On Being Thankful

With the Thanksgiving Holiday nipping at our heels I have been mindful these last few days of how thankful I am for the life God has laid out before me.  It's not been an easy life by any stretch of the imagination, however it's a life filled with grace and the love of my family and friends.  Terry and I will be married 27 years in January.  He still spoils me and I still let him.  We have our kids, grand kids and now a great grandchild.  With that how can I not be thankful.

This year Terry and I are doing Thanksgiving differently than we have in years.  We are going to have Thanksgiving with Teddy, Elizabeth and Cassidy and Teddy is doing the cooking.  We are excited to do things a little differently this year.  And I don't have to cook it.  It will be a test to see if I can stay out of the way of the chef.  We taught our kids to cook.   Now we reap the rewards of those lessons taught so long ago.

I am mindful of all that I have to be thankful for and when I think about it I can't help but feel blessed.

Busy Weekends...

We had a very busy weekend.  Our son Rick that lives in Canada was here for a church convention and his mother planned a surprise 40th birthday party for him at his favorite Mexican restaurant.  We had such a good time getting to visit with Rick, Vonnie, Connor and Carson, and our grandson Trent and Lauren were there and Seth and his girlfriend Savannah were there.  I had never met Savannah.  She is such a doll.  We had the opportunity to visit with our family and friends all together in one place.  

As I sat there looking around the room I was reminded how important family time is.  Today Teddy and Cassidy were down from Sacramento and they are staying the night.  Kenny and Lisa, Grant and Little B were here so when we are lucky enough to get us all together I like to cook something special. I made chicken and dumplings.  When I make chicken and dumplings it is quite the ordeal because when I make them the boys, Kenny, Teddy and Terry like to eat until they can't eat anymore.  So I make my chicken stock with chicken, celery, carrots and onions.  I simmer it for a good long time and when I am ready to make the dumplings I have to pour the stock into my big electric roasting pan because I have to make so many dumpling that's the only way they will all fit.  I quadruple my recipe and it's just the right amount to fill the surface of the stock.  Then 15 minutes later we have chicken and dumplings.

The most favorite part of a dinner like this is seeing my kids, daughter-in-laws and grand kids all sitting around the table talking, being silly and enjoying each other.  I can just sit back and drink it in.  Having them all together just makes me feel so good.  Laughing, joking, talking about what's going on in their lives.  No better feeling for me.  I'm glad Teddy and Kenny have continued the tradition of having meals at the dinner table several nights a week with their families.  It's what kept of close and grounded when they were growing up.  It's still important to me that Terry and I eat dinner at the table.  It's not every night like it was when the kids were young but we do put forth the effort to disconnect everything in order to connect over dinner a few nights a week.  

Sunday dinner is a tradition that I look forward to each and every Sunday.

Where Does The Time Go

When I was a kid time seemed to go so slow.  I remember that I couldn't wait to turn sixteen so I could drive.  I couldn't wait to turn eighteen so I could vote.  I couldn't wait to turn twenty-one so I could purchase alcohol and go to bars (even though I didn't drink).  So fast forward, here I am at 54 wondering where exactly did the time go?

I noticed before Halloween this year there were Christmas decorations out and holiday commercials on television.  It seems to me that the time between being inundated by the media in relation to holidays grows shorter and shorter.  Here we are are in the second week of November with Thanksgiving right around the corner and Christmas nipping at our heels.  This year the holidays have snuck up on me. 

Our kids all have their own lives and commitments and places they have to go on holidays.  As our families are blended we have always been the parents who don't pressure our kids to be with us on the actual date of the holiday.  It's not about the date of holiday.  For me it has always been about family and being able to be together.  So, celebrating Thanksgiving a few days after the fact has never been an issue.  

For many years we had Thanksgiving dinner with my in-laws.  As the years went by and they grew older Terry and I hosted Thanksgiving dinner.  After my father-in-law passed away Thanksgiving wasn't the same anymore.  The family splintered and now each one does their own thing.  I miss being together.  I don't care about the date on the calendar.  I care about family. 

So as the hustle and bustle settles over us heading towards the holidays I will remind myself to take a deep breath and enjoy being with my husband and family and thankful for the time we have together. 

It's funny how our priorities change as we get older.  Every minute I have with my children and grandchildren I want time to stand still.  I make a conscious effort to not sweat the small stuff and making the most of  my time.  I have learned that time is a fleeting thing.