Thanksgiving 2010

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year! Yes, I do love the fact that you get to eat...LOTS! ;) But, more than the food, I love all the traditions, the gathering of family, and the memories and blessings that it seems to bring front and center. For as long as I can remember, we have always gathered with my Mom's family for Thanksgiving. As a child, each year one of Mom's siblings or herself would host lunch, and then as the grandchildren began to get married, they would volunteer as well. This year we gathered at Brad and Robin's and the food was so yummy and plentiful. I am so grateful for the feeling and love that was there today. Being able to "feel" the love that family has for you is such a blessing...and to know that they are thinking of your children and wanting to hold this way up for them so that they have an opportunity to be saved is just something you can't put a price on. Our family has grown quite large and even though several gather with other sides of their families now, there was still around 35 of us there today. Jacob loves playing with his cousins, and Halle Jane just adored him! She followed him around copying whatever he was doing and laughing...I don't know which of them enjoyed it most. We don't get to see her often, but when she is around, she is so intrigued by Matthew. Not in a scared way, but almost with adoration. When she was giving her goodbye hugs, she said, "I wanna hug him." It made my heart melt. (By the way, she's only TWO!) :) Our afternoon was different than in years past, but my little family of four simply came home and enjoyed being here together. There were tiny naps, a little more food, I got in some wonderful snuggle time with Matthew since he came up to me on the couch, said 'Momma' and climbed up in my lap, and then my favorite part of the night was that Jason and I laid down in the floor with pillows and covers to watch t.v., then here came Jacob and then Matthew wandered over too. We all snuggled up in the floor and watched Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving and Matthew even went to sleep.

In the "early" morning hours when I was putting together my pave because I fell asleep waiting for the can of condensed milk to cool after boiling it, my mind and my heart were just full of memories of Thanksgivings of years gone by. My Papaw Skaggs loved pave, and I would make it for him each year...I still make it every Thanksgiving, and always think of Papaw when I do. I was so blessed to have the grandparents I had, and even more blessed to be able to have another Thanksgiving with Mamaw Skaggs this year. I thought of Jason's dad and both of his grandmother's and the Thanksgiving memories I have of each of them. They are all so missed. Then I was thought of all the blessings that I have been given. Many are the same as last year...my salvation, my precious boys, wonderful husband, loving family, warm home, good health, and much more than I could begin to list. New this year was having my mom in good health. You just never know from year-to-year what you will face, but I am thankful that Mom is doing so well; her scar is almost completely healed and her hair is really growing back. I love my parents beyond words. I also found myself thankful for my little, simple life...nothing great or grand about it, but just plain, simple and full of love. I'm so content to live in the county I do, in my home that is not fine or fancy and is usually strewn with clutter, and that I have no need or desire for expensive material goods. Nice things are wonderful, for sure, but I'm thankful that they are not necessary to have a happy life. Does that even make sense? Oh well, it does to me. :) I have also thought of those who are spending their first holidays without someone that they love...in particularly a classmate who lost her dad the day before Thanksgiving, another classmate who gave birth to a full term baby with a heart defect who died within a couple of days, a church friend who lost her daddy earlier this year as well as a few others. Also thinking of those with loved ones in a hospital without knowing if their situation will improve. Above all, I can definitely see how I am SO blessed, but grateful that I try to see my blessings everyday and not just one day a year.

I have yet to get my Christmas tree or decorations put up yet, but you know, it's okay! I am NOT gonna let it stress me out. I am just going to enjoy the next few days at home with the three guys in my life, and if we get the tree up, then that will be fine and dandy. If we do nothing more than eat, sleep, and watch Christmas movies, then that will be just fine too!! I am just happy to have my little family together.

I hope you all have had a wonderful Thanksgiving, ate plenty, enjoyed family, counted blessings, and then enjoyed the snowfall! Love you all!!