Here we are - the most wonderful time of the year! Thanksgiving, is a wonderful time. Very little is expected except for lots of good food. That is not easy but doable - especially after this many years. I recall years of feeling so stressed over this meal. This year I have lots of help and am looking forward to sharing the meal with those of our family who are nearby.
Our menu this year is a group effort. Turkey is a given, dressing, gravy. All standards. We have to have rice, Felt says rice belongs with Thanksgiving. I figured on mashed potatoes, but the family voted for au-gratin potatoes - Julie makes really wonderful au-gratin potatoes. I was thinking green bean casserole - that was voted down - we are having peas. Not my favorite but I can make green bean casserole next week if I really want it. Jello salad and plan Jello, we have had some sort of jello salad since I was a small girl. It varies year to year, but is definitely part of the meal. Our grand daughter Kate makes wonderful rolls and her supreme roll is a wonderful orange dinner roll. Yes, that is what we are having. We hit dessert and had so many opinions. Felt says Pecan pie, but only he and Dave really like pecan pie. Katie wanted brownies and ice cream, Rachel and Lindsey wanted chocolate cream pie. What happened to pumpkin pie? Another food item I can have next week. This year we are having a appetizer tray of vegies and cheese. After everyone arrives it is hard to wait for the meal to actually be ready to eat. Last year we did a little something before hand and recognised the need this year.
Our family group this year consists of Julie and Dave and their family; their three oldest and their mates, Kate and Nate; Justin and Lindsey; Rachel and Jeff; and their youngest, Sarah. Tyler will be in our thoughts while he is serving his mission in Uruguay. This year we are also expecting our son Scott and his soon to be wife, Jenni. Both of them have former spouses who have their children for the holiday so they will be sharing the day and meal with us. It will be the first time Jenni has met one of Scott's "other mothers", his closest in age sister, Julie. I think everyone will enjoy becoming acquainted and sharing this time together.
Gratitude is such a big subject and yet so very important to our well being. Folks with out gratitude as part of their life, tend to be pretty unhappy people. We have so very many things to be grateful for. Today in church one of the speakers talked of being grateful for the things around us, the things inside of us and the things above us. Yet when I think of things I am grateful for I always think first of our family and Feltus. He/they have allowed me to become the person I am today and encouraged and loved me, in spite of myself. I would not be me without them. Then of course next would be our health - at our age we cannot take that for granted - and the wonderful blessing of having a safe home in this great country, with never worrying about where we will sleep or what we will eat or if we can keep warm.
But those things within and above; our faith in our savior, Jesus Christ, our testimony of the Gospel, the knowledge that we have gained all of these things make us who we are eternally. The knowledge we are blessed with of knowing our Heavenly Father not only loves us but knows who we are and cares about us as individuals. What strength that give us.
Gratitude - Thanksgiving - Blessings It has been a wonderful year and a wonderful life.
