Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Our Thanksgiving day has arrived.

Dad has made it home safely and a day of fun and feasting has been planned.

We always begin the day with munchies to graze on, in lieu of breakfast and lunch,

while awaiting the Thanksgiving feast.

This years munch and graze menu included cinnamon rolls, cheese, summer sausage and crackers, gingersnaps and pumpkin dip, fresh blackberries and grapes, and whole nuts.

I also set out hot tea, hot apple cider and orange juice.

I find it quite amazing that, even after all these years, I have not managed to acquire a nice pitcher. Yet, I also find it amazing how special a plastic pitcher filled with juice can seem when set upon a silver tray alongside etched glassware.

It makes me smile.

Finally, the table is set and the feast is on but my guys must first humor me by allowing me to take a picture before they dig in. (It's a tradition, I can't help myself).

The feast consisted of turkey, giblet gravy, mashed potatoes, a regular bread stuffing, a cornbread dressing, broccoli with cheese sauce, green bean casserole, cranberry relish, rolls, pumpkin pie with whipped cream and apple pie a la mode.

It was delicious and there are ample leftovers for the days to come.

I managed to get this rather silly picture of Maceo...

...while I was trying to get this picture of Christian.

And here is my youngest looking nearly grown.

I love family mealtime!

I love Thanksgiving!

And there is so much to be grateful for!

From the grateful tree...

Herb: Thankful for my family and my country.

Bishop: Mom and Dad. YouTube.

Maceo: Pie.

Christian: Football, entertaining classes and a good family.

Me: (well, I hung six tags on the tree)...

1) First and foremost, I am grateful for God's grace, mercy and forgiveness. I am also so very grateful for his faithfulness and provision. I am blessed! Thank you, God!

2) I am grateful to have a husband who is so absolutely devoted to his family. I am thankful for his willingness to sacrifice his own comfort in order to provide for his family. I will never take his provision for granted. I am blessed! Thank you, Herb!

3) I am grateful to have a son who has grown up to be an intelligent young man of character. I am thankful that he routinely dialogues with me allowing me to share my experience and thoughts with him while he shares his wealth of knowledge with me. I learn so much and am so blessed! Thank you, Christian!

4) I am grateful to have a daughter who is courageous enough to pursue her dreams even though it has taken her far from family. I am thankful that God, in His wisdom, placed friends from our town in the same new city as her and that they were able to spend Thanksgiving together. I love and miss you, Keegan, and I am so blessed to have you as my daughter!

5) I am grateful to have a son who will share his childhood stuffed animal with me so that I may sleep with it and not be alone when Dad is gone. I am thankful to have a son who is patient and gracious with me when I am out of sorts. I appreciate his tolerant and forgiving nature. I am blessed! Thank you, Maceo!

6) I am grateful to have a son who is kind, thoughtful and compassionate. I am thankful to have a son whose first thought upon hearing that I do not feel well is "May I make you breakfast and some hot tea?" and then spends the day checking on me and refilling my beverages. I am blessed! Thank you, Bishop!

My Thanksgiving Day ended on a sweet note as my boys each said the bedtime prayer, as I am beginning to lose my voice due to some creepy crud. Maceo thanked God for good food, to include crescent rolls and cinnamon rolls. (Maceo is all about the food!).

Bishop prayed, "Thank you, God, for Thanksgiving and the Pilgrims, for our house and good food, and for our warm beds."

Aren't we blessed?