I don’t know why, but I always feel cliche saying I’m thankful for family on Thanksgiving. Because that’s what everyone says. I’d like to be more original. Profound.
But what else is there? I’m thankful for high-speed wi-fi? For drive-thrus? That I’m raising three children after dishwashers were invented?
Ok, those are valid.
But what is more profound than the blessings of family, friends, and wellness? What is more original than waking each morning with a new appreciation of the Lord’s goodness.
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
– Lamentations 2: 22-23
Like every year, we drove out to the country to spend Thanksgiving with both sides of the family. I used to just say we drove “home” but now that my kids say things like, “Look, Mommy! A barn in real life!” or “Mommy, is that a horse or a cow?” I feel like we are city folk taking a legitimate trip to the country.
Lately I’ve noticed that I enjoy holidays both for the celebration, and for the break in routine they provide. Even though sleep routines are disturbed and there is so much chaos surrounding a road trip with little ones, I love the respite from the fullness of a normal week — work to preschool to playdates to appointments to dinner on the table at a reasonable hour…
It’s nice to spend a little more time in my pajamas, eat a big breakfast, read a few more books to my kids, let Thomas snooze on my chest, and have a glass of wine and a piece of pie with the adults after the kids are tucked in.
For family near and far, for good friends, health, food, employment, for our home, and for trips to the country; we are thankful. These are tangible reminders that God is always good and God is always faithful.
A few of my favorite photos from Thanksgiving 2015:
(Not pictured: the 103.7 fever that pummeled Mary Virginia for 24 hours, or the glass of wine Thomas snatched off the table and threw on the ground.)
An (almost) gluten-free picnic under the Christmas tree Grammy and Gramps and Samantha doll-doll.
When I let Thomas try sitting without support, this is what he does.
David spent a lot of time at my parents’ house playing with his Uncle David’s old G.I. Joe Micro Machines. When Uncle David came over for dinner, nephew David shyly asked him to help make sense of the thousand or so pieces that Mommy or Grammy or Gramps couldn’t figure out. (And he did.)
These four are finally old enough to (mostly) play together.
This is where that saying about a picture being worth a thousand words comes from.
[We’re also very thankful that Frank Beamer’s final regular-season game ended in an interception against our in-state rival, who isn’t exactly a rival anymore since we’ve beaten them every single year since 2003. Except it’s still a rival because beating them will always be the cherry on top of Virginia Tech’s season. I cried a little when Bud Foster kissed Frank Beamer’s neck. #ThanksFrank]
