Thanksgiving 2008 - Campout

Uncle Abe and Nathan!

Loved this picture!

Uncle Abe and Sammy

LOVE IT!!!

Tradition!!! Sisters working on each other's hair!

Got to love Sammy's face - With Uncle Hyrum

Happy Grandparents with "2" of our grandsons!!!

Dave and Sammy

MY FAVORITE - Garvin and Nathan

Angel

Jared and Nathan

Sammy and Nathan

Jenny and Sammy

As you know...our Family Tradition...is our annual Thanksgiving Campout...Each time, we experience something different than the year before or in previous years...This year was no exception. We had to camp in a different location than our usual Kelly Park...We loved the NO HASSLES...of "being watched"....There was a sense of "freedom"...However, the only real drawback this year...was the "noise" factor...trains...and a "power plant" in the EARLY HOURS...So, that "peaceful" quietness of "nature" sometimes was a challenge...Interestingly enough, we were never bothered by RACCOONS or BEARS...We did end up with a "Siamese CAT"...who ate "several" mice....and became a "pet" for the Muncks...who offered a place to sleep each night IN THEIR TENT! (smile)

We LOVED being with the FAMILY...and dear FRIENDS...however, your Dad and I commented...it was NOT the same....when we have members of our family missing or friends who normally would have been there with us...

We want you to know, Joshua, Holly, Sarah, Luke, Rebekah....that you were GREATLY MISSED...It really ISN'T the same...when we are NOT ALL TOGETHER...If we mourned you NOT being there for ONE EVENT.....I PRAY we never find out...what it is like...if we are NOT ALL TOGETHER...throughout ALL THE ETERNITIES!!!! HEAVEN will NOT BE COMPLETE...if ONE PERSON was MISSING...That was SO EVIDENT...just in the moments you weren't there to share what little precious time we have to be ALL TOGETHER....

I POSTED MANY of the campout pictures on my "facebook"...but, I wanted to POST on this FAMILY BLOG some of my FAVORITES...of our family...from this experience...It is getting MORE AND MORE CLEAR...how IMPORTANT FAMILY is....the "divine" nature of our all being together....Your dad and I love you EACH for WHO YOU ARE as an INDIVIDUAL...We came together....because we CHOSE to be TOGETHER....MAY WE ALWAYS TREASURE...and keep CLOSE TO OUR HEARTS...that we CAME TOGETHER....because...we LOVED EACH OTHER DEARLY....Don't ever let our weaknesses and our folies...keep us SEPARATED IN HEART...for we didn't come into life "perfect"...We are all trying to "overcome" the NATURAL MAN...and sometimes we make mistakes...in this process...of "overcoming" our weaknesses...BUT, our HEARTS are PURE in our LOVE for EACH OF YOU....