More Than Thanksgiving Day

My parents were married on Thanksgiving Day 44 years ago!?

I love this picture! They were 18 years old. This year, their anniversary fell on Thanksgiving Day...again!

The story goes that they picked Thanksgiving Day because mom's dad would not close his furniture store for their wedding. It would already be closed for Thanksgiving. I think my dad was trying to be "smart" and picked Thanksgiving so he would remember the anniversary. OOPS, Thanksgiving isn't the same every year (hee hee).

23 years ago, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and had her surgery near Thanksgiving Day. We put the Christmas tree up early that year...and have ever since! They had a steak dinner in the hospital on their anniversary.

Thanksgiving will always be more than just a day of food! It reminds me that 2 complete opposites can marry and stay committed to each other for life (ha ha). AND that my mom is a survivor! She survived to mother me throughout my teens, she was here for my wedding, she was here for the births of my kids, she IS HERE to be my friend!!

All I Ever Wanted....All I Ever Needed...(not the 80s song)

I had a deep discussion with a friend yesterday. She was asking me about debt, finances, Christmas presents, family, marriage, kids. All the deep questions that truly gave me a migraine by the end of the day. (I don't like to "think")

At the end of the conversation she looked at me and said "but I don't understand, you are truly happy! I can see it in the way you act, the things you say, your smile.".......(that is a first! I am usually accused of being sad or grumpy.....must have been the Jesus filter..)

Let me share what I shared with her:

Jeff has lost jobs and found jobs, we have worried about paying bills and we have had "eat out" money, we have had medical issues and we have been healhy, we have had deaths and other losses, we have had births and gains, our marriage has been up and down, we have made bad decisions and good decisions, BUT in all those life lessons....I have had Jesus. Jesus has pulled me up out of my pond of grief, anxiety, dispair.....Jesus has slapped me back into focus! Jesus has shown us that all we need his HIM...everything else is just life.

I had a good friend in college (Emily). She would say..."that has nothing to do with eternity."

I live by that.

The only thing that effects eternity is choosing to have a relationship with Jesus!

All anyone needs is Jesus.

I can starve to death, I can lose all wordly things, I could die......and worst of all I could lose family........but I would still have Jesus! AND that is ALL I NEED!!

The most wonderful time of the year!!

I love Halloween! My kids have made it even better. They love to design their own costumes. This year Jack was a brain. He made his own costume with some help from Jeff. Max was to be a turtle. We strapped his bean bag to him. He then changed it to a fantasy creature. Most people thought he was being creative.. "ninja turtle". He only cares about the candy anyway!!

Thanksgiving brings the changing weather. I will have to admit, I don't care much about Thanksgiving. Memphis weather is usually warm or wet. I hate cooking and REALLY am not a Thanksgiving food kind of person. You spend a bunch of time cooking and then it is eaten in a flash and then you spend double the time to clean up. I am fortunate to be with my family all through the year. I also have tried to make it a habit to be thankful everyday!!

BUT CHRISTMAS!!!! AHHHH Christmas, I love it!! I put my tree up the weekend of Thanksgiving. We have an artificial tree. ALLERGIES.

Sometimes Memphis will give me a break and I get some cold weather during Christmas-Holiday-Time. I love the music, the lights, the decorations, the food (anything I want). We are learning to emphasize the TRUE meaning of Christmas. Each year we are forced to do less and less "material" Christmas and do more and more "Spirit" and traditions of Christmas.

I know that when the boys are older they will remember the things they DID better than the things they GOT........................I hope.

So HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

HAPPY NEW YEAR

and don't forget to be thankful everyday!!

MMMWWWAAAhahahahahah

I can find ANYTHING to get out of exercise!!

I hate walking the dog. She darts at every squirrel, she jumps and pulls at every dog in their fences. I hate having something that will not obey me!!

I was given a treadmill. GREAT, I thought. I need to lose 27 pounds (lost 5 already).

I trained the dog to walk the treadmill!! She loves it! She walked 2 minutes the first time with me holding her up and steady on the treadmill. She walked 8 minutes the next time with her leash tied to the treadmill. She walked 10 minutes this morning with no trouble (on her leash). Two hours later. She gets on the treadmill by herself. I turned it on and she walked for 16 minutes, no leash, and hopped off when she was done (16.21 minutes)!!

She is a much happier and pleasant dog!!

Now I do not have to walk the neighborhood!!! BUT I will have to find time for ME on the treadmill!!