Joy: Day 30

Sunday was actually quite a fun and joyful day, as it was the day of my inlaws' farewell talks at church.  We usually have church at 1, and their meeting was at 9--so it was a little more stressful than usual getting out the door in the morning.  But, we made it with about 5 minutes to spare.  Whew!  They gave great talks and it was a joy to be there with them that day.

When we got home, I set about preparing (and directing preparation of) a Latvian dinner.  Well, I should say Latvian-inspired dinner.  I served Chicken Anastasia, (chicken with apples, mushrooms, sour cream, and swiss cheese), Latvian sauerkraut, Russian beet salad, and homemade rolls, (which my mom mixed up the night before from the BEST and EASIEST roll recipe EVER!).  We had a houseful--10 adults and 4 kids for dinner that evening.

There was a lot of skepticism as to whether the meal was going to actually taste good--but in the end, everyone seemed to enjoy the chicken and rolls, while the sauerkraut and beets were enjoyed by a few.  I was so appreciative that everyone was a good sport about it and tried the new (strange) dishes!  It was SO FUN for me to be able to create in the kitchen again.  My feet were killing me by the end of the day, but it really was worth it!

After dinner, my inlaws headed over to their open house, which was hosted by a couple in their ward.  Ryan and I took the girls, while my parents stayed home and put Clayton to bed.  It was great to see/meet people who love my inlaws and were celebrating their mission departure.

I felt a lot of joy at having people over and being able to make dinner for them.  It just makes me happy to have a house full of people!  There is also a lot of joy in spending time with family.  And we have found a lot of joy in participating in my inlaws' mission preparation.