I have been cooking for my family since I was in 5th grade. Seriously. My mother got a full-time job that year, and while she was home a few house after my brothers and I returned home from school, she would run in, cook dinner, and get things together for all of us. I had watched her make dinner forever, and started asking if I could cook. Before long, I was changing recipes, experimenting with food, and more than capable of cooking for 8 people every day. I made cakes, desserts, and some pretty good dinners, if I do say so myself. I remember the first time I made pasta after Matt and I got married: I put the whole box of pasta in the boiling water, and Matt said "Who else is eating with us?" I had never cooked less than a pound of pasta! (Luckily we both like left-overs)
I always say I love cooking, but I hate making dinner. Cooking is fun and creative, making dinner is expediency and thinking of a balanced diet. Thanksgiving dinner brings both of these things together. There is expediency, what do we need to have, what traditions do we keep, what traditions can we put aside, and what is fun to eat? When my niece and nephew were little toddlers, I decided that I would teach them to make bread. (did I mention I am the only one who likes to cook of my sisters?) So I would go over to my sister Sally's house and Jeff and Steff and I would make bread. I can remember the fascination on their little faces when the bread dough rose and then cooked into shapes of their initials. Last night on Thanksgiving night we Skyped with Stephanie who is in Australia for work. I showed her on the camera our traditional homemade rolls I make now, some 24 years later, and promised her I would make her a whole batch when she gets home.
With another Thanksgiving behind us, I am thankful for so many things. Thankful for Matt and the kids, thankful to have my parents with us, so healthy and vibrant. Thankful for health and a wonderful career that helps me to provide for the needs of my family and to help towards the adoptions. Thankful for the wonderful friends we have. Last week our Shannon went with friends from school to help some of the victims of Hurricane Sandy, and we are all so thankful for the blessings of our home, electricity and heat. We keep all of those affected by the storm in our thoughts and prayers as they live with so much less than we have and yet are grateful to be alive.
Next year at Thanksgiving, I will be adding stories of our 'little guy.' At that time I will be thankful for completing another, and our last, adoption. Each day I am grateful and thankful to God, 'from whom all blessing flow'. Through his Providence, we receive 'every spiritual blessing in the heavens', and He has chosen to give us so many.
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| One of the many Thanksgivings at our house on Chesworth Road |
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| One full table! |
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| Cousins! |
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| Celebrating 4 birthdays |
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| Sarah with my Mom |
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| A glimpse of the past...my whole family in Williamsburg. |
With the Christmas season officially upon us, I am looking forward to another holiday. We are almost finished our room additions downstairs, which will be awesome when they are done. All three of the older girls are moving downstairs and they are loving it. We have one room completed, and they are sleeping in there at the moment. Before Christmas break when Sarah and Meghan will be home for an extended period, the second room will be done. There is nothing like spreading out, cleaning out old things, and finding new places for important things. The older I get, the less I keep, and the less interest I have in spending time organizing and cleaning!
Just a reminder about Goat Milk Soaps! They are selling well and all the profits go towards helping us to pay for our travel fees.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
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