thanks for all the advice.

Let's say I give up, in advance, any hopes of upgrading as a silver on the Monday after Thanksgiving. If after the outbound flight is completed, I then cancel my WP number entered into the return flight reservation, then wait until the outbound miles and elite status have been confirmed, then fax in my return boarding pass/receipt, do I have any chance of getting the bonus miles? Or will the system see that the flight was taken before the elite status posted?