Delayed Gratitude

A long, long time ago, (OK, actually about 2+ weeks ago) we celebrated an amazing Thanksgiving. The time since has been so jammed with activities, reports, and painting that I did not give our marvelous day the praise it deserved. But I will now.

We actually had to wait till that Friday to get our feast-on because, joy of joys, our friends the Poynters came to spend it with us. Time-off relegated us to partake a day late, but oh, how we partook. I am ashamed to say that I took many, many pictures of the food, and not so many of the dear folks with whom we enjoyed it (oops!), but they know how much we adore them.

It all began, as wonderful meals do, in the prep. No sooner had Melissa and Kevin's family piled into our house from their long drive, than we were making pies. Lots of them.

Tessa takes Pie Making 101

Daylight dawned and we began anew. Fresh fruit salad with Kiwi's from a friend's tree, even fresher orange-pecan-apple-cranberry relish...

Melissa's amazing glazed sweet potatoes that I almost ruined (did she say 3 teaspoons of salt? I thought I heard three tablespoons!)

And of course, the rolls. (I'll just hurry and whip some out, said Melissa).

Danni and Ellie sat down an hour before the meal, waiting in anticipation (or was it starvation?).

We made green bean casserole but used fresh steamed broccoli instead, and will never go back to beans. The mashed potatoes with the skins still on were the perfect match to the main event (for me)... the gravy.

With so much food on the table, we had to give the turkey a place of it's own!

This was the before.

I did not take a picture of the after.

We were groggy and sleepy and so full we could barely move. That is nothing anyone wants to see.

But oh, my, it felt good.

Pie, anyone?

I have such gratitude in my heart for my blessings. Though we have had a pretty rough time the past two years, I look back and see the service, love and kindness we have been given by dear friends. I am not wanting for food or shelter. My children are well and safe and happy. My husband is my Sweetie, and my very best friend. I am surrounded by people I love and who love me back perfectly.

We have all that we need, and that is enough.

And in the immortal words of Mary Poppins,

"Enough is as good as a feast."

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