Another Thanksgiving has passed. I read or heard someone say their favorite holiday was Thanksgiving because you get the good food and don't have to buy presents.
As I look back at the 73 Thanksgivings of my life, the ones I remember the most were the ones spent at my grandparent's home in Memphis, Texas. Aunts, uncles and cousins joined us. My closest cousin and I got to eat in the kitchen while the grown-ups ate in the dining room. We loved not having to sit at the big table. When our brothers came along, we were relegated to the dining room and they got the kitchen.
As a married person in Tulsa we invited singles who had no family in town to share Thanksgiving with us. Those were fun and fulfilling. But not all my holidays in that town have been memorable. In fact, many have been lonely. When I wasn't married, many were spent alone trying not to look out the window and see the houses with cars parked around them as they spent the day with family and friends. For some reason none of my married friends ever thought to invite me to their feasts.
A few years ago we had 23 people at our house for the day. Some were our family, some friends plus a family who had nowhere to go. That year we had three toddlers that made it necessary to touch up the paint on the walls when it was all over. Last year we had more family plus a granddaughter and our great granddaughter here. Busy but fun.
We had Thanksgiving a couple of weeks ago with a son and his family before they left on a week's vacation to California. Yesterday we planned to spend it alone and were all right with that. Instead we went out to eat with a couple we love very much. Afterwards we went to their house and visited. Really nice. Quiet but good.
We know of two families who had a difficult holiday. In one the wife passed away two months ago. In the other the husband died just a week ago. Our prayers are with them as they go through the next weeks.
Thanksgiving is just that--a time to think of the blessings we have and be thankful. But not just on that day. We're thankful year around that we have friends, family and our God to spend our earthly lives with. Some day that life will be over and the best life will begin for eternity. Now that's the kind of holiday I'm looking for! Just not too soon. :)
Showing posts with label Thanksgiving Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thanksgiving Day. Show all posts
Friday, November 27, 2009
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Thanks for the Memories.....
It's been awhile since I've had time to do anything on the computer. The past few days went by so fast--much too fast when you're surrounded by people you love.
Both my daughters and their families came the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. The star of the show was fourteen month old Amiyah, of course. Reid's son, Joe, and his family were in town, too, so we got to see them and their two year old, Jaiden. Love those little girls!
We had dinner for 16 at our house Thursday. Ate and watched football--a typical Thanksgiving for my family. I don't think Reid's family is as sports conscious as mine always was. But I've converted him, and he likes to watch as much as the rest of us.
Everyone was gone by nine-thirty yesterday morning. We dragged around all day cleaning the house, doing laundry and putting the house back the way it was. Quiet. Empty except for the two of us. We sent as much of the food as possible home with everyone, so there's not much of that left either.
I remember the years we spent driving from Amarillo (Lubbock, Plainview and El Paso) to my grandparent's home in Memphis, Texas, on Christmas Eve. Family in every nook and cranny of their house. I never thought about how empty the house must have seemed after we all left after Christmas. Maybe Mamaw was glad to get her house back in order, but maybe it seemed too quiet.
Good memories. Bittersweet--just like these past few days. We'll look at the pictures and remember the precious granddaughter and great granddaughter, and wish we could be with them every day to see them grow and change.
Better go before I start bawling.
Both my daughters and their families came the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. The star of the show was fourteen month old Amiyah, of course. Reid's son, Joe, and his family were in town, too, so we got to see them and their two year old, Jaiden. Love those little girls!
We had dinner for 16 at our house Thursday. Ate and watched football--a typical Thanksgiving for my family. I don't think Reid's family is as sports conscious as mine always was. But I've converted him, and he likes to watch as much as the rest of us.
Everyone was gone by nine-thirty yesterday morning. We dragged around all day cleaning the house, doing laundry and putting the house back the way it was. Quiet. Empty except for the two of us. We sent as much of the food as possible home with everyone, so there's not much of that left either.
I remember the years we spent driving from Amarillo (Lubbock, Plainview and El Paso) to my grandparent's home in Memphis, Texas, on Christmas Eve. Family in every nook and cranny of their house. I never thought about how empty the house must have seemed after we all left after Christmas. Maybe Mamaw was glad to get her house back in order, but maybe it seemed too quiet.
Good memories. Bittersweet--just like these past few days. We'll look at the pictures and remember the precious granddaughter and great granddaughter, and wish we could be with them every day to see them grow and change.
Better go before I start bawling.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
God, Family, and Good Health
After ten days of detoxing/sinusitis/coughing/sneezing/blowing---you name it, I finally feel like a human again.
I woke up this morning and decided I'm tired of being sick, tired of feeling puny and tired of looking like it. I washed my hair (I have washed my hair before this), dressed and am ready to greet the family for the holiday.
One of Reid's sons, Joe, his wife Jenny and their daughter Jaiden will fly in from North Carolina on Sunday. Both my daughters, Jo Lynn and Sherri, Sherri's husband John, two grandsons, Cory and Taylor and great granddaughter Amiyah will come Wednesday. While they are all here, we'll be able to get with Dave, Lorraine, Mason, Jade, Reagan, Pierce and Thatcher--the son and his family who live here. What a fun time is ahead!
God, family and good health. That's what life is all about. And this Thanksgiving those are the things I'm thankful for.
I woke up this morning and decided I'm tired of being sick, tired of feeling puny and tired of looking like it. I washed my hair (I have washed my hair before this), dressed and am ready to greet the family for the holiday.
One of Reid's sons, Joe, his wife Jenny and their daughter Jaiden will fly in from North Carolina on Sunday. Both my daughters, Jo Lynn and Sherri, Sherri's husband John, two grandsons, Cory and Taylor and great granddaughter Amiyah will come Wednesday. While they are all here, we'll be able to get with Dave, Lorraine, Mason, Jade, Reagan, Pierce and Thatcher--the son and his family who live here. What a fun time is ahead!
God, family and good health. That's what life is all about. And this Thanksgiving those are the things I'm thankful for.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Rip Roaring Good Times
Our company left this morning. Jaiden's two years old and a joy to be around. We love her mom and dad, too. But it will be nice to get back to our "old" comfortable selves. They'll be back for Thanksgiving, but probably won't stay with us. Jenny's mom and dad live here, so we have to share.
Chances are pretty good that we'll have Thanksgiving at our house again. We did it a few years ago and hosted 27 people--eighteen adults, three toddlers (Reid had repaint some spots on the walls after it was all over) and 6 other kids (the oldest was eight). That year, right after I suggested we have it at our house, Reid said, "All right, and when your fever goes down we'll talk about it again."
Although it was a great day and everyone enjoyed it, we decided that would be the last time. But here we are, making plans 4 months ahead to do it again.
Holidays are definitely for families. When I was widowed, I spent many a holiday alone. No time is lonlier than a day when you see many cars in front of a neighbor's house, knowing what's going on inside. I tried to not let it bother me, but after marrying Reid and spending holidays with his big family, I can look back and experience the sadness I felt then when I was alone.
In the past we always included other people in our holiday dinners. Some of the 27 that were here a couple of years ago would have been alone if we hadn't invited them to share in our day. This year there may be more of us than there were in 2005 because we have two extra kids born since then. Everyone brings food. Everyone helps clean up, and when all is said and done, we are exhausted but we've had a rip-roaring good time!
Kind of like we feel today.
Chances are pretty good that we'll have Thanksgiving at our house again. We did it a few years ago and hosted 27 people--eighteen adults, three toddlers (Reid had repaint some spots on the walls after it was all over) and 6 other kids (the oldest was eight). That year, right after I suggested we have it at our house, Reid said, "All right, and when your fever goes down we'll talk about it again."
Although it was a great day and everyone enjoyed it, we decided that would be the last time. But here we are, making plans 4 months ahead to do it again.
Holidays are definitely for families. When I was widowed, I spent many a holiday alone. No time is lonlier than a day when you see many cars in front of a neighbor's house, knowing what's going on inside. I tried to not let it bother me, but after marrying Reid and spending holidays with his big family, I can look back and experience the sadness I felt then when I was alone.
In the past we always included other people in our holiday dinners. Some of the 27 that were here a couple of years ago would have been alone if we hadn't invited them to share in our day. This year there may be more of us than there were in 2005 because we have two extra kids born since then. Everyone brings food. Everyone helps clean up, and when all is said and done, we are exhausted but we've had a rip-roaring good time!
Kind of like we feel today.
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