A Petersburg Thanksgiving

This past summer my friend's the Hayes's moved from St. George UT, to Petersburg Alaska. I have known Donnie for MANY years! I first met Donnie and his dad, while participating in The Oakland Temple Pageant, a play about the restoration of the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I happened to be Donnie's secret pal. His dad made me laugh, while acting in a scene where we were supposed to be cold and shivering and miserable... Most days it was hard not to laugh! Then years later, by chance, I happened to work for the family's frame Shop. I worked there for over a year, and during that time, they became like family. I call them my "LDS family." They love me like their own, and they have been there for me many a time, especially when deciding to serve a mission for the church. ANYWAY,... to say the least, it was nice to have "family" move to the state! The family decided to buy a sport fishing business and decided to move up. While seeing other members of the family as they flew through Juneau, it was somehow mentioned and just known, that I would come for a visit for Thanksgiving. I had seen Donnie from time to time as he came up to Alaska to go fishing in the last 5 years. His wife, on the other hand and kids I hadn't seen since their oldest (who is now 8), was about 6 months old!! They now have 3 other children! I headed to Petersburg, and the plane went up, reached the altitude that we needed and went down. The flight is about an hour long. SO quick! Donnie came and picked me up and then we went to the house, where I was instantly enveloped into the family. After a tour through the awesome house, and being attacked by many a kid, the weekend was filled with laughter, game playing, creating, twirling, singing, sleeping in the living room with the kids, having the couch stolen from me by the 3 year old, while I went to the bathroom in the wee morning hours, answering many a question ("who's your favorite friend?"), eating, cooking, talking, talking and more talking, more creating, a cold shower thrown in, more singing, lots of hugs, and LOTS and LOTS of LOVE. It was SO hard to leave! It was fantastic to reconnect with Meggan since our days of painting, to see Mandy as an eight year old and to meet all of the other kids, and of course to see Donnie and to know that he is EXACTLY the same and has NOT grown up, though he says he has. Donnie made some AMAZING turkey and Meggan and I made everything else, (mostly Meggan). It was THE BEST Thanksgiving with my "family!" I am SO glad I went. I am counting the days til I go again. Meggan was nice enough to allow me to link her blog with mine. Click here for pictures of the WONDERFUL food and the many adventures that we had!!! Thanks Donnie and Meggan and kids, for making it the BEST weekend! Glad I have family here!

***Shameless plug,... Come fishing with Petersburg Sports fishing!!! Click here for contact information! Come fish and catch "the BIG one." Halibut, salmon, rockfish, you may even catch a double ugly! ;o) Hurry and book your time! Come to Alaska and go fishing! While you are here, swing by Juneau and come see the capital! You'll have a personalized tour from me! ;o)