Thanksgiving and a trip home

Thanksgiving was spread over several days for us this year. Drew's band has started playing a show on Thanksgiving Eve each year, and this year we babysat the grandkids (since Carrie had to work and then she went to the show). So we took the wee ones downtown for the annual "Night of Lights" or whatever it is in Fort Wayne. They light several of the major displays downtown, and close off the streets so people can mingle about. There were a lot of people!

The grandkids played along for awhile, but it was cold and they eventually got hungry, so we made our way to Wendy's for supper. After that we brought the kids to our house for the night. We watched the movie 'Heidi' (Anna's pick) until they were all asleep.

THANKSGIVING
Thanksgiving day started with the three wee ones full of energy first thing in the morning. Drew Carrie arrived around 12:30 or so and we enjoyed Jane's magnificent lasagna and Carrie's pumpkin pie. I'm not real sure what went on the rest of the afternoon because even though I had no tryptophan/turkey, I still took a nap. I woke up eventually and we watched football until the Feipel five left around 5 for their next stop. Jane and I parked in the recliners and we were done for the night.

THE TRIP HOME
Friday we both worked. Jane actually went to work with me at 4:30 am. She did her workout, then went in to work early. I was done at 9, and I picked Jane up around 12:30? and we headed off to Buda for a Thanksgiving weekend with my parents.

We made good time - making the trip in 4 hrs. 10 min. The Feipel's were a couple hours behind us, and we all just hung out at my parents house Friday night.

Saturday we had the traditional Thanksgiving meal. My mom had made the turkey, and she let Jane and Carrie make everything else. It was all fabulous. I don't know why we only have meals like this once a year! The kids were all well-behaved and had a good time (although poor little Anna had a nasty cough and cold). We didn't do anything again Saturday but lounge around the house. I guess Jane and I went out and visited with her brother Mark and his wife, while the Feipel's went to Dr. Tim's in Sheffield to play with the cousins.

Sunday morning Jane and I went to church with my parents in Buda, and the Feipel's went to church in Kewanee with the cousins. We all headed home after church. We made good time again - 4 hours and 20 minutes.

CHURCH(?)
Church at our old church is sooooo awkward. We really don't know very many people anymore, and we're not used to a "regular" church service. It just seems so foreign, and mechanical. It's like everyone looks the same - dressed in blue jeans and with the same smile on their face. They're really good people, but it's just weird. It reminds me of just how much we've changed. Oddly enough, probably the highlight for me was being able to sing the one hymn they did. I miss singing church hymns.

Anyway..... it was a good holiday and trip home. I always feel bad for my mom when we leave. You can tell she gets lonely. My dad wasn't too bad, but he is really aging. He doesn't move very fast, and conversation is difficult. I'm sure it's hard for him with all the commotion. We all survived though, so it was nice.