Happy Crab Day

You'll be happy to know that I worked the crabbies out of my system with a decent night's sleep and the fact the Lincoln's impromptu fever is gone as fast as it came.

So, let's talk turkey! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I managed to get my whole crew on the road just before noon, with the truck packed full and just before the kids' nap time. It was going to be a good day. We were headed to my parents' house for a long weekend visit and a much anticipated mommy break for me.

I've come to think of Thanksgiving as one of my most favorite holidays. Probably because of the newest traditions we have begun to create. Thanksgiving day with my parents involves happy faces, no stress, my mom's chex party mix that is always way too salty that you can't hardly stop eating it, and Alaskan king crab legs for dinner. Oh yeah, I said crab leg for Thanksgiving dinner! Yummola! We'll be saving our traditional turkey dinner for Saturday when Greg, Kate and Colin arrive. And then it is for-real-Thanksgiving.

But in keeping with the whole meaning of Thanksgiving, let me just share with you what I am most thankful for.

I am thankful for the moments that continue to take my breath away. I'm thankful for my God and the family that He has placed in my life. His most perfect gift of love that we share with one another. That He alone has created the most beautiful children for us to call our own and love with every fiber of our beings. The gifts of happiness and love and warmth and peace and faith. For the ability to recognize these gifts and appreciate them every single day. For our lives and our health and the bonds of friendship that bring us laughter along the way. And I'm thankful for the time I have upon this earth to make it all worthwhile.

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Just to share one clip from my Thanksgiving day. When we began our trip in the truck today, I put in our favorite Christian kids songs CD. Elaina immediately recognized it and with a sense of awe in her voice, she shouted, "God!" When I told her that the songs were about God, she began to look for him in the air above her. I briefly reminded her that God was in heaven and we weren't able to see him up so high, but he's always with us. From that, she told me, "Mommy, my angels. I go get 'em. I bring 'em to my house. I go fast."

To that, Mommy cried.