Every year, even though there have always been some ups and downs, which are part of the blessings, it seems as though our lives are overflowing with blessings. This year, we had one more giant reason to rejoice than ever before.
After a four year fight with cancer my sister Lenna’s little eight-year-old granddaughter Cami returned home from the hospital the day before Thanksgiving. After beating cancer once, relapsing, and then going through all the horrors of chemo, radiation and steroids again PLUS a recent bone marrow transplant she was finally home. No one will ever know the horrors of this experience except those who have been there (and their families). This child is one amazing little champion! Our prayers had been answered and we were rejoicing!
As she left Primary Children’s Hospital that day Cami was able to “ring the bone marrow bell” a privilege given only to those children who had survived a bone marrow transplant. The hospital staff surrounded her and they sang and cheered. Everyone present was in tears.
If you want to be more thankful for your child’s good health than you have ever been before, take a look at Cami’s amazing journey which we posted about on our Deseret News blog here. And the heroics that followed for the next 22 days until the bone marrow engrafted as well as a heart-warming TV follow up news story can be seen here.
This big extended Carver Family lost their extraordinary Dad Bruce Carver eight years ago. Since then they have have gone through quite unbelievable trials and joys. This most recent one, once again, showed how the entire family pulls together during challenging times. The care all seven of Lenna’s adult children for each other and their families is awe-inspiring. As usual they rallied around Cami and the needs of her parents Pat (Lenna’s son) and wonderful Chelsea, filling needs before they even knew what they were and holding out welcoming arms of help and love.
SO we were positively delighted and honored to celebrate with the Carver Family for Thanksgiving Dinner, except for Pat and Chelsea, their little son, Caden and of course Cami, who will be isolated for 100 days.
We were lucky enough to snag our oldest daughter Saren and Jared and their five, who are the only ones who live in Utah. Jared whose genes come from potato farmers in Idaho, prepared exactly 40 pound of delicious mashed potatoes! Our beloved neighbors Eric and Leo Lopez and their two darling daughters also joined us.
I’ll let the pictures tell the rest of the story, with the addition of several photos from Saren’s blog. Thanks Saren!
Here’s the “thankful project” for the kids while adults prepared dinner…
Tables ready to be occupied:
Adult table:
Teen girls’ table:
Teen boys’ table:
Big girls’ table
Calle’s table (Tony’s).
Big boys’ table:
Laura’s table:
Moms:
Taunie and Jess with their beautiful teens. Our family is growing up. Only one high chair this year, and that one was for our neighbors!
A beautiful day of Thanksgiving!
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