Thankful Tues/Thanksgiving

I apologize for the long delay in posts, but stuff happens and you have to regroup and try to get back on track.

On This Thankful Tues. before our Thanksgiving I'm so very thankful for memories of past Thanksgivings. While I was growing up, there was no stress about who would be where and how we would get there etc. etc. We were always just together! We were a family and of course we were together. I can't say I have a single memory of the food but I have memories of the love.

Sorry that Cynthia's cut off in this pic. Donna was still hanging on a star :) Happy Thanksgiving Uncle Lyle!

Thanksgiving is a truly American Holiday, with only Canada having one also(but I bet they copied us) :) The story behind Thanksgiving is a beautiful story and as a teacher I've read it and told it and and done art projects and relived the Pilgrims and the Indians many many times. But some how it never got old! I love the story. Two very different peoples came together and gave thanks and shared what they had and had fellowship together. What an amazing concept.

The very first Thanksgiving Brownie and I had together was wonderful! I'm sure we drove on down the road and celebrated with my Mother later but I fixed enough food for all of McChord AFB I think. I know I have a least a roll of pictures of the food alone!

Then as we moved apart and started our own traditions, the food and love continued, although I have to admit that a whole lot of holiday's for this fireman's wife were spent alone with 2 little girls ~

When I was the Director and teacher at our Church's Preschool Program, we always had a "feast". Where everyone brought in all sort's of little finger foods and the kids just wiped noses and reached thru it all :) This past week Liam had his and it was very much the same.

I can honestly say the most "FUN" I had for any Thanksgiving was when I had my home day care "MzSharon's House". That was a HUGE day. It was held on Wed before Thanksgiving so in later years the kids started getting out of 'big' school on that day and they ALL wanted to come to my house for Thanksgiving. I don't have pictures handy of the REALLY huge crowds of days but you will get my point. I would get them breakfast and get the kitchen cleaned, get babies changed and then just let them play, watch TV(which we didn't do during play time normally) and I hit the kitchen. I fixed little Cornish Hens, so they thought they were just little turkeys :) and EVERYTHING else you could want or think that goes with Thanksgiving dinner, I cooked it that day. I took a break and had a story and lesson while stuff baked etc. and then they got to pick a video to wait on the big production. And they were so excited. I am not sure if they or I was more excited actually! They all came to the kitchen and looked over all the food and at MzSharon's house you didn't say "Ick" or I don't want that. Thank was a house rule!

Little eyes were enormous and then took their places at the table. Later when the big kids started coming back we used our dining table and anything we could put a plate on. I dished up the babies first in their 3 high chair's with paper plates and plastic utensils napkins and cups all with Turkey's and the like put on. Then I dished up something of everything for all the kids. They did not have to eat it all, but they had to at least touch their tongue to it! and some of them ate about 2 cups of olives and a quart of green beans and a good size bowl of creamed potatoes all by themselves! Everyone ate though, no one turned down everything and they all loved the whole day and felt stuffed! LONG naps on Thanksgiving Wednesday :)

As years past, our Caroline was born Nov 20, which is almost always Thanksgiving week



so the Garner extended family became a part of our Thanksgiving tradition and it moved to Suzy's house.

Some of those years took place in Tupelo but at least 6 or 7 in Lawrencburg. Everyone chipped in to cook and Suzy always had it so well organized, it went off swimmingly!

And Usually, Lindsey, Brownie and Ernie cleaned up! Then out came the birthday presents :)

Then 11 years later our Jimmy made his entrance into the world on Nov 15. So now we have 2 birthdays and Thanksgiving to try to coordinate! You would think out of all the days in the year, our first two grandchildren would not have had birthdays 5 days apart! But on we go~~

One time a few years ago, our whole family went out to the base and had Thanksgiving with Papa at the Fire hall. For some reason, he could not get off, so we went to him. I think the Garners were in Massachusetts at that time. We had a great time and the little boys went wild riding the fire trucks and ambulances, although Liam was just a little baby at that time.

Last year was a year of grieving for our family so we didn't get together. Brownie and I went up to Fall Creek Falls SP and ate at the banquet hall. It was a fantastic meal and still lots of color and it was nice to get away and reflect.

This year we had Thanksgiving on Jimmy's birthday, the 15th. It was a beautiful warm fall day and half of our family were outside eating on the deck and the kids got to play till they dropped!

On Thursday we are going to sneak away to an undisclosed location and have another peaceful day of reflection. Lots going on right now and we had our good day with Jimmy.

So happy Thanksgiving to all. Thank you God for blessing me with this wonderful extended family and thank you for the love the washes thru us. Thank you.

This is a very old picture of the "Foreman" family past, from which I descend. I don't know if this was Thanksgiving for sure but it might have been by the clothing etc. I love the pic. My Grandfather is the back row 2nd in.