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Happy Thanksgiving!

Just a quick post before I go to bed...I meant to post this earlier in the day! Oh, well...

I hope you all had a very happy and blessed Thanksgiving! Including my Canadian friends, who celebrated Thanksgiving sometime last month... :D Love y'all!

Our Thanksgiving was great. We had some family that came out to our new house. Amber and Caleb were here, of course, and my dad's mom came. Two of his older sisters came--Janet and Sara. And Sara had her friend Michael and his son Richard with her. Richard is an absolutely adorable little 5-year-old, every bit as cute and charming as my brothers were at that age. He's got great manners, very carefully and diligently drilled into him by his father, and he's just so sweet. At lunch today, out of the blue, he made this announcement that totally stole my heart all over again: "Haley's my friend." :D He and I hit it off great the first time we met, a little over a year ago when I was at Sara's house for a writer's conference in the DFW area. We also hung out quite a bit at Christmas last year. Today, though, I didn't get to see a whole lot of the little man--he was too busy thoroughly enjoying the boy's paradise that we live on here with Jonathan: jumping on the trampoline, swinging on the rope swing, playing in the barn...they were having a grand old time! :D OK, so I'm smitten with Richard. This is the part where my family smiles that little smile and remind me that I've never met a 5-year-old that didn't steal my heart... *shrug*

We had a rather not-typical lunch. In my immediate family, only 3 of the 8 even like dressing (OK, some Northerners call it stuffing...but then, they cook it different too :D), and none of us are real big on turkey, so a few years ago we decided that it wasn't worth it to spend hours cooking a meal nobody really enjoyed. This year, we had brisket, potato salad, pinto beans, macaroni and cheese (much to Michael's delight!), green bean bundles, and rolls. My grandmother brought the desserts, so there was pumpkin pie, pecan pie, snickerdoodles, cake, fudge, and brownies. *yum, yum!* Yes, we ate too much--and man, was it good.
We were thrilled that Dad got the dish network set up last night, so we did get to watch the football games. The Titans beat the Lions in the first game, and then our Cowboys whooped the Seahawks. Go, Cowboys! Actually, by the end of the game I was feeling sorry for the Seahawks. I wanted the Cowboys to win, obviously, but I was hoping Seattle might could at least score one touchdown. Nope...three field goals was all they got in this game. Sorry, guys! The final score was 34-9, and the Cowboys are now 8(wins) and 4(losses).

Our day wrapped up with us watching Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life", starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed. I love that movie! Through the whole thing, you watch George Bailey live just an ordinary life in an extraordinary way. He lays down his own life over and over for those he loves, to somehow make another person's life a little better. He never realizes how much his life means until he gets the chance to see what his family and his little town would have been like if he'd never been born. The most seemingly insignificant things impact lives so much. What a great encouragement!

How amazing is His love and His matchless grace!

OK, I'll finish with a short list of things I'm thankful for this Thanksgiving:
I'm thankful for:

  • my family--and that we were able to be together for Thanksgiving! Amber and Caleb were here, and Mom didn't get called out to a birth. Thank You, Lord!
  • friends, nearer and far. I have friends all over the place these days! In Canada, Ohio, Washington, California, Oregon, Florida, Arkansas, and of course TEXAS--Denison, San Angelo, Amarillo, Celina, Savoy, Frisco, Pflugerville--even Springtown/Weatherford! WOW, I am so richly blessed! (and if I missed your location, I'm ever so sorry and please feel free to post it in a comment! Keeping up with everybody's whereabouts can be very difficult.)
  • a great, spacious kitchen (complete with a gas stove!) and 7 acres of land for the boys to run around on. They stay happier that way, and they don't pester to watch a movie nearly as much these days! God's provision is always perfect.
  • I am thankful for every yesterday God has brought me through, every today He gives me to live for Him, and all the tomorrows that lie ahead, full of hope and dreams and promise!
  • most of all, I am thankful for all God has done and is doing in my life--first salvation, and then the daily ways He works in me and through me to make me more like Him and a blessing to others. So often, He continues this work when I give up even on myself, and He does it all in spite of me!! :D How amazing is His love and His matchless grace!

Comments

For His Glory said…
Im so happy you were all together. It's wonderful to have a big family gathering. WE have had my family here for a few days and then we got with Landos family too. It's been the best.
We usually watched It's a wonderful life every Chirstmas as a kid growing up and I love that movie too. Love you
Kelly Ranae said…
I am always so blessed by what you write. You say my heart so well sometimes, and this is one of them. This was a wonderful Thanksgiving Day! It always does a mother's heart good to have all of her children at home (and not get called out to a birth while they're here). I pray that God continues to gift you, and you continue to share that gift with others: to exhort, and praise and bless! I love you, Miss Nic!

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