Sunday, November 28, 2010

Reflecting on Thanksgiving

Our family gathered together for a 2 day Thanksgiving celebration this year. There were twenty of us, with our family coming from north, south and east, driving through ice, sleet, rain, and snow to get here by Wednesday afternoon. Joel and I could hardly contain ourselves we were so excited to have everyone under one roof again. That usually only happens once a year due to schedules, etc.

We had our usual Thanksgiving fare, although one turkey was done too soon and the other took an hour longer than we had planned. We still managed to eat a good meal and save room for pie and ice cream. Thursday evening the grandkids performed their annual Christmas play and then they opened Christmas presents from Grandma Na and Papa Joel. We even managed a family photo using a tripod and timer. It only took 4 takes to get a good one!

Staying in a hotel made it possible for the kids to swim and the adults to stay up late visiting. It also made it possible for Joel and I to rest and get a good nights sleep to prepare us for the activities to come. Joel and I did the planning, but little of the cooking or clean up. We still managed one-two rests/naps a day. Lyme and CFS are unforgiving when it comes to pushing over our limits.

We are so grateful for the time we had together...lots of laughter, visiting, hugs, a few cribbage games, a touch football game, and great food filled the days. At first it took awhile for us to adjust to all the noise twenty people make...and then it took us awhile to adjust to the silence after everyone left!

As we spend extra time resting and restoring our energy, we cannot but help but smile as we remember our family gathering. We are blessed with a beautiful family~ inside and out!

4 comments:

Joan Hall said...

Beautiful family, Renee. You all look so happy together.

Have a blessed week!

Anonymous said...

Renee, This is a heart-warming photo of your lovely family. I am so happy you could all be together and I am glad you and Joel were able to rest a little along the way. I bet it does seem quiet now! Wishing you a nice week full of loving, happy memories.

Ruth said...

Hi Renee, this sounds like a beautiful thanksgiving. thanks for sharing the picture.. its beautiful.

Have a blessed week ahead!!

Hugs,
Ruth

Jan Lyn said...

Oh how beautiful a family. These events are such a blessing and so challenging at the same time to us with illness. I know that special feeling of lingering happy memories while attempting to regain and recover back to my new norm again each time. :)
Thanks so much for sharing yourself and family with us!