How Far We've Come

Thanksgiving this year was a wonderful and much-appreciated break from work and school; it also turned out to be a déjà vu experience.  A year ago, Caitlin and I had been dating just over two months when she came to spend Thanksgiving in Kaysville, Utah, with my extended family from my mom's side.  It was a real test of love to see if Caitlin would still want to date me (despite penetrating questions from strangers and even a 7-month-premature Stake President's interview on Celestial Marriage) after being thrown into the mayhem headfirst.  Against all odds, Caitlin survived.

Caitlin and I making the famous Orange Jello Fluff (Thanksgiving 2011)

Stake President Uncle Ray peering deep into our souls (Thanksgiving 2011)

Similarly, this year Caitlin endured another crash course--this time on the more literal 'Francis family.'   Grandpa Francis rented a cabin in the mountains outside of Heber City, Utah; all five Francis brothers, and their children and grandchildren, came.  It was a new experience even for me to be under one roof with 50-60 people--90% of whom have the last name 'Francis.'   (The phrase "Francis kids in the car!" lost all value.) The cabin was equipped with anything you could want though--hot tub, big screen projector room, air hockey table, pool table, board games, etc--and we had a great time!

Saturday evening, after leaving the cabin, we went with my immediate family to see the lights on Temple Square--furthering the repeated memories, as Caitlin and I had done the same thing as a date a year before.   The additional company this year was nice, and we had a great time!

Josh and Darcy's family had to leave early, but the rest of us bundled up and enjoyed the Temple grounds
(Temple Square, 2012)

In the end, it was fun to think back and remember what our lives were like just one year before.  "Our lives" is now simply "our life," "our apartments" now "our apartment," "our families" now "our family."  We are still doing the same things, but it is incredible how many wonderful changes have occurred between these two Thanksgiving holidays.

Temple Square, 2011

Temple Square, 2012