Thanksgiving

Giving thanks this month for the following:


The Smell of Burning Leaves.  I know, some of you may hate this smell, but I adore it!  It brings back vivid memories of standing in the yard of my childhood home, watching my dad burn our (many) leaves at the curb.  We live within city limits here, and we are wonderfully able to blow them to the curb and the city workers magically (re: paid for by our tax dollars) remove them, so we don't burn them ourselves.  But whenever I drive by someone burning theirs, I am transported back in time.

Modern Medicine.  One of our kids recently had a procedure done that will be huge for him.  If we lived fifty years ago, it wouldn't have been possible.  What a blessing it is to have doctors and research and medicine!  Praise God!

Days Home Alone.  I have three full days this year, sans children.  I am rarely unscheduled for any of them, but every now and then the stars align and I am home all by myself.  Today was one of those days, and I got several things done and enjoyed the peace and solitude (and Christmas music and Law and Order reruns).

Extended Family.  We will be seeing ALL the cousins, grandparents and aunts and uncles for Thanksgiving and everyone is beyond excited.  That will be thirteen children and ten adults in one house for the afternoon.  It will be loud, crazy, wild and not a bit boring.  This is the stuff childhood memories are made of!

Old Friends.  And by old, I don't mean old. . .I mean long-established and time-honored.  I am getting together with my college girl friends this weekend and I can't wait!  We will spend time catching up, shopping, eating and generally enjoying each other's company.  We started this tradition about ten years ago, and it is something we all look forward to each year.