Thanksgiving morning Gift

We don't think of Thanksgiving as a time of getting gifts but we got an amazing one this Thanksgiving.  Dinner was scheduled at Grandma Hall's for 2:00.  However around 11ish in the morning I got a call from Scott saying that they wanted to stop by since "they were just driving nearby and wanted to stop in."  Of course, they are welcome anytime, although Gary and Jena were gone somewhere when they first arrived.  They just talked for awhile until Gary and Jena got home. 

Then Chantel went and got something for us.  She started by saying that she had been working on some crafts and she made us something:

And she handed me the "cupcake"  (that is what I called it although Chantel and Scott had not seen that until I called it that.)

After we admired it for a bit, they encouraged us to open it up.  Then I knew even before I opened it up and now all of you will know as you read it. 

Our own little egg to represent our first little grandchild! 

 

 

 YES---WE ARE GOING TO BE GRANDPARENTS! and we are excited about it.  (although I have to admit I have also been worried about things--how Chantel will feel, what about miscarriages, what about ....what about...etc.  More than I was when I was pregnant with Jessica.  I think it is because I am older and have seen more.  Also it is overwhelming to know how much I am going to love this little one.  As a mom and now as an expectant grandma, I have had that experience with my five children and now with our in-laws.  Love comes so strongly for your family members as they come into the family.  All of that will be multiplied by this and additional grandchildren who will then bring in new in-laws and then great-grandchildren.  And it continues and grows forever.

Aren't we so lucky that our Heavenly Father allows us these grand adventures!)

 

And for the record, Jena is going to be an aunt!!!

Thanksgiving at Grandma Hall's

It was a fun Thanksgiving to share with the extended Hall family where Grandma Hall got to "reopen" the egg and share the news with the Halls who were there. 

After eating dinner at Chantel's grandmother's, they spent some time
with us at Grandma Hall's when they shared their news.
Then they cuddled up on a chair and fell asleep.
Not the best picture, but it was just a sweet moment to gaze at them
and think of the big change in their lives that is happening.
 

I also got permission to share the news with my sister Valerie when we went to AZ the next day.  However Grandpa Giberson and the rest of the Gibersons are getting the news later on.  Chantel and Scott are sharing the news with her family with their own little "egg" on Christmas Eve when they all gather together with her grandparents in Florida.  Two more days for them! Then there will be an official Facebook announcements to the world.  Exciting times for all of us.

Ben

It is not often that I get a picture of Ben, especially with a smile, but here is one during the latter weeks in November.

After living in apartments for the past 16 months with varying levels of success, it was decided by Ben and the entire treatment team that it was a good time for Ben to move back home.  Hopefully by easing off some of his anxiety he will be able to build some more skills for the next time he is ready to move out on his own.  He is doing better at home even though transportation is more difficult.  The bus is about 1 mile away and only comes once an hour or so.  It doesn't often work out very convenient for him but he is managing it fairly well.  We give him rides when possible, but we have other commitments as well.

He is on a fairly low dose of medication as we are trying to not have major impacts by side effects.  This creates a situation where he must tolerate certain symptoms and still managing his life.  So far it is okay but he is in a very low stress situation.  He is working about 10 hours a week at DEO doing janitor work at night at the CRU.  We are all looking forward to him trying some additional tasks like school or more hours at work.  We will see what life brings for him.

Jena is thrilled.  She was not happy to see Tosha gone and to be the only Hall at home.  She likes her siblings around as much as possible.  I don't think anything makes her happier than that.

Traveling to Oklahoma City

Austen and Tosha sent this picture with a text.  They spent their first night in the Denver area at his Aunt Stephanie's house.  She took this picture for them at dawn as they prepared to head out.

Later I asked Austen if he learned a lot of random things about Tosha during their trip.  He said not really...."they sang almost the entire way".  I loved it.  For Gary and I, talking was perfect; for the two of them, singing was right.  I am so glad that Tosha fell in love with someone who is very musical as well.  Watch out world, their kids will be amazing (or they might love football--you really never know about kids.  :)    ).

Tosha's Moving Day

After spending some time with Tosha and Austen, Tuesday came way to fast.  A small moving van pulled up Monday night and then it began to feel real.  They were really going to pack up and move to Oklahoma.

Back story:  During the past few months people would often say things like "How can you let him take her to Oklahoma City?"  A weird question for me.  After all, we have lived much of our lives in different places from our families and I have never lived closer than 8 hours from my mom.  Why would you tell your child they "couldn't" move?

And actually, Gary and I packed up the day after we were married in Provo and started our drive on much of the same roads Tosha and Austen were traveling to move to Springfield, Missouri, where we lived the first 9 months of our married lives.

Despite all of that preparation and intellectual understanding, it was very tender to actually live through it as the mom.  Tuesday morning Tosha told me not to cry and then later told me I could cry.  I assured her I would not cry..."until after she left."  For her, I was very happy and excited.  She had married a sweet guy who is crazy about her and they were going to have a chance to build their family like we did with only each other to rely on.  Plus I knew the road trip would be amazing!! Gary and I learned so much about each other during those three days of driving cross-country and I knew they would to.

They got everything loaded about 11 (except for one large box of stuff I found later and some wedding gifts which arrived after they left).  I was so glad when Gary invited to feed them lunch before they headed up to Mountain Green to get a few more things packed from his dad's house.

Austen and Tosha
all smiles during lunch
Their adventure was really beginning now!

Scott came over as well to visit with us and say good bye to them.  They were hoping to be able to come home for a week at Christmas time but that has been changed.  Now we are hoping to see them in May.  Austen's brother gets home from his mission and his sister graduates from high school then.

After a long lunch, they headed on their way and we headed home.  I took these two pictures. 

I do miss her but I love sharing her life through phone calls and cute pictures with texts.  We are hoping to do FaceTime with them on Christmas if we can get it worked out on Jena's IPad. 

I don't know about the future but I feel very peaceful about this movement in Tosha's life.  I know that God's timing is perfect and He moved Tosha so that she was open and ready to meet Austen and I think Austen was prepared as well through some hard times.  They know to treasure each other and both have a firm belief in the importance of marriage and families.