Thanksgiving Celebrations

Quite a few weeks before Thanksgiving Day, we received a call from Mrs. Pollock saying they wanted to be the first to have us over for Thanksgiving.
So after a little discussion it was decided that they would would come over to our house and we would feast and celebrate together.

While I got the Turkey ready, and prepared some of the other food, Stephen and the children set the table,lit candles, and filled water cups.
At around 12:30, the Pollocks finally arrived, and we were ready for the fun to begin.
While Sarah helped me finish making rolls, Daniel and the parents sat around and talked, and the children all played games in the boys room.
Sarah and I joined in the games for a little while before going back to the Kitchen to finish the rest of the food.

When everything was finished and had been set out on the table, we called everyone downstairs, and after the prayer we were ready to eat.











We had Sweet Potato Sufflet'(our favorite part of Thanksgiving food),Mashed potatoes and gravy, Rolls, Cornbread stuffing, Cranberry gelatin salad, greenbeans, and of course Turkey.
During dinner we all had a wonderful time talking about different things, and thouroughly enjoyed being able to have fun and fellowship together.

When we finished eating, we left the parents to talk at the table, and while the boys did dishes and dinner cleanup, Sarah, Priscilla, and I, took all the children for a stroll around the neighborhood.
We had quite a laugh seeing 6 or 7 cars lining the neighbors driveways,










Sarah commented on how this is the time of year most people are frantic because they have to cook a meal for 12 whole people!
humorous to think that wast what's normal for us is stressful for others.






After our walk, we waited for the boys to finish then we were ready to play games.


We first tried playing a game called Celebrity, which was basicly the same as charades, but instead of acting out celebrity's(which none of us really know) we acted out different friends, and families.









When we tired of that game, we started to play Mad Gab, then our mothers told us we needed to come into the living room so we could all play a few rounds of Catch Phrase, we always play boys against the girls,(and the girls happened to win every time).
After playing that for an hour and a half, we all voted on a new game, and the suggestion of Psychiatrist was agreed upon by all.











How to play:One or two people agree to be the Doctor(Psychiatrist) and leave the room, while the rest of the group come up with a problem,(problem meaning everyone thinks they're something or someone other than who they really are)
and the Doctors have to ask questions until they figure it out.
While everyone was thinking, Sarah and I served up the dessert.
When it was Sarah, and My turn, they were all their favorite piece of dessert.
When it was Daniel and Stephens turn, all the girls were Grace, and all the boys were Isaac.
When it was Stephen and Jonathans turn they really took it seriously, and even got outfitted for the occasion, with clipboards, note pads, and aprons, they had to figure out that we were all someone from the Puyallup Fair, and exactly which job we all had.
When it was Mom and Mrs. Pollocks turn we were all illegal immigrants.
When it was Pastor Pollock and Mrs. Pollocks turn, We were all the person on our left.
When it was Priscilla and Sarah's turn we were all different characters from the Reformation, and after Sarah figured that out, we made them state exactly which Character we were, I was John Tetzel, Stephen was Mary Queen of Scotts,David was Fredrich the wise, Daniel and Jonathan were both John Knox, Mom and Mrs. Pollock both chose to be Luthers wife, and Pastor Pollock was Pope Leo X, it was quite fun getting into our Characters and especially Mr. Pollock was the most humorous to listen to.
We played until almost 11:00 when Pastor Pollock proclaimed that it was time to depart.
After loading everything into their van and saying our goodbyes, they departed and after talking over the events of the day we all retired to our beds and a good nights sleep.

Catering With the O'briens

Last Friday was quite a busy day for us.

Thursday evening Daniel drove to Portland, Oregon and spent the night with the Berkompas's, so he could film the funeral of Pastor Pollocks father Friday morning.

Later in the afternoon Mom, and the twins attended a wedding, while Stephen, Priscilla, and I, drove down to Aberdeen to cater a fundraising dinner for the Crisis Pregnancy Center with the O'briens.

We always have so much fun when we get to work for them, one of the reasons is because they are the perfect example of a godly couple doing their best to serve the Lord in everything that they do. They are such a good testimony of what true Christians are, and they have been such a blessing to not only us but pretty much any one they come into contact with, plus they make some of the best food you'll ever eat or see.

The first thing we did was set the tables, and make sure the place settings were all straight, then we filled up water pitchers, and glasses.

After that was finished Sill and I cut the bread and make a bread basket, then while we waited for the real work to begin Stephen and I played hymns on the old piano.

When the food was all set out on the buffet line and the people started filling their plates, our next job was to keep everything on the table filled, there was pork roast and gravy, roasted potatoes, roasted apples, freshly made bread, and Salad.

When everyone was finished eating we cleared the dinner plates and started to serve dessert, there was Chocolate cake, Cheesecake with raspberry sauce, and a gluten free berry pie for those with allergies.

After they had finished dessert and all the plates had been cleared it was time for us to eat, after which comes the longest but still fun part...

scraping, rinsing, washing, drying, and putting away all the dishes, pots, pans, and silverware.

At around 10:40 the last dish had been loaded into the van, and we were on our way back to the O'briens house to unload the van and put everything where it belongs.

When everything was unloaded and put away we all went upstairs got ready for bed, and after Stephen, and I played a few hymns we all went to sleep.

The next morning after eating breakfast, talking, and drinking tea, we were on our way home.

We had a really great time as always and are looking forward to our next oppertunity.

Latest News Part 2 (the best part!)

About 3 months ago, Mom and Dad told us something we had almost given up hoping for...
We are expecting our 10th baby!

This may not sound like a miracle to some of y'all but the reason it is to us is that 2 years ago mom was 6weeks pregnant with our 10th, and un-known to us it had gotten lodged in one of her fallopian tubes.
As the baby started to grow it caused the tube to rupture and because of hemorrhaging and loss of blood mom almost died in the emergency room.
After it was all over the Doctors told us that there was very little to no possibility we would ever have another, but God has showed yet again that nothing is impossible for him.
She is due in late May, so hopefully we will be all moved into our new house before the birth.
(we think it's a boy)

We've received word that Dad should be home a month earlier than we first expected, somewhere around the first of February.
We are looking forward to our time of reunion after such a long time of seperation, but there certainly wont be an excessive amount of vacationing, why? well...

The Army has decided that 6 years in Washington is long enough, so as of March 2008, we will be on our way to another interesting and exciting family adventure....
Packing up, Moving, Saying Farewell to all our Washington friends and driving 3,000 miles from the West Coast of Washington, to the East Coast of Aberdeen, Maryland.

Our travels will take us through Spokane Wa, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and finally the Army Post of Aberdeen Proving Ground MD.
But thats not all!
After 2 years in Maryland: Finding a house, church, piano teacher, symphony etc.
we will be packing up again and moving down to the lovely state of Virginia, for a few years,
and after that?
who knows!
We are looking forward to the coming year and seeing what stories we'll have to tell by the end of it.:)
(be sure to stay tuned!)