Monday, November 30, 2015

A Different Thanksgiving

For several years now, we've hosted Thanksgiving at our house so I began the gathering of Thanksgiving food and began to plan the day. But at the last minute, Ben and Kristen decided that they would host Thanksgiving this year. Oh Happy Day! While I don't mind hosting Thanksgiving, it is   a ton of work to host the largest meal of the year. Of course I contributed food to the meal, but did I mention that hosting Thanksgiving is a ton of work.

This was the most relaxing Thanksgiving I can remember except when I was a child and I was clueless and didn't appreciate anything. I started the day with a run, after my devotion of course, in the cool crisp morning and except for feeling some guilt knowing that Kristen was stressing over hosting instead of me, I enjoyed it immensely. I called my mom and had a nice long conversation as I  prepared my side dishes. I even had time to put up some Christmas decorations.

It was definitely a challenge to safely navigate Papa's walker around Wyatt's dump truck and Chloe and Molly, Ben and Kristen's two small dogs, but we made it. I even had time to sit and visit with them more which was so nice as I'm usually the one running around getting butter and drinks, cleaning up spills, etc. I was so glad to have both of them healthy and able to be with us this year as they spent their 58th Thanksgiving together. You have to admire a couple who has spent 58 Thanksgivings together!

The turkey was delicious and I was so proud of Ben and Kristen as they worked together to host their large extended family. I loved so many moments of the day. I loved how happy Ben was to have his dad there. I loved how much joy it gave Nana to hold Panda, Kristen's tiny new puppy. I loved how Eric showed Ben how to carve a turkey and how the kids never tire of making Oreo turkeys. I love Eric and Summer making yeast rolls together. It won't be long before she will be making Thanksgiving dinner for us!

It was a day to be thankful for sure for all of our many blessings.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17