A Very Dowdly Thanksgiving

Dowdles Everywhere!!!

Thanksgiving just isn't the same without the Dowdle families. Eric's four youngest brothers, Warren, Lance and Ryan (and him of course), get together with us most Thanksgivings ... and it's a riot! 

Two families, Ryan and Maria and Lance and Tamara, live in Portland with their gaggle of Dowdle cousins. Warren and Darlene live in Boise with their brood and (of course) Eric and I live in Lindon. We took three of the kids with us (in a 15-passenger van - can you imagine the room!) Shawn was with his Dad and we missed him THE WHOLE TIME. 

We take this annual trek to Oregon where we travel for hours dreaming of the ridiculously amazing feast that always awaits us. Okay, that's what I'm dreaming about. The kids are mostly excited to play with their Dowdle cousins. Cody kept saying "I have cousins with exactly my name?" and he would ask constantly if we were at the Dowdle cousins house yet. How do you explain to a four-year-old that we have eight hours left to go? 

We stopped half way and picked up Kenzie (Warren and Darlene's oldest) in the van so she and Autumn could hang out (okay, they texted, i-podded, and slept the whole time) but they were thrilled to be together.

The whole trip was amazing and we're so thankful to all the Dowdles (Maria and Tammy especially), for the food, warm beds, entertainment, and hours upon hours of preparation to make this a wonderful event for everyone. These women ROCK! The guys were so fun and accommodating and the kids so gracious to give up their rooms. We have a family to be very proud of.

We're so thankful for our family, ... for delicious food and movies and football and funny Uncles and gracious Aunts and silly cousins and long walks and card games and late nights and late mornings and pumpkin pie for breakfast and Christmas concerts and ... 

for our children ...

and for missionaries (sniff) ... 

and for dear friends ...

for God and Country ...

for the gospel ...

and for a Savior ...

FOR LOVE

HOW BLESSED WE ALL ARE!