"I've got plenty to be thankful for . . ."

Read an article last week - maybe it was even online - but it talked about people posting what they were thankful for during the month of November and basically said that was a shallow way to approach gratitude.  I don't think I agree with them.  Anytime you express gratitude, I think it's a good thing! And having a month to focus on it is not so bad either.  Of course you should be grateful all year long.  And you should think about the gift of the Savior all year long too, not just at Christmas.  And you should remember the gift of the resurrection all year too, not just at Easter. And you could go on and on - but taking a day or a season to focus on one good thing in particular does not mean that you aren't aware of it all the time! 'nuff said on that score!

So let me begin by saying - on this November 1st - that I am indeed grateful for Harry - a good man indeed.  Not sure how I got so lucky, but I'm glad I did.  And I'm grateful that he feels lucky too!

These "retirement" years - when I feel busier than ever - have been a good time for us to spend more time together - to reflect on the years behind us - and the years ahead too.

I picked the above photo because Harry and I have spent the last few years doing Cub Scouts together - it came about in an odd way - he was in charge - I went one time and said, "You know, there's a better way to do this - let me show you."  And he did - and so we both did it - and had a good time doing so.

Now that he teaches on Mondays and Tuesdays, I'm going it alone.  It's not that it's hard, but I miss having him as my sidekick.  I miss bouncing things off him afterwards.  I still give him a report and we discuss it - but it's good sometimes to recognize how important someone is to you!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving 2013

 

Thanksgiving is today - and I am very thankful for all the many blessings I am privileged to enjoy! I've spent Thanksgiving in many different places, with many different people!

And it's always been wonderful!!

Happy Thanksgiving one and all!

Thanksgiving 2011

I am indeed thankful today for so many blessings. If I tried to "count my many blessings" and "name them one by one" I would not know where to start - or end for that matter.

But I could start with my wonderful family - words are not adequate to express the great blessing that Harry is in my life. I cannot even imagine what my life would be like if our paths had not crossed!

As a result of this propitious union, I have six wonderful children to count as great blessings in my life. And those six wonderful children have added 5 spouses and 16 grandchildren to make the best family ever!

A friend did a Thanksgiving post and assigned a key adjective or quality to each of her children. I was wondering if I could do that.

So I am going to try!

I am thankful that Bonny is so intent on keeping our family close and connected. She is the premier oldest child, bar none!

I am thankful that Harry has taken the quality of single-mindedness and applied it to every phase of his life. He can be counted on to give his all to the task at hand.

I am thankful that Phoebe, whose name means light, has such a "joie de vivre" that lights up any room she enters. I often think she's saying - in her mind - "I'm here - the party can begin!" (and it does!)

I am thankful that Eliza is so careful and earnest. She does everything so completely and so well - and cares about the feelings of others at the same time.

I am thankful that Hannah is spunky and hard-working. She takes on every task and challenge with her whole being - and shares it willingly and with great skill with all of us too!

I am thankful that Noah loves each one of us so completely. To paraphrase Dickens, it is no small thing when a youngest child in a large family can see past all the day-to-day to the real people.

The recent experience of the birth, life, and death of our sweet baby Jonah showed in great detail just exactly how great our kids are. To see them rally around Harry and Dawn and their children was heartening and moving. I have noted often that this whole experience was life-changing for me. One of the life-changes that brings tears to my eyes and joy to my heart is the clear awareness that we are an eternal family in embryo - and going forward together to meet the challenges that come our way!

I hope that your season of thanksgiving is joyous too!

The East Coast Thanksgiving Week

included lots of cooking time in the kitchen - with helpers too!!

It also included some woodworking tutorials from Dad,

and some "armchair quarterbacking from Matt!! (Who is no slouch in the home repair department, btw!!)

Eliza also mastered putting up a light fixture - after Dad wired the two rooms for overhead lights - an "in-demand" kind of service I'm finding.

We started out our trip with the celebration of Matt's birthday - always a good way to start anything!!

After my crazy day at school today, I'm ready to head back - give me household repairs, mending, ironing, laundry, crafting, playing with two great kids, visiting into the late hours, and Harry Potter movies any day!!

A sneak preview -

Whether you are interested or not, I plan to post several of the photos I took on our recent trip to Virginia and DC to celebrate Thanksgiving with the Selanders and the Hamills. So here's a few to whet your appetite!!

We will have fire in the oven stories to tell too.

And s'mores fests - or should I say feasts??

The latest craft efforts from our in-house Craft Maven,

and we can also tell you where to find the best breakfast in DC - other than the Hamill's house that is,

and I can in truth tell you that I love spending time with grandkids - and these two are among the grandest!!

Some thoughts on gratitude -

We are here in Virginia, enjoying our time with the Hamills and the Selanders - and it is a very enjoyable time.

I was thinking that it's been a very long time since we've had Thanksgiving at our house. And before that, it often was not much of a "big deal" holiday. For one thing, Dad liked to work during the day on Thanksgiving - because no one would interrupt him and he could get lots done. For another thing, it was a prime time to get projects done around our house - for the same reason! When we did have it, we often had roast chickens - usually two - since no one was really crazy about turkey - they were mostly crazy about the mashed potatoes and gravy - and the pies I guess.

There were several Thanksgiving years when I was YW President and we had pumpkin pie sales to raise money for Girls' Camp. These sales were a huge success - because all the pies and crusts were homemade. I had initially planned to buy them in bulk somewhere and mark them up. Connie Watson said, "Oh no, we can make them." When I said I didn't know how to make pie crust, she said, "Well, I will teach you."

And teach us she did - and I daresay most of the Young Women in our ward from that era are pretty good pie makers. There were some sad customers when the practice was discontinued after I was released!! (Hannah is especially proficient at making crusts that not only taste good, but look good too!)

As the years moved on, and family members moved hither and yon, we took up taking trips to visit them at Thanksgiving. For a couple of years we did dinner at Bonny and Bruce's. Then a few years saw us in Concord, Davis, and Portland. Now the tradition revolves around the DC area. Who knows where it will lead us!?

Even though the location may change however, there is one thing that never changes - and that is the profound gratitude I feel for the wonderful family of which I am a part. My own parents and siblings, their spouses and children, my wonderful husband, our children, their spouses, and our sweetl grandchildren, Harry's parents and siblings and their spouses and children - all these great people are always a part of my life - and thankfully - and hopefully - always will be!

I have countless other blessings, too numerous to start enumerating. I am aware each day of how blessed my life is. Even with trials and heartache that often weigh me down, I feel buoyed up and supported. Thinking about all that I have and enjoy seems like a good way to start the season that culminates with the celebration of the Savior's birth.

"Come ye thankful people come, raise the song of harvest home . . "

One thing about randomly selecting photos is that they are well, random!! So I apologize in advance for any odd juxtapositions as I take you on a little photo journey of gratitude. For starters, I'm grateful for the Hollywood Bowl and all the good times we've had there - starting with the night Dad and I got engaged.

I'm grateful for college roommates who influenced my life for the better - and are still my friends.

I'm grateful for my job, for being able to do "work worth doing" on a daily basis.

I'm grateful for the plan of salvation, and the comfort it has provided.

And I'm grateful for ceramic water pitchers, and people who remember me often with even more of them!

I'm grateful for aprons and sewing and sharing.

I'm grateful for a college diploma and all the opportunities I've had to learn and grow in a classroom setting.

I'm grateful for church callings that have made me stretch and grow and left me with a treasure trove of lovely memories.

I'm grateful for 1945 - it was a good year to be born.

I'm grateful for opportunities to travel and see other lands and people and to take part in their lives and their culture.

I'm grateful for missionary work, and the blessings it has brought into our lives and the lives of those we love.

I'm grateful for friendship and association with our kids good friends, for being part of their lives too.

I'm grateful for weddings and families and celebrations of life and love.

I'm grateful for grandparents who loved me, and taught me, and encouraged me.

I'm grateful for a great marriage and great parents and great in-laws and for 42 years of wedded bliss with the best guy ever.

I'm grateful for being a grandma - what a great adventure it has been!

I'm grateful for my numerous siblings and siblings-in-law!!

I'm especially grateful for wonderful children,

and on this day of Thanksgiving, I'm grateful to be spending it with "my guy!!"