Let us all give thanks!

Most of today was spent during a few little errands and also cooking in the kitchen while listening to Christmas songs on the radio. Oh I know it's not even Thanksgiving yet, but you have to understand that I am one of the people who listens to Christmas music all year long. I love the spirit of Christmas and truly wish that we could celebrate it all year long.
I have been so teary eyed lately, why? Maybe because Thanksgiving and Christmas time was always a happy time in our home, it was usually a safer time for me as a child because there were so many people around me... I was more protected, that was a blessing in disguise Maybe it's because I miss my kids so bad, having some of them far away from me and not coming home for Thanksgiving, is tough on a Mother's heart. Maybe it's because I am missing my Mom, my Grandma Johnny and my Aunt Ina while cooking today. Some of the best times were in the kitchen with them. They loved to cook, I have never been quite the cooks that they were. Yes, those were good times, happy times and safe times. But cooking all day in my kitchen alone, was just tough and for some reason I can't stop the tears from coming so freely. I know that I am very blessed and for that I am grateful. I am grateful for each one of you in my life and in the life of my family, thank you for everything!
Happy Thanksgiving! Good night dear friends, hope you enjoy this video! 
This is beautiful, take time to watch it right before Thanksgiving, you will be glad you did.
Watch it here:

A Family to Be Thankful For

Wished I would have read this story when my kids were little! I am sitting here tonight and wondering why I am not running around doing something. I am tired, we had pizza ( not homemade ) for dinner and I am actually enjoying the moment.

Anyway, please know we are very grateful for each of you in our lives, you are one of our many blessings that we are especially grateful for this year! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day tomorrow and remember what really counts…you already have! Good night dear friends!

I knew putting together a traditional Thanksgiving dinner would take extra organization, what with four kids (two still in diapers) and my husband, Jerry, working long hours. So I wrote a to-do list and stuck it on the fridge at the beginning of the week. I figured I’d cross off a few items each day.

But now it was the day before Thanksgiving and nothing was done. Not the fresh cranberry sauce. Or the homemade dinner rolls. Not even the most important thing on our family’s menu—the pies. Pumpkin and apple, made from scratch using recipes passed down from my mom and Jerry’s.

I put Halley and Casey down for their naps. Now I can start the pies, I thought, setting the ingredients out. The phone rang. Justin, my 13-year-old.

“Mom, can you bring my basketball uniform to school? I just found out we have a game tonight.”

“Sure,” I said, stifling a sigh. I hung up and saw that a stack of newspapers had been dropped off in the drive for my nine-year-old, Corbett, to deliver. The papers were bulging with Thanksgiving ads. Corbett couldn’t carry them on his bike. I’d have to drive him.

I took out the trash, hauled in the papers, then cleaned sticky fingerprints from the fridge. There, practically smirking at me, was my to-do list. I checked my watch: 3:45 already?! The door slammed. “Hi, Mom,” Corbett said.

“Corbett, your brother has a game so let’s get your paper route done,” I said. I bundled the babies into their car seats, then ran back for Justin’s uniform. I looked at the apples, pumpkin and spices on the counter. “Guess I’m not making those pies now,” I grumbled.

Jerry got out of work early enough to go to the game, but by the time we got home, ate dinner and tucked the kids in, it was almost 10:00 P.M. The sight of the pie ingredients on the counter made me want to cry. I sat down and buried my head in my arms.

“What’s wrong?” Jerry asked.

“I wanted Thanksgiving to be perfect,” I moaned, “but I never even had time to make pies!”

“Don’t worry, honey. I’ll just buy some,” he said.

“We can’t buy Thanksgiving pies!”

“Sure, we can,” Jerry said.

“But they won’t be our family’s pies.”

Jerry gave me a hug. “The kids won’t care. They’ll eat anything. You’re so busy taking care of everyone. Let the boys and me take over this Thanksgiving.”

“Fine,” I said, too tired to argue.

The next morning I surrendered the kitchen to the guys. Six hours later Corbett came to get me. I followed him into the dining room. There on the table was a Thanksgiving feast. A beautifully browned turkey, Jerry’s handiwork. Cranberry sauce and hot dinner rolls, both straight from a can and proudly prepared by Corbett. Sweet potatoes topped with melted marshmallows, and instant mashed potatoes, whipped up by Justin. And on the sideboard sat the pies—apple and pumpkin, store-bought.

We sat down and Corbett said grace. “Dear God, thanks for all the food, especially the yummy pies. Thank you for a great mom who does so much for us. Thanks most of all that we get to be together. Amen.”

I opened my eyes and looked around the table. Corbett was right. Being together was what mattered. I’d gotten my perfect Thanksgiving after all.        ~ Cynthia Cutts, Lincoln, California

 

“If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice.”      ~Meister Eckhart

'’As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them”.      ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

It's almost here!

Well, it is getting late and I still have a lot to do ...to get ready for Thanksgiving tomorrow. I am excited, because we get to share it with some dear friends that are coming over. I am also excited because my lungs feel pretty clear and I am breathing better than I have in a couple of weeks.I am also grateful that I am in such a better place than I was a year ago. I was in a lot of pain from my mastectomy and I was also so fearful of what the future would bring. I still worry some but ...I know that I have to do all that I can and just have faith. What will be...will be, and I am just thankful to have another Thanksgiving Day to celebrate.  I will leave you with some sweet and thought provoking Thanksgiving Day quotes that I found. Have a wonderful day tomorrow dear friends!

"Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them,
is the true measure of our thanksgiving."
W.T. Purkiser

"When asked if my cup is half-full or half-empty
my only response is that I am thankful I have a cup."
Sam Lefkowitz

"Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action."
W. J. Cameron