Thanksgiving Surprise!

November 25. 2012

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Just an update on Andrew, his surgery went very well and he is pretty much himself again! He gets his stitches out on Tuesday and then things will be even better! He is actually putting his head on my hands as i am typing which makes it difficult. I just love him though!

Well i have a wonderful story to tell! This past Monday, i was really struggling with having to spend Thanksgiving without family. Matt and i had decided before we even got out here in Lincoln that we just wouldn't be able to afford to drive to Utah for the holiday. Well i have been working an average of 47 hours a week so we had a bit of money saved. Matt suggested that we travel to St. George to spend the Thanksgiving weekend with my family! So... Wednesday we took off for the 16.5 hour drive through Nebraska, Colorado, and finally to Utah! We stopped in Grand Junction Colorado to sleep for about 5 hours then back on the road by 6 am Thanksgiving day. We pulled up in front of my parents door at high noon Thanksgiving day! The only people who knew we were making the trip were of course Matt and i, the girl we asked to take care of Andrew, and the two ladies i nanny for.

As we walked up to the front door i could hear my grandma chamberlain playing Christmas music on the piano. We rang the door bell and my dad came walking to the door. He opened it and stood there for at east 30 seconds staring at us with his mouth wide open! My grandpa Palmer was also there for the weekend and he was pretty shocked as well! My grandma couldn't believe we had driven all that way, and when my sister Cami screamed and burst into tears when she saw me. Then everyone was crying and hugging. I was wondering where my mom was and they told me she had just gotten in the shower. So we began to figure out a fun way to let her know we were there! 

We decided to call her from the computer room and tell her that we were on our way to Thanksgiving dinner with a couple from our ward in Lincoln, but needed her to see a center piece that we had made for her thanksgiving table since we couldn't be there. We told her it was in the computer room and wanted to know what she thought of it. She came walking in with her rob on and hair in a towel. I wish you could all have seen the look on her face when she opened the door and saw me. She was so surprised and burst into tears after giving me a hug. She kissed me on the cheek and told me i looked good. Of course i was in tears as well. It was such a wonderful experience! Thanksgiving dinner was perfect! The traditions were in place and table was full! Even Lucky my kitty back home got to celebrate with some of the turkey giblets! 

Later that evening we skyped with my sisters that had gotten together on the East coast. All the family was with atleast on member of family that day, it was wonderful! The rest of the weekend we spend putting Christmas decorations up, watching Christmas movies, visiting family, and attending the Chamberlain Thanksgiving Feast!

On our way home we took the Northern route and spent an evening with Matt's family! We got to meet his brother Michael's girl friend Bethany Gordon. She is such a great girl! So cute! After eating Julie's fabulous turkey soup, playing Apples to Apples, and laughing so hard my sides hurt we slept very well that night and left by 5:50 am this morning for the 13.5 hour drive back to Lincoln. We arrived home at 7:20 pm and Andrew was waiting by the door to welcome us home! He hasn't left my side since i've been home! Even when i got in the shower he sat on the rug outside waiting for me! I think he missed us...

Anyway, this weekend has been and will forever be a memorable one for me. Giving my family such a surprise and being able to spend that time with them meant so much to me. And i have the most wonderful husband who's idea this was to begin with! We look forward to doing this same trip again in December for Christmas and New Years!