Good Friends

Landon and I were able to attend Christmas Parties for our respective staffs on Friday and Saturday. It has left me feeling really blessed to be surrounded by such good friends. At my staff party we were invited to bring our kids. (The joke in the school district is if you want to get pregnant you work at James Thomson. 8 babies born in 3 years.) Emily loved it! It was so nice to be able to visit with adults, eat FANTASTIC food, and have the kids run around and play. The home we were in was beautiful. Emily played the piano with her friend Sophia (and Landon was "invited" to play with them so they made a wonderful trio.) My friend Becki is due with her first child in January and so we sat and giggled with other friends about bellies and babies. It felt like Christmas. Maybe not the Christmas you enjoy with family but the kind where you are reminded that love and acceptance is the best gift of all.

Saturday we went to our branch's "Old fashioned Christmas in Nauvoo" party for an hour before heading a few blocks away to Landon's staff party. Emily was also invited but Landon really wanted to go and be able to socialize without having to worry about her. I know ..... my husband wanted to socialize! :) My parents were kind enough to take her. He really has fantastic employers and co workers. His employers surprised us with the most fantastic Christmas gift yesterday. I don't think that there is enough ways to say Thank-you to them for the gift they have given us. And that doesn't even count the party! Scott, the man that Landon delivers appliances with, opened up his home and cooked the MOST incredible dinner ever. It rivals some of the nicest resturants I have eaten at. They had appetizers that had me loving seafood (and it wasn't even kalamari!) Then it was a grilled Ceasar salad that was the best salad I've ever had. Scott was even thoughtful about the dinner. He knew Landon can't eat shellfish so he decided to make two prime rib roasts. Landon was in heaven. I could go on forever about the food. Needless to say I stuffed myself! But that wasn't even the part of the evening that stuck with me. You see over the years, Landon has tried really hard to be an example at work about his religion. He answers questions openly and lets people know his standards. I have been very grateful for his courage, because at times it didn't seem to go over well. But as I sat in a room of people who truly liked us for us I see what he has done. He has created a network of people who love and respect him. They joke around, lovingly, with us about being Mormon. About how Chuck and Chris (his bosses) have even more kids than the "Mormons." Down to when is Landon going to get his next wife. :) But as the alcohol was distributed they quickly brought out Landon's favourite soft drink and non alcoholic drinks for me. Always checking to make sure we had enough for toasts. The room was filled with love and thoughtfulness. And as I watched Chuck and Christine's 8 month old twins sit and smile with us I knew that this was perfect night. We sat and talked with Heather and Andy who come from the British Isles. They have been in Canada for three years. Andy has been everywhere and met incredible people. But what I am most thankful for is that as he chatted with Landon he told him that he did not enter formal secondary schooling (to be a nurse) until he was forty. That he knew he was smart enough, he just didn't know what he wanted to do. And since he accomplised this he has moved his family to Canada and has become an incredible nurse here in Powell River. They are the kindest people but their Christmas gift to Landon was to let him know he isn't the only one that is going to school later in life. I can't thank them enough. The time went so quickly that before we knew it, it was almost 11pm. Feeling for my parents, we tore ourselves away and went home. (It was difficult to do since Andy was playing the guitar and singing and it was FANTASTIC. He is a great entertainer.)


I just want to thank all the great friends out there for their example and friendships. Families play a special part in each of our lives but friends are their voluntarily and I am thankful for the wonderful friends that we have!