The Best Christmas Party Ever!

Yesterday was Doug's Test Out Christmas party. This is by far the best company he has ever worked for. See last year for the low-down on our first work party :0)
This year we went to The Roof restaurant in Salt Lake City at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. Our view was fabulous and I highly recommend the Creme Brulee...it is the BEST I have ever had!!

While we were eating dessert, the owner got up to welcome us and talk about the upcoming 20 year anniversary of the company. Beginning in November they have a monthly event until 11-11-2011! They fed a family Thanksgiving dinner, they bought lights and decorated Main Street in Pleasant Grove and they are set to offer 200 licenses for product to LDS Employment services in January.  But he wanted to celebrate BIG...
He decided on a cruise. We looked at each other...did he say cruise? For all of us?
I was thinking, Cool, I've never been on a cruise to Mexico!
Then he said he asked his friend who has been on tons of cruises which one was the best.
Ah, the best cruise? Sweet, I've heard Alaska is an awesome cruise!
His friend said there is a number one cruise, a number two cruise and then there is all the rest.
What is he saying?? We would have to wait, because he began to weep. He was so emotional, the president of the company had to take over.
We were told the BEST cruise is a Mediterranean cruise!!
OMGosh!! Did we hear right?? Did he say Mediterranean? Then did he say ROME??
YES!  The cruise leaves from Rome, Italy.

 I was literally stunned, speechless. We couldn't believe it. I mean this is once in a lifetime. Then I cried...
To think of where we were just over a year ago and all those years before.
I had just recently been thinking of our hard years and why was it so long? And why didn't we get answers sooner? Why didn't we get the inspiration to make a change before we lost everything?
The Lord really does work in mysterious ways and if we had not had those years I'm not sure I could be as grateful as I am now. Our cup is over-flowing with blessings to the point where I don't even feel worthy.

After this bombshell we were treated to White Christmas at the Pioneer Playhouse. It was a good performance, but not nearly as enjoyable as last year's NunCrackers (I thank Kathryn Laycock Little for that!)

Doug and I stayed over and enjoyed the peace and quiet and poured over the cruise guide we had received and wondered when we were going to wake up from this amazing dream!
The next day we went to have Bar-B-Q at Q4U in Kearns...here was Doug's ribs lunch~

 

My pulled pork sandwich was delicious :0)

Then Doug agreed to check out Ikea for a Swedish Angel Chime set I was hoping to find. When we pulled into the parking lot, there were flags! Doug complained it was "Damn Disneyland for adults".

Can you hear the angels singing??

He quickly lost his fake enthusiasm and I have vowed to NEVER go there with him again! I was relatively happy (for awhile anyway...) because I found Marabou chocolate!

It's from Sweden and it's my favorite...

Words could never convey my gratitude and happiness and excitement...October 11, 2011 I will still be wondering if it is REAL!!
Thank you God for showing us this wonderful work opportunity and for being patient while we worked it all out. We are so blessed to have a home, a great job, wonderful kids and the love of our family and Heavenly Father.
This is already the BEST CHRISTMAS EVER!!!