I'm Thankful

I'm thankful for a lot these days - as I should be every day - but there it is again: you don't always think about how great something is until you're missing it, do you? What specific things, small and big, am I thankful for?

I'm thankful that when Two came down last night to ask for warm milk, he had every intention of making it himself. And he did.

I'm thankful that One's bake sale today to raise money for Living Water was a success, and that the Principal, IB Coordinator, and his teacher all complimented him on his responsibility and hard work. Fine praise when you're 10 - or any age, come to think about it.

I'm thankful that when the battery died in the minivan this afternoon, it did so after the bake sale was over, so while we had to miss a doctor's appointment waiting for a jump, we didn't miss any of One's wonderful sale.

I'm thankful for working from home this week, and being able to get things cleaned in between work projects. That's a lot better than washing wood floors at 10pm!

I'm thankful that I am NOT in charge of the turkey, but that it is in the uber-capable hands of Husband, who will once again, I'm sure, produce the best.bird.evah. I love to cook all the side dishes, especially things like green bean casserole, and I'll even make the gravy, but knowing that the turkey is not my job just makes Thanksgiving Day that much more sweet.

I'm thankful that the boys have their first pieces of music to learn on the violin. I'm not so certain I'm glad I get to listen to Jingle Bells all weekend long, but it could sound okay ...

I'm thankful that, however much work I have to do tomorrow, the laptop will be stowed in its bag by this time tomorrow night, and it will not see the light of day until Monday morning. Four whole days!

Those are mostly small things, but they're the sort of things that make life better in so many ways. I'm grateful beyond belief for so many big things - the kind of things so big they make you cry when you think about them (like the sight of the cross hanging around Husband's neck, for instance) - but I think I'll save all of those for another day.

God bless y'all, and when you count your blessings may they be too many to list.

Thankful

"i thank you god for most this amazing day." - ee cummings

Stolen from Meg and Marcus - thanks guys.

I am overwhelmed with thanksgiving to God today. For the weather, which is finally warm and sunny (praise God!) for my perfect (in a human sense) 2nd child, whose birthday it is today, and for my church and its liturgy, which casts a veil of peace over every Sunday. In more detail:

Yes, it is warm today! This transplanted Yankee with thin Texas blood is going out in the back yard to bask in the sun. It has been a long time since I've seen the sun, and even longer than that since the sun has seen my legs. Eeek.

Two is 7 today. Seven years ago today, our family as we know it now became complete. Happy birthday to my creative, sensitive, beautiful and giving son. I love you bigger than the universe.

And as on every Sunday, Thanks be to God for the gift of the most beautiful liturgy, and the ability to celebrate it every week in freedom. Thank you for the prayers, incense and songs, and the peace it showers down upon us all.

And now, that the whole day may be perfect, holy, peaceful and sinless, let us ask of the Lord.

Thanks be to God!

"O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.

The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.

O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.

For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand."

v 1-7

What's for Dinner?

Like everyone else today, I am in the midst of planning for the Thanksgiving meal tomorrow. Here's what's on the menu:

Husband's perfectly brined and roasted turkey (he could win awards, I kid you not).

Mother-in-law's stuffing with raisins, onions and celery. Lots of white bread and butter - yum.

Whipped sweet potatoes, full of honey and butter and topped with mini marshmallows. Because you're never to old to pretend you're seven again.

Brussel sprouts roasted a la Barefoot Contessa. This year I may add some red onion and apple to the pan, just to change it up a little. This is Husband's favorite vegetable, so perfection is important.

Green bean casserole - not the traditional one but a new recipe from my friend Kelly. It involves sour cream and lots of cheddar cheese, so I knew from the moment I saw the recipe that it was made for us.

Some cranberry salad nonsense, also provided by the Mother-in-law. She and I love the stuff. We open a can of whole berry cranberry sauce for Husband, who has lived through too many Thanksgiving cranberry salad nightmares to be able to eat in anymore. If you ever think of it, ask him about the lime jello salad with shredded cabbage his mother made one year. He brings up the subject at the Thanksgiving table every. single. year. Poor, scarred man.

Rolls of some sort, being purchased perhaps right this second by Husband, who is at Whole Foods looking for last-minute ingredients. I married well - have I mentioned that before?

Pumpkin pie with whipped cream and Goode Company BBQ Pecan Pie with vanilla ice cream. I. love. pie.

The best meal of the year is only 24 hours away! Aren't you excited?

Thankfulness

Michele has a thankfulness list up, and since it’s the season, here’s mine. We’re going with Michele’s theme of small, nice things to be thankful for, on the premise that you already can guess I’m terribly thankful for God, my husband, the boys, the dogs, Ecclesia, blah blah blah. I am immensely grateful for:

My iPod and its cute little player I keep at work
My Nikon
The boys’ school
New York Bagels that are still warm when you buy them in the morning
Jonny Quest reruns
Robbie’s music at church
Houston restaurants
Whataburger breakfast tacos
The fact that Husband is cooking the turkey again this year
Boys big enough to bathe themselves
Instapundit
The sunshine today
The few pairs of shoes I own that don’t hurt
Not having gained any more weight for 6+ months
Sleeping in on Saturdays while the boys watch TV
TiVo
James Lileks
P.G. Wodehouse
My cleaning lady
Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
My bed: the most comfortable one in the world
Kate, Michele, Elizabeth, Sarah, Liz, Tony, Missy, Nina, Meg, CC, JMom, MoziEsme, and Jen
Online CLE
Amazon
Toasted English muffins with butter and peanut butter