Thanksgiving, 2009

This holiday season is the last one that Kory and I will spend as singles.  Luckily, our last Thanksgiving unwed was amazing! It was everything you hope the holiday will be. We were all in great spirits, the company was awesome, the food was incredible, and we were all thankful for the blessings we’ve been given.

We spent this Thanksgiving at my adorable and hugely pregnant big sister’s (Kelly) house in my hometown – Farmington, New Mexico. We were lucky enough to have my younger sister (Jazmin) with us for the week. We spent the first part of her visit celebrating her 21st birthday in Las Vegas. Following our mini adventure, Kory generously offered to drive us from Denver to Farmington so we could all be together for the holiday.

I’ve never been more thankful that Jazzie and Kory get along as well as they do. She effortlessly entertained him in the front seat while I cat napped in the backseat – for the entire 8 hour drive.  The laughter and joking was like a lullabye...  I’m terrible, I know. We arrived around 3 am on Wednesday morning. 

Kelly, Jazzie, and I spent all of Wednesday preparing for Thursday’s festivities. Kelly prepped the turkey and made yam casserole while Jazzie made the most delicious desserts and homemade cranberry sauce. My sisters are truly amazing – I feel like the runt of the litter much of the time. They included me where possible… taste testing their masterpieces and scrubbing dishes. Kory spent most of the day catching up on his lost sleep and entertaining my niece, Brooklyn.

With a great day of work and family bonding behind us, Wednesday night seemed like a good time to “pop the question.” I sat my sisters down and with the help of a little poem Kory and I constructed, I asked them to be my matron and maid of honors in our wedding. It was a great moment. I never thought I’d wonder if they’d agree to it, but I was a bit nervous. Luckily they both said they would stand by my side at our wedding! It seemed like the perfect ending to a great day with both of my sisters!

Thursday was an equally fabulous day. Most of my brother in law’s family joined us. We had an amazing array of characters of all ages. The day was full of laughter and light hearted fun. And the men even cleaned up after dinner... a sight none of us imagined we'd ever witness! :)

The only moments I was caught off guard were those when someone made a comment like, “Next year we won’t have to do the dishes on the boat!” Or “Next Thanksgiving we will have crab and brisket and maybe some pizza!” Or most shocking, “On this day, next year, you will be a married woman!” Statements like these almost took my breath away, literally. It is crazy to think that I will be getting married in a definitive amount of time. It’s even crazier to think that people might actually come! Haha. In less than a year, Kory and I will be married!!!!!

This Thanksgiving I was so thankful for my awesome sisters and the most enjoyable time together.  And of course, I felt so blessed to have Kory by my side as my fiancé, my husband-to-be. He fit in perfectly with my family and friends as always, only reaffirming what I already know. What a perfect way to start the 1 year countdown to our wedding day!