Thanksgiving 2011

We started the day off watching the Macy's Thanksgiving parade at home, while I cooked my contributions to the Thanksgiving Feast. This year I made Fall Pumpkin Dip, corn casserole, green bean casserole, and squash casserole. We ate with my parents for lunch, and then went to Blake's parents house for a later lunch. We then went back and spent a little time with my parents. We had a great day just being together.

I thank God for his grace and faithfulness. He has blessed me with a warm home, food to eat, and a precious family. He is good. All the time. I pray that I live my life in a constant spirit of gratitude to Him for all He has done.

"I will praise the LORD at all times. I will constantly speak his praises." Psalm 34:1

Sunday Snapshots: Thanksgiving Edition

Claire's expression in this pictures cracks me up!

Yesterday, after church, we had Freeman Thanksgiving at Donnie and Darla's house. Blake sat up this photo opportunity in the front yard. Lots of laughter. Lots of food. Lots of fun.

O Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God, And a great King above all gods, In whose hand are the depths of the earth; The peaks of the mountains are His also. The sea is His, for it was He who made it; And His hands formed the dry land. Come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.

Psalm 95:1-6

My Mixer Makes Me Cry....

...not really. But, for the past several years during the Thanksgiving holidays, I cry. And I am always in my kitchen. Using my red mixer. I know that sounds crazy, but I know exactly why it happens. This year the tears came a little early. I usually save them for Thanksgiving Eve or Thanksgiving Day.

Thanksgiving Day was the holiday we celebrated with my Dad's side of the family. Sometimes we went to Kentucky to celebrate, because that is where everyone lived at the time. When I was about 10 or so, my grandparents moved behind my parents' home to retire on their property, and we celebrated Thanksgiving there. Every year. And I have fond memories of celebrating in their home. Good memories in that house. Funny stories. LOTS of funny stories about my family. Lots of laughter, turkey, UNO, Scrabble, chocolate pie. My grandad fussing at my grandmother and saying "Dorthea" really loud. My grandmother loved to cook, and so did my Aunt Joann. They were both really good cooks. They were sisters and bickered over recipes, which we all laugh about now, looking back. My Aunt Joann, Mom, and myself usually got up early and went shopping really early on Black Friday. On Thursday night, we would always scatter the sale ads out, and make out our game plan. We always ended up at Belk at Northgate first. She loved shoes, make up, clothes, perfume, jewelry and all things pretty and fancy. Random memories, but, oh so sweet. I could go on and on.

My Papaw passed away from cancer shortly after I started teaching in 2002. My Aunt Joann passed away with cancer shortly before Blake and I got married, in 2004. My Mamaw passed away with cancer in 2007, shortly before Jackson was born.

I lost 3 people to cancer in about 5 years time that I loved very much. Thanksgiving was the holiday I spent with them, and while I am SO thankful for all of the blessings in my life, sometimes it is also a very emotional time for me. I am thankful for their life, and for the memories they each left with me. God is good. I am blessed. I know they are in Heaven. I do wonder what they would think of our little family. I think they would love Jackson's funny little personality and Claire's sweet disposition. They would loved them both, I am sure. I wish Jack and Claire would have got to meet them, too.

My grandmother and mother gave me my mixer one of the last Christmases she was with us. I think of her(and the rest of the gang) every time I am getting our Thanksgiving goodies together. Hence, the annual cry. I think she would be proud that I know how to operate it. And whip up some pretty good treats.

Turkey Time

Thankful Thursday

Blake shared an email with me the other day...and it made me change my perspective on some things....

I am thankful for heaps of laundry (waiting to be washed) , and thankful we have plenty of clothes to keep us warm.

I am thankful for bathrooms that need a good scrub, and thankful we have running water.

I am thankful for an unmade bed, and thankful we have a place to lay our heads down at night.

I am thankful for pet hair that needs to be swept up, and thankful for a dog that loves us, even though she has doesn't get as much attention as she used to.

I am thankful for dirty dishes, and thankful we have plenty to eat.

I am thankful socks laying in the floor, shoes to trip over, and toys everywhere, for I know those are signs of life in our home.

I am trying to be thankful for doctor bills, and thankful we had good doctors who took extra good care of us, and helped get our sweet babies into this world.

I am thankful for a sweet friend that came to the Operating Room on her day off to assist with Claire's (and Jackson's) delivery. I was scared, but she helped make it okay.

I am thankful that I have had the same best friend since I was 8 years old. We have shared many of life's seasons together.

I am thankful that I have written well over 100 Thank You cards this year...that is a whole lot of nice.

I am thankful for my amazing husband, and thankful I have married into such a sweet family.

I am thankful for friends that cooked dinner for our family for over a week after Claire was born.

I am thankful for our little yellow house, and for the home Blake and I have made here in the past 5 years.

I am thankful for a friend that I met the first year I taught that is amazing mother, and has taught me to just slow down, and enjoy each moment.

I am thankful for sweet parents that love me...I never realized how much they loved me until I held Jackson and Claire for the first time.

I am thankful for my babies, and thankful for the plans God has for them.

I am thankful, most, for God's faithfulness. In every situation, He is ever faithful.

Lamentations 3:23-26
²³ Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.
²⁴ I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance;
therefore, I will hope in him!”
²⁵ The Lord is good to those who depend on him,
to those who search for him.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving with the Freemans

Thanksgiving, Take 3

On Saturday, we had Thanksgiving dinner with the Freeman's. Cheri and Tim live in Dayton, and the scenery at the house is amazing. We had steak and baked potatoes at this family dinner, and they were delicious!

Thanksgiving Day, Take 2

We had a really great Thanksgiving this year. We woke up Thursday morning, and had some time at our house with our "little family," just the three of us. I made strawberry muffins, and we watched the Macy's Day Parade. We then went to Blake's grandparents house and had a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Blake played poker and a game called Buzz Word with some of his family. That game is really fun to play with a big group of people. We then went to my parents' house, and watched "Four Christmases."

Watching the parade in PJs.

Poker Face