A Perfect Thanksgiving

This year I had everything set up (at least in my mind) for a delightful Thanksgiving Day here at home. I decided to keep it easy and just go with a simple menu.

• Smoked Turkey Breast
• Homemade Scalloped Potatoes
• Fruit Salad
• Green Beans
• Biscuits
• Apple Cider
• Chocolate Pie for Dessert

I bought everything in advance and planned out a schedule for prep work and baking time. As the big day drew closer, I was feeling kind of smug. Pretty organized for my first time doing this alone. Little did I know how quickly plans can change.

First glitch...We had company over on Tuesday night. No problem. It was our usual night of the week when we get our family together with our good friends. Dinner was in the crock pot for the evening so it would be a breeze. All I had to do was remember to put the turkey in the brine after they left so it could soak for 24 hours. Oops. That's a problem. I was so tired that I just crawled into bed and forgot all about the turkey. Until 7:00am the next morning when I opened the fridge and slipped into a panic! I'm happy to report, though, that soaking it for 5 less hours didn't ruin the turkey. : )

Second glitch...Tuesday morning I took 4 out of 5 of my kids to the doctor to get a flu shot. (One had already gotten hers) It was time for my two youngest children's annual appointments anyway, so I thought I would just get it all out of the way at once. I wasn't, however, thinking about possible side effects and the fact that Thanksgiving was only two days away.

Wednesday passed with no visible side effects. LR had her 4 year shots, so her leg was a little swollen, but not bad. I woke up early Thursday morning to the wonderful smell of smoked turkey roasting in the oven. Whew! My husband remembered to put it in before he came to bed.

Things were looking good. But wait...what's that I hear? Yep. It's a kid throwing up in the bathroom! Oh no! I went in to comfort him, helped him get washed up, and settled him on the couch with cartoons while I set to preparations. Next thing I know, I hear him back in the bathroom again. Huh? He's still on the couch! Not another one! Sigh.

Despite these little glitches, our Thanksgiving was a happy one. We spent a quiet day watching the parade, napping, and cheering our favorite football teams. Dinner did come together and we sat around the table as a family, sick kids and all. The two that were sick in the morning felt better that evening so even though I can't prove it, I'm pretty sure it was the flu shot.

The turkey turned out great and we have plenty of leftovers. It was nice to have my brother in law at the table with us, knowing that soon he will be going on tour with the military over seas. We'll see him again around New Year's, but then his nieces and nephews won't see him again for a year.

If there's one thing I learned this year on Thanksgiving, it's that there is much to give thanks for, no matter what your circumstances. Glitches happen and plans change, but I am forever thankful for family.

I Thess. 5:18 "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

He Is...

This morning I was reading Rachel Anne's thoughts over at Home Sanctuary about what it means for God to be "enough" for us. Normally, this would be the day that I would post my 10 Things for which I am thankful. I think that today I will combine the small thing with Ten Things Tuesday, and make a list of verses that speak to me about how God is "enough" for me.

1. He is my provider. "So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided." Genesis 22:14
2. He is my peace. "And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" Isaiah 9:6b
3. He carries my burdens. "Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens." Psalm 68:19
4. He is my salvation. "The LORD is my light and my salvation-- whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life-- of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1
5. He is my strength. "The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights." Habakkuk 3:19
6. He is my rock. "But the LORD has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge." Psalm 94:22
7. He is the one who sees me when I feel invisible. "She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: 'You are the God who sees me," for she said, "I have now seen the One who sees me.'" Genesis 16:13
8. He is my hiding place and my deliverer. "You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance." Psalm 32:7
9. He is my father. "Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, 'Abba, Father.' So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir." Galatians 4:6-7
10. He is my guide. "The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." Isaiah 58:11

God is all of these things to me and many more. He is more than enough for me!

Blessings,

Melissa

My First Not Me Monday

I've been thinking about joining in the fun of Not Me Monday for a while now. What a great way to get a few things off my conscience and laugh at myself in the process! Plus it's fun to read all of the Not Me Monday confessions listed by other moms.

All right, I'm going to start slow...wouldn't want to get too carried away with the confessions right off the bat! : )

I most certainly did not pig out on three different kinds of birthday cake/cupcakes over the weekend! November is so full of birthdays that I did not consume enough sweets this month to last me a lifetime!

I did not turn my back on my two year old long enough for him to squeeze most of the toothpaste out of the tube and spread it all over his hands, face, the hallway walls, and the floor this week.

I did not almost go ballistic on my kids yesterday when they crushed the plastic ball that came with their brother's bowling game after he hadn't even played with it for more than 10 minutes. I did not tell them that if they don't learn to take better care of their toys, I would take them away.

Whew! That was fun. A good laugh is a great way to end my Monday.

Happy Birthday CD!

It's my youngest's birthday! Today he is two years old. I can hardly believe it! Two years ago on Thanksgiving, I had my thanksgiving dinner in the hospital. I guess "what goes around, comes around" would be the appropriate cliche here! Considering that it was thirty five years ago yesterday that my mom had her Thanksgiving dinner in the hospital. : )

I have a lot to be thankful for in my son CD. He is such a delight. He is in that curious stage where he tests and tries out everything. Including my limits! What a joy it is to watch him learn and grow more each day. You just can't turn your back on him for more than two seconds!

Take last night, for example. Everyone was brushing their teeth in the bathroom so I proceded to pick up for a few minutes. The next thing I knew, here comes a very blue CD covered in toothpaste! He looked like Papa Smurf! What happened to all his older brothers and sisters that were helping in the bathroom?

Not a dull moment with a two year old in the house! I love him to pieces though. Some people call it the "terrible twos". I call it the "terrific twos."

Happy Birthday CD...mommy loves ya!

It's a Wonderful Life

35 years ago today on Thanksgiving, my mom was on her way to the hospital. Yes...35 years ago! Get it out of your system...I know you want to tell me I'm old. ; ) I don't feel old though. I feel like I am in the best part of life.

• I have a wonderful husband whom I've been married to for 14 years. I admire him more with each passing day.
• I have 5 wonderful children. Each and every one of them is a blessing to me. We had parent teacher conferences yesterday and I don't mind telling you how great it is to hear my kids' teachers boast about how great they are!
• I come from a wonderful family, and I'm blessed with wonderful in-laws. Even though we live in separate parts of the state, I am close with them and love them dearly.
• I live in a wonderful house. We were blessed to find this house when we moved here. It has plenty of space for our family and a great, fenced in, back yard for the kids and our dog Max to play.
• I am surrounded by wonderful friends. They rejoice with me when I am happy, and pray with me when I am down. I am thankful for the ones that I can call up and meet for coffee, as well as my support network that can meet with me through e-mail, phone calls, and blogging!
• I serve a wonderful God. He has shown me time and again how much He loves me. In turn, I am grateful that He uses me to share His love with others.

Happy Birthday to Me! It's a wonderful life! Thanks for being a part of it! : )

Getting Ahead in the Game

Coffee Break!!!! It's been a busy morning. My day started by nursing a sick kiddo. Funny, didn't he just have the flu last month? If I recall correctly, he's the one who started all this illness, and now, it's come back around to him again. "What goes around, comes around." That's my BC for ya. And since it started last night, he's yesterday's cliche.

Where was I? Oh yah. Today's small thing. After I dropped my kids off at school I took my shopping list and made my way to the grocery store to beat the Thanksgiving rush. It was a great feeling to get just about everything I need for Thanksgiving dinner. I will need a few fresh items from the store as it gets closer, but I'm on the ball for the most part.

Last year I wanted to smoke a turkey but I realized that UH! OH! The turkey needs to marinate in the brine for 24 hours, and then cook for 15! That wasn't going to happen when my turkey was still frozen the day before Thanksgiving. So this year I made sure to plan in advance. My turkey is defrosting in the fridge and I have everything I need for the brine. I'll start the process on Tuesday, and by Thursday, we will have started a new family tradition. Yay! I just hope it turns out ok.

I'm taking a coffee break in between household chores and parent/teacher conferences. I scheduled all three PTC's on the same day because I wanted to get them out of the way and Fridays are my husband's day off. That means that one of us can go to the conference and the other can stay home with kiddos. Somewhere in the midst of all that, we have to pick up my brother in law at the airport. Like I said, busy day. But it sure is nice to stop and have coffee for a few minutes.

Well, it's "back to the grind" for me! Hmmm....maybe I'll go grind some more coffee! That Rachel Anne! Now she's got me doing it! : )

Enjoy your coffee girls! Have a great weekend!

Ten Things Tuesday

This is the time of year that the word "thankful" comes to life. In school, my kids are studying the history behind Thanksgiving. In church they are learning about gratitude; expressing their thanks to others around them. At home, we are talking about being thankful for family, and for a roof over our heads, and food on our table. We are trying to teach them that Thanksgiving is not just a holiday that happens once a year. It is something that needs to happen every day.

This week my list is a little random, but I am thankful for the little things!

1. I'm thankful for my new toaster from my mom. No more burned toast!
2. I'm thankful for gloves, hats, and warm coats in this cold, crispy weather!
3. I'm thankful my husband, who helps me pile five kids into the van in the morning so I can get them to school.
4. I'm thankful for electricity. It's getting dark early here now and it's nice to have lights to turn on instead of using candles like back in pioneer days.
5. I'm thankful for my washer/dryer. I may never be caught up on Mt. Washmore, but at least I am blessed with my own appliances to use while I try!
6. I'm thankful for soap. It seems like we wash our hands a thousand times a day here. What would we do without antibacterial hand soap???
7. I'm thankful for glasses/contacts. I can see so much more clearly with them!
8. I am thankful for trash cans. Where else would all of those used kleenex go?
9. I am thankful for the dishes that we have to eat on, and the dishwasher that cleans them every night. It may be half size, but that means half the amount of dishes to unload every morning!
10. I am thankful for toothbrushes and toothpaste. Two of my kids went to see the dentist yesterday and everything checked out great. The dentist was impressed at how clean their teeth were for a 4 and 5 year old. :)

There you have it. I will leave you with one last thought today. I am thankful for the God-given ability to recognize and acknowledge all that I have to be thankful for! Even the little things.

I Thess. 5:18 Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will]. (Amplified Bible)