Thanksgiving 2011

Today Thanksgiving took on a different meaning. I wask more thankful than I have ever been before.

We made our own Thanksgiving. We did it once before 2 years ago.. but this time we committed to doing it, our own family tradition, every Thanksgiving. Danny and I made a Thanksgiving plan and worked our plan. (I know.. sounds OCD.. Danny humors me) The plan was so neurotic that I kept it to put in a scrapbook. But it was awesome.

It hurt to not be with our extended families.Moms, Dads, brothers, sisters, uncles, Aunts, Grandparents, etc... That's where we've always been. But now we've realized it's time, or long time coming, that we take what we, as parents, loved about our Thanksgivings growing up and share that with our kids to make our own tradition. It was bittersweet. There was a part of Danny and I that held back tears, from onions, missing family, and the overwhelming blessings and feeling we got when we all sat down at our table to eat together....we were like kids in how excited we were to share with them they stuff we loved most about Thanksgiving.

We all cling to the happiness we felt as kids around the Thanksgiving table,the smells, aromas, colors, how warm the house was inside from cooking in comparison to how cold it was outside, the recipes we feel that no one can ever match to our Moms, Grandmas, Dads, Aunts, Uncles, etc.... No one makes it the way they can.. but we sure do try... because those priceless details find a way into our hearts and plead for a way to be shared.... and that's perhaps why we have kids. =)

Thanksgiving is a day for miracles. I actually enjoyed watching my kids, the neighbor kids, and some adults play football in the cul-de-sac... MIRACLE. I got to scrapbook. I wished Happy Thanksgiving to people I haven't talked to in a while, and they wished me one back. MIRACLE. my Danny went to church because he wanted to.... MIRACLE...and then I remember, God has provided, has always provided and is in the business of making MIRACLES.

Everyday should be held as high and magical as Thanksgiving.
I remember this song from when I was a kid, I used to sing it in church...
and this Thanksgiving it takes on a whole new meaning for me...

I will enter his gates with thanksgiving in my heart
I will enter his court with praise
I will say this is the day that the Lord has made
I will rejoice for He has made me glad

with my eyes completely full of salty tears... I am SO GLAD.