Giving Thanks

Back around March or April, I started to realize that the Holidays would be different for me this year. Every year of our married life, we have celebrated Thanksgiving with my sister, Suzanne and her family. I absolutely love Thanksgiving! I love her family. I love that our kids play so well together. But I also knew that going to Idaho for Thanksgiving likely was not going to happen. She has all her grown children there, with her grandbabies, and so if we were to go there, we'd have to stay in a hotel, and that would be hard with the current unemployment circumstances we are dealing with. Plus, we have our two huge dogs, so that makes it tough. We debated on what we should do, going back and forth with having it by ourselves, just the 5 of us, or accepting our friends' invitation to share Thanksgiving with them. We finally accepted their invitation. However, two days prior to Thanksgiving, Pat's brother ended up in the ICU, and she felt completely overwhelmed with hosting the festivities. So, the Chief and I decided to offer our home, and invited all of their family here. We all kept our food assignments, so all we had to do was round up some chairs and tables, and clean up the house.

We moved the furniture out of the family room, and set up tables, and prepared for the feast. We spent the day watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and then playing games once Shauna and Craig arrived! It was such a wonderful day, even if we weren't with our family. Our friends have become our family. We all are so grateful for the many blessings we have, especially our Saviour Jesus Christ. 

One of our three tables set up to serve all 23 of us

We even had place cards!

It was such a beautiful day that the boys had a pick up bball game!

The adult table!

Seth with his chocolate turkey, Brendan in the background

The beautiful bird

Lou and Pat

Shauna and me

My thankful heart

 A long time ago, when I was serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, in Germany, my companion and I began a "game" of naming things we were grateful for as we went door to door. It was an effort to focus on the positive and push the negative thoughts and the homesick feelings away. And it worked. I can still remember some of the things I named, aside from the obvious ones. I recall expressing gratitude for my hands that allow me to do so many versatile things. I can't imagine having to do without my hands! And helicopters because they allow one to soar above the earth and yet have a wonderful view from above. I've only been in one one time, when a special date took me for a ride on a helicopter above Niagara Falls. I'll never forget it though...it was amazing!

At this very special time of year, I reflect on all the many things I have in my life, both material and spiritual, and play this "game" of gratitude with myself and my Heavenly Father. I want him to know that I recognize all that I have, all that He has given me.

This blog would be endless if I were to begin to name them all, so I will just identify one that fills me with gratitude, and that is my family, both my husband and three sons and my extended family. They are all such a gift to me and enrich my life, and inspire me to be a better wife, mom, sister, daughter, and aunt.

Thanksgiving is one of my most favorite holidays, and not just because I get to eat Pecan Pie without guilt, but because it reminds me to pause and give thanks for this wonderful life I have.

My heart is full.