Thanksgiving Memories

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and this really starts the time of year that is my utmost favorite! I remember growing up and how we would celebrate Thanksgiving. We would always have a family breakfast at the table, dad, grandpa, grandma and me in a circle around the table eating one of my grandmothers wonderful breakfasts. They weren't 5 star restaurant meals, but they were better than any 5 star dinner I have had, because my grandmother made it. There would be home made "nibblies" as my dad would call them (your every day chex party mix), but not made in a microwave like the box directions tell you, but baked for an hour in the oven, lovingly stirred every 15 minutes so they cooked evening. Dad and I would plop down on the couch while grandpa would find his favorite "napping" place in his AND MY favorite papasan chair to watch the traditional Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. It was paradise for me growing up, just snuggled in the arms of my daddy singing along with the Broadway songs with my grandpa as they played out during the parade.
Grandma was always catching up on her diary and starting the wonderful Thanksgiving day meal that was to come later in the afternoon. The smells in the house were so abundant, but so wonderful. How I wish I could wake up tomorrow morning, come out to the living room (now filled with boxes for our move) and see that scene, including grandma and grandpa of course, and smell those heavenly smells.
Many times we would have friends or distant family over for the Thanksgiving meal, and those were always fun too. With grandpa being a retired preacher, it seemed like people who weren't technically our family were still family and always welcome at our table.

On particular Thanksgiving, the four of us rented a Dodge Caravan (early 80s) and drove from our home in Orlando, FL to my great-grandmothers house (grandpa's mother) in Vermont. It was a long drive, but it was one of the best Thanksgivings I can remember. She had no idea we were coming and boy was she surprised. With all the families together that year there must have been about 40 gathered around the table, with lots of laughs and tears and love and thanks, which is just what Thanksgiving is about! Grandpa made a brief stop in New York City on the way back home, so brief that he dropped my dad and I off at a light and let us walk around as he drove around the city waiting on us. We went into Macy's (boy what a store, and the holiday scenes in their windows were simply amazing and of course beautiful), we made a pit stop into Radio City Music Hall so I could see where the "Rockets" danced, and checked out a few things in between. I do remember that it was so crowded with people in taxis and many just walking the streets and sidewalks. As a young girl, you can bet my dad had a good strong hold onto my hand. I just couldn't believe how many people were out at one time, but I also though, "man, what an amazing place!"

Back then, and even today our Christmas tree was NEVER up this early, and years ago, you never saw anyone's trees up this early...we actually would wait until AFTER Thanksgiving. Wow, what a concept, huh? Our family (my dad and I that is) still wait to put the tree up until the first week in December.

This Thanksgiving I am just so thankful for so many blessings, even though this has been one of the hardest years I have had to face, with the miscarriages, and struggles, and uncertainty, I still feel so incredibly blessed. Blessed for the love of an amazing husband, who loves like nothing I could have ever imagined to receive. Blessed with a marriage like my precious grandparents had for 64 years. Blessed with the best father a girl could ever ask for, and a relationship with him that just grows stronger with each passing year. Blessed with a great extended (in-law) family who is so incredibly dear to my heart. Blessed with amazing memories with two of the best people ever to walk the earth, who helped raise me into the woman I am today, but most importantly, for the love that the Lord shows me every day, even when I am really un-loveable it seems. I'm so thankful for his grace and mercy and for his forgiveness when I falter and fail as a human, and for lifting me up and walking beside me through some of the darkest times of my life. I also thank him for putting that girl, Linda, in my path today. I needed that conversation, and to hear someone, some stranger that doesn't know what I have gone through simply say, "I will pray for you"... I needed that more than I knew.

Grandpa and Grandma have since joined the other angels in heaven, but as they look down on this earth and watch me from heavens windows, I hope and pray that they are proud of the woman, daughter, wife and person I have grown into. I thank them for all the wonderful memories, not just of Thanksgiving, or Christmas....but for all the memories that flood my mind. I cherish each and every one of them.

I had hoped to have a "thanksgiving" picture to share of grandma, grandpa, dad and me...but with the packing to move bit, well...let's just say it is put up and won't be seen until we are moved and the unpacking begins. So...I had a picture on my computer already of my grandparents, though I thought I would share that.

I pray everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving, filled with amazing memories!!!