Over the Meadow….

Isn’t there something about holidays, family events, being celebrated within the walls of a house, that make it feel like a home? In just a couple of hours we’ll be leaving for the airport, to bring my mom back here to spend the week, our first Thanksgiving in our home on the lake.

We’ll head straight from the airport to meet Sarah’s family for dinner – Mom hasn’t even met Miss Addie, and the last time she saw Grayson he was a baby, being held on a lap at a wedding with prayers over him that he wouldn’t spit up on the mother-of-the-bride. I imagine it’ll be full of noise and talking over and checking out Caiden’s chickens, and Addie will probably try to convince her great-grandmother to come inside her little playhouse for just a bit. Addie tries to convince anyone who walks through their door, and sometimes she gets takers. I’m hoping to get a four-generation photo of my mom, me, Sarah and Addie.

Then we’ll head to the lake – tomorrow morning we’ll have coffee and cinnamon rolls, looking across the water. Hopefully we’ll hear the squawky call of the heron cranes as they fly low across the water, looking for breakfast, and maybe, just maybe, they’ll decide to fish from one of the nearby boathouses so Mom can watch. Then we’ll head into town to hand out Thanksgiving bags at the Care Center – she was especially excited about that. Later that evening there are mule-driven carriage rides through the brick-lined streets of the old downtown for $2 apiece, as they light up the stores and encourage shoppers to come inside. You know you’re in the south when they hand out fried chicken to the shoppers!

Wednesday I’m thinking will be a stay-home day, with an extra pot of coffee and staying in pjs extra long. At some point we’ll drag out the scrabble board, and if I’m really lucky I’ll beat her, or at least make a decent showing. I’m not counting on that. She’s fiercely competitive and has yet to LET me win. We’re also hoping to iChat with Leslie’s family in PA. My Mom has also never met four-year-old Landon. It’d be way more fun if the three of them were here with us, but it’s amazing how close you can feel through a computer screen. If I could just reach through and squeeze him a little bit, but Mom will enjoy talking with them I’m sure, and today’s generation of kids don’t think a thing of talking through a screen.

Thursday will start with Macy’s parade – of course, then we’ll drive to spend the day with our son’s wife’s entire tribe of family, all sharing food, and then the annual game of flag football on the lawn. I’m told the aunts play and I’m welcome to join in! Mom hasn’t met her newest great-granddaughter either, Miss Jae Beth, and I expect she’ll immediately be smitten by those big, blue eyes and quick grin. BTW – did I ever mention we have another grandbaby on the way? I think I forgot, but we do. Due right around my birthday next June. We’re excited about this little one, and it’ll be fun to watch Dan and Janae juggle their growing family.

Friday is the big cooking day, with family coming here for turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy (I’d be completely happy with just mashed potatoes), sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, fruit salad, cranberry sauce, rolls, then hours later when we’re no longer miserable we’ll pull out the pies and blue bell ice cream, so we can waddle off to bed fat and happy. Hopefully we’ll send home some plates of leftovers so we don’t eat turkey for a month.

Saturday – up for grabs. It’s her last day here and we know of a restaurant that sits right on the water, and has wonderful steaks. Mom likes a good steak and I like a woman who is not afraid to eat!

And mixed all in there will be a sense of family, and being tremendously blessed, not with what we have, but who we have near and far, and whose we are.

Happy Thanksgiving everybody, wherever you spend it. For just one day, don’t count the calories. Count the blessings!