Happy Thanksgiving

There are so many things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving - I thought I would start a list and add to it by editing the post all week long. Add comments to increase the reasons we are all so thankful.

The Day After Thanksgiving
I am thankful that I had such a wonderful time seeing so many nieces and nephews at Jim and Cindy's. Karina, Karalee, Ethan, Robbie and Sheala played all day together while all the aunts played with Tsipporah. I love watching the grand nieces and nephews play just like their Mom's and Dad did all those Thanksgivings ago! Everything was so typical - Fred bothering Caroline, Kim bossing us all around to make sure everything made it to the table hot and delicious, The guys watching football and cooking both the turkey's on the grill, The women closing the french doors and talking until some child finds us and the quiet time ends! Thank you... Thank you... Thank you...

Late Thanksgiving Morning - Almost Noon
Pat and I went to SS Peter and Paul for Thanksgiving Mass. The Nouvel football team was there with all of their families. The place was filled with laughter and love and lots of talking. It was a beautiful service and Fr. Jack used the Waterford Chalice that Mom, Patsy, Fran and I got him from Ireland. He made sure I noticed it after Mass. We are so filled with blessings.

Thanksgiving Morning
Well - here we are Thanksgiving Morning - I'm so thankful that the pumpkin roll came out of the pan - the pie crust for the onion tarts turned out flaky AND that Cindy and Jim are so willing to share their family with ours. I cannot wait to go over and see all my nephews and nieces - everyone is home for the holidays. Also, we got just a little bit of snow and when we got up this morning every tree limb was lightly covered with beautiful white snow. It looks like a holiday card looking out my window. It looks like it might all melt by the time everyone is on the road.

DAY THREE
I am thankful to have spent time with Sheala and Robbie after school yesterday. We went to Saginaw Township government building to pick up Mary Lynn's quilt that was in an art show there. Then we stopped at Goodwill - I found a tiered cookie dish and she found a Newberry Award book. Then we went to the bowling alley and watched Robbie bowl an awesome game at his practice. We had fun. Grandchildren are the greatest!

DAY TWO
Dinner Out
We had a great time watching Sheala play volleyball - then we went over to Joanna and Robin's for a great dinner. Ham and Gnocchi - mmmm mmmmm mmmmm Robin is a great cook - we had a very nice evening.

10 Days Left Before Open House
I got up at 3:00 am and decided the bead room HAS to be cleaned out before I do another thing. Everything is in disarray. So I did the quiet stuff first while Pat was sleeping. I was out of control trying to get something done for my friend this past weekend and I kept dumping out piles of beads until I finally found what I needed. So I ended up with tons of beads mixed together - UGH - it is not easy getting them back in separate containers. So I got that part done and tonight I will work on packing up the storage boxes for the open house at the Grady's Farm on Nov 30-Dec 2 - then I will figure out what else has to be wrapped before then. So I am very thankful that I still have 10 days to get ready for the show!!!!! I will need it!!!

DAY ONE
Faith
Through an incredibly difficult year - we are still filled with faith. We are searching for a church and in the process have been blessed with wonderful homilies and faith-filled communities.

Pat
He is not in a cast this Thanksgiving. After a bad fall off a ladder last year he broke his back and his wrist. Months of rest and relaxation and recovering from these injuries had us worried about a full recovery. One year later - he is back to work and back to 100%.

Our Family
We are so blessed to have a wonderful family. Everyone is healthy and happy. Could we ask for anything more? Working at the Police Department, I see so much dysfunction in families in the victims and suspects that come through this building that I realize how easily families fall into disrepair. It takes hard work and commitment to have a family stay together. Even when people work very hard sometimes it doesn't happen. The fact that ours is so together means so much to me.

Friends
We have the most amazing friends. They stick by us through everything. I cannot believe this extended family of ours - they love us, nurture us, help us, and they are ALWAYS there for us.

Beads
I love the artistic part of the hand bead work. I will never make as much as I spend - and that is fine. The money that comes in pays for more beads. The joy is in the searching for the pieces to buy and then making the piece my own style. What fun this has been this year. Thankfully Patrick is very supportive and loves going on treasure hunts with me.

That's all for today - I'll add some more tomorrow. ME