ThanksGIVING 2008

My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving: a great time to get together, eat a good meal, and enjoy family. And this year was truly a miraculous occasion. Andy & Sam both said they would come, but could not stay long because they had to be back to work before the week was done . . . We knew we would be doing our Enjoying of Each Other's Company on Thursday.

~~Little happy-face girlie cousins Lauryl & Lizzie. Daddy/Uncle Sam taught them how to cut butterflies on the fold of the paper so the wings would flap. Dining room chimney in the background.

~~Kade, Sammy & Lizzie looking down from the top of the stairs with the kids' Hidey-Hole library in back of them. They found some thread cones from a commercial sewing machine: they were playing bionic monster and Kade called them "claw protectors".

Andy, Becky & their crew arrived first, and I could tell the difference Grannie Camp each summer for the kids makes: they were at home and relaxed, glad to be in Elsinore. Greeting my grandkids was like saying hello again to old friends!!

~~ Here's Amy & Mike last summer: 24th of July in Monroe, the "traditional" (for the Bouchers) book sale. Usually it is in the basement of the library where it is pretty cool . (Two reasons for going: the books and the cool!) This year it was in the old firehouse to the side of the library building and not as refreshingly cool.

~~Wed night we ran out of bedrooms and were trying to find places for Andy & Becky's crew. The little kids were on the living room floor and couches, and Britty was reading in the library. I said, "Honey, would you like to sleep on this little bed (in the computer room up over the porch -- the one where you watch out when standing up or you conk your head)? You'll be in here by yourself . . ." Well, of course she wanted to, she always finds an excuse to play around in there when she visits. This time, however, she ended up with company . . . With Andy & Wayne visiting in the TV room and Sam & I in the dining room, Amy & Mike "visited" Britty until the TV couches were "vacant" and ended up staying the night. I don't know how the other 2 kids fit in there!

Next morning when Sam's kids woke up they just rattled around like they had always lived here. . . Josh, Lauryl & Kade felt at home and enjoyed their Boucher cousins. Sam's Josh (left) & Andy's Hunter (right) have a special friendship, as do Lauryl & Lizzie, and they got all excited to see each other.

While dinner was cooking and we were visiting during the day, I would find myself listening . . . Listening for the kiddies, how they were getting along . . . And all I found was the most wonderful, calm feeling of peace and happiness. No squabbles, and really, no kids under foot. They were off someplace in our funny little house with its hidey-holes, playing with each other. It was kind of a chilly day and they didn't go outside much, just played inside.

What a wonderful blessing, to feel joy and peace with your family, even though they don't see each other often. What a blessed occasion, to be able to celebrate a special holiday of gratitude and thankfulness with our loved ones . . . who love each other!!!

There are other pictures of Thanksgiving, and Sarah has some on her blog, but this is one of my favorites. After all the kids had played, and the gals had cooked, and everyone had eaten, the Grannie Cook was all tuckered out. That is when the Knights of the Dishpan popped up and banished us from the kitchen. And that's something a body can be thankful for!!

A special thanks to Sarie, Becky, Amy & Britty for their wonderful help and friendship . . . We, all of us, had such a great time being together!!!