What We Are Thankful For

This year we decided to spare the turkey and were instead very thankful with lasagna.... and garlic bread and Caesar salad. This is a tradition that comes from the lesser-known Italian Pilgrims who were also at the first Thanksgiving feast.... with their pasta, cannolies and wine. Never heard of them, you say? Well... it was probably Guido and Luigi Johnson and some sort of "wine incident" that got them written out of history. Anyway - we decided you don't need turkey in order to be thankful. (When I say "we", I am including the Moss Family and the Winters Family who joined us for our less-than-traditional feast.)

We had a wonderful time. There was yummy food, "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" on the TV, and a rousing game of "pin-the-Pilgrim-hat-on-the-turkey"! The kids had a blast with that one. Tiffany made a wicked-awesome pumpkin cheesecake and Kim brought a very yummy pecan pie. Mmmmmm....

After the party, Huey and I had a discussion about what we are thankful for. It went something like this.

Me: Huey what are you thankful for?

Huey: Oranges
Me: (not surprised, but looking for something with a little more depth... I ask him again)
Huey: Apples
Me: Oh... those are yummy... but what are you really really thankful for? (This time I am confident I asked the question just right so he'll understand I'm looking for something profound)
Huey: Ohhhhh... (as if he finally gets what I'm looking for) STRAWBERRIES!
Me: Also... very yummy! What ELSE are you thankful for?
Huey: YOU!

Okay... now we are getting somewhere. It's good to know the whole pregnancy, birth, serious-sleep-deprivation, and vomit-down-the-cleavage incidents got me an honorable mention behind fruit salad.... but whatever. The important thing is that my son is thankful for me. I am content with that. At bed time we talked about Thanksgiving again and he added a few more things to his list.

• Daddy
• Ms. Tiffme and she's Children and she's Daddy (I'm guessing he means her HUSBAND and not her DAD)
• Joel
• Thomas the Train
• Elli and Elli's mom and dad
• Our house
• Skittles

So that's the list. Those of you who did not make the list will just have to work harder. :o)

And here is my list (in no particular order)

• My wonderful husband (who is missed very much this year)
• My adorable children (even when they are somewhat less than adorable)
• Our beautiful home
• Food in the pantry
• A healthy family
• Our nation
• Good Friends to get me through this deployment
• Mr. Shawn for doing the dishes
• God's unchanging, unending, unconditional love

Happy Thanksgiving!