Giving Thanks

Our Thanksgiving consisted of Jasmine, Kiliegh, Vada, Justin and me (or is that I?). It consisted of the girls running in and out of the house. Their voices on full blast but their laughs making up for the loudness. It consisted of Vada rolling around all over the floors while paying attention to all of the finer details of the "stuff" left behind from a quick vacuuming job. It consisted of Justin going back and forth from playing his Call of Duty game to basting the turkey.


Every holiday, including Thanksgiving is pretty much the same for us. For holidays with Jasmine and Kiliegh and visitations with their dads we swap yearly. This year we have the girls for every holiday. Last year and next year we wont. On the holidays that we don't have the girls we switch our holiday plans to a day when we all are together. Needless to say, our holiday traditions remain the same, regardless of when we celebrate them.


On Thanksgiving we tend to cook way too much food, decorate our Christmas tree and begin watching Christmas movies. Thanksgiving for us is a day that we give thanks to God for all of his many blessings, but it is also a day that we celebrate the coming of Christmas.... and then there was me. I had spent the day before preparing all of our side dishes. All I would have to do today was to bake them. So, I spent my day soaking up one of the greatest gifts that God has ever given to me. A gift that I proudly call my family.


This year we had Turkey, corn casserole, green bean casserole, stuffing (Stove Top and not cooked in the turkey), mashed potatoes with gravy, fresh veggies and dip, cheese and crackers and bread. We also had pumpkin pie with cool whip, apple pie with vanilla ice cream and brownies. For our movie, we watched A Christmas Carol, the newer one with Jim Carey and we did decorate our tree, but I was too tired to put my ornaments on at the same time as Justin and the girls.

I am blessed beyond any form of measurements. I know if you stand on the outside and try to look in on my life you may not see things the way that I do, but trust me when I say, I am rich. I have a life that I would not trade with anyone else. I have three beautiful daughters who at times may drives me to insanity, but the good times always out weighs the hard times. I have a husband who through it all is still my best friend. Who works hard so that I can stay home with our children and who loves me unconditionally. I have in-laws that are amazing and a church family that I would do anything for and who have done everything for me, and my family. I am blessed and through everything that has happened this year I am grateful for today.