To.....morrow, Tomorrow!!!!

Well, today is almost over. And tomorrow is almost here. And that is a good thing. Tomorrow is going to be the beginning of a terrific Thanksgiving weekend.
Kelly, Josh and I are so excited for what is in store. My brother, Ken, his wife Michele, and their two boys, Ian and Nathan are coming from Ohio to spend some holiday time with us. They will probably be the first ones here.
Then....Jessie and Ammon and little Noah will be driving up from North Carolina. I can't wait! It seems like forever since I've seen Noah! He's doing so many new things! He is beginning to "talk" quite a bit and I plan on having a long talk with him. Fun.
Then....next comes Michelle and Andrew and little Toby driving the longest...from south of Atlanta. It looks like they should get here around 9 or 10. I can't wait to snuggle with Toby again! He's walking everywhere...so it will be fun to see what he will get into. I wonder how the dogs will be with him. He loves his two dogs at home.
Then....Laurie and Jeremy are driving in from Ohio. They won't get here until about 1 am. I am so excited they get to come! They are bringing some great games for us to play....like the Movie Scene-Its. One has the action/drama "guy" movies pitted against the "chick-flicks". Cool!
And Drew, Steph, Kimmi and Alli just live up the street, so they will be here whenever we gather. I am excited to see Kimmi and Alli with Noah and Toby. They will be able to play so much more together now that the boys are older.
And...I hear that maybe my sister Beth, her husband Mike and their son Michael are coming in from Cleveland, too! That will be fun to have so many here.
I will miss Mom and Dad, Steve and his family, and Aunt Chris so much, though. Mom is making Thanksgiving dinner for them at her house in Ohio. I love being with her on Thanksgiving and it is a real sacrifice for me not to be with my mom. I will miss a number of loved ones who have passed on. I think of them during this time even more than usual.
I will especially be missing my Megan. We just couldn't get her home from BYU with paying to get her home at Christmas. I talked with her tonight. She said it just dropped about 40 degrees there and could I please send her the scarf and gloves Jessie and Ammon got her for Christmas last year. She was at the library when I called her, checking out some good reads to enjoy over this break...some Pat Conroy, the Work and the Glory book she was reading when she went out, and the first book of Joseph and Emma. Fun! And she will be hanging out with one of her best friends, Steven. They will go over to his sister's house for the big dinner. But I know it will be a little lonely for her. She loves her brothers and sisters and their spouses so much. I know she will do OK, but I'll be thinking of her every minute.
Kelly talked with his dad tonight....they live in Vancouver, Washington. I know he misses his folks and his brothers so much. I do too. They are great people. It just doesn't seem right. Everyone is just too far apart. And we are a big part of that problem.
But...I am not going to complain. I am going to enjoy this time we will have together. I will laugh, talk, play, cook, clean up, play with the little ones, cook, clean up, play games, cook, laugh some more, and clean up. No...I'm actually kidding. I will have so much help in the kitchen I won't have to do much at all. Just enjoy everyone. And I can do that.
I still need to change sheets on two beds, clean the bathrooms up here, dust and vacuum a little. Then one more trip to the store, a last "clean-up" and get ready. Then.....the cooking begins! Although we will have 22 here, I think we will have enough food for 50. I'm making a ton, and everyone is bringing things. But...lots of people for the entire weekend...so I'm sure there won't be much that goes to waste. I think 4 or 5 other people are planning on dropping by at different times, as well.
I went over to Deb F.'s tonight. She is so sweet and is lending me some goodies to make this weekend go even smoother. I planned on borrowing a table, crockpot and tablecloths. I came home with all that and a high chair, 3 oblong serving dishes, 4 corelle platters, 4 nice pillows, and a set of sheets. And a hug and something to drink for the road. Good friends are good things.
I love Thanksgiving. Although I could use a good night's sleep first. I don't do so well at that. My body's telling me I'm getting older, and maybe I should start listening to it and give it a little more rest. Don't want it getting too cranky on me.
Happy Thanksgiving!!!