still.
We had invited Annett's family to break bread with us this year, but as we never got a commitment and Nora is upset with us and doesn't even want Annett talking to Jenna at school, it was down to just Jenna, Roland and I. Jenna suggested we go to Home Town Buffet and would be okay with that, though I suspect she would like to have the association of others. She missed her brothers and cousins tremendously. So we thought we'd try our hand at the community dinner here in town.
Yesterday we had two offers for Thanksgiving. The first one from Roland's cinema buddy. I had his daughter in sunbeams last year and his nephew this year. And so we will be having our Thanksgiving dinner with all of their family. And perhaps next year we can have dinner with the other family that asked after we had already accepted the other. It will be good to spend Thanksgiving with two of three of Young Women leaders and help Jenna to feel more comfortable about going to Young Women's rather than primary.
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