Thanksgiving....I'm thankful....

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FRIENDS AND FAMILY! Today is officially my most favorite holiday of the year. I could give up any other holiday just to keep Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving, to me, is a holiday that is so genuine. A holiday where friends and family gather around and give thanks to each other. There are no presents exchanged or a silly gimmick, it's just a real heartfelt holiday. For the 30 years of my existence Thanksgiving has been a very special holiday. I set here reflecting on Thanksgiving from years before. I loved going to my Grandparents and seeing the big feast my Grandma had prepared. And I'm not talking about one Grandma, I had 2 that prepared a big feast. So it's only a given that I would prepare a big feast every year- hey it's in the genes. Grandma Smith would have a house full (I have 10 aunt's and uncles and I love and miss them so very much), my most fond memory is her working her tail off to make sure Dad did NOT have lumpy potatoes. Everyone would try to sneak in and have a taste of what would be cooking and Grandma was there to slap your hand, well not mine. She taught me how to cook. And I would just watch her. I can remember what she would wear to prepare the food, her apron and her voice (I've been called Juanita Jr. for the longest time and I love it). After we were full of turkey it was time to sit down and draw names for Christmas. Every year, and still to this day, I love the anticpation of wondering who I will get this year. And NIKKI add another name into the pot! So, I'm THANKFUL for Grandma Smith- who always had my back. Moving on to the other Thanksgiving feast at my Grandma Jones's house (keep in mind the Grandmas only lived 5 mins. away from each other). Grandma Jones Thanksgiving dinner's were a little different. Instead of paper plates we used the fancy china. And instead of 45 people running around it would be the 5 of us. Grandma Jones always looked perfect. Make up on perfect, hair always done just right and she looked so pretty making this big ol' turkey dinner. She has a lot of aprons, aprons that she hand made. She had black and white gingham aprons with yellow and red roses on them, she had a pretty lace one too. I still can see her standing in the kitchen looking so beautiful. However, she did NOT let me test anything. And I'm pretty sure my brother would be the one that could have the first test. That being said every Thanksgiving I look forward to preparing lots of food for my family. I love to make everything from scratch, just like my Grandma's did. I still wear my Grandma Jones apron and use the exact same china. However, I will not look 1/2 as pretty as she did cooking. I still fix favorites that my Grandma Smith would whip up. So I am THANKFUL for my family, my friends, my job and this year more THANKFUL then ever- for our daughter Sophie Lee. The Lord has blessed us with the most perfect gift. Today, as you sit down with your friends and family remember what this day is all about. In HIS name-- my love- mommy B.