One of the Best Thanksgivings Ever

Considering last Thanksgiving meal was eaten around a Cracker Barrel table while I was almost nine months pregnant I had a lot to be thankful for this year. Although my brother and his family and cousin and her family were unable to come, which would have made the day perfect, and although we did shed sentimental tears over it, once Thanksgiving morning came everyone felt much better and enjoyed the day. For breakfast, we ate our traditional special-occasion strawberry Toaster Stroodles while Christmas music played; we went around the table telling what we were thankful for, and teared up a bit when we told each person we were thankful for about them. Next came Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade and football while I cooked (and listened to more Christmas music). We arrived at Mom and Dad's at 1:00pm in the pouring rain and ate one of the most delicious Thanksgiving meals ever. The boys were excited, especially during the meal when Papa showed them the two movies he'd bought for them that morning and they spent the next couple of hours watching them. Later Mom, Dad, Paul and I played Phase 10 and laughed and laughed. I've never played a game that moved so slow or lasted so long. Dear goodness. It was such fun enjoying everyone's company, joking and talking, snacking and playing a game. By the time we left, it was dark outside and very cold so Paul started a fire in the wood stove and the boys went to bed after lots of hugs, giggles and Happy Thanksgiving's. (Okay, Joel has talked absolutely non-stop since I began writing this blog. Literally, he's sitting on the arm of the couch next to me and telling Elijah a never-ending story that keeps evolving from one grand hero/rescue/danger to another and it's too cute because Joel's not normally the big talker of the family. Now Elijah went out the door, Joel laid his head on my shoulder and said I love you, Mom. Such a darling. *sigh* and this classical Christmas Music is wonderful).

After the boys went to bed, Paul watched one of his "band of brothers" movies (about WWII) and I watched the final story of Anne of Green Gables, and bawled my eyes out when Anne, after having searched for months and nearly given up, finds Gil among the pow soldiers at a German camp. The perfect ending to a perfect day!

Thank You, Lord. You're wonderful.