November 23, 2006 Thanksgiving Day

Roni's a Turkey!

I have so much to be thankful for! It was a beautiful day today....clear cool (but not cold) and sunny. While Catherine and Phillip are with their Dad in Baltimore this holiday, Christopher and Amy were here and we had a wonderful day.
We knew a few days ago that my friends at Methodist had arranged to get Thanksgiving Dinner for us, so we knew to expect "company" around 11:00 this morning. Well, soon after 11:00, the phone rang and it was my friend, Roni Waitman (who works at Methodist). She said, "Go to your front door and look outside!" We all three walked to the front door, opened it and there stood Roni, wearing a "pilgrim turkey" apron -- complete with the "turkey's" stuffed legs danging down to Roni's feet -- and there she stood "gobbling" at the top of her lungs! :) It was awesome! What a smile it brought to all of our faces to see this "turkey" (and Roni, you ARE a turkey! ;-P) gobbling on the front lawn!
We had a wonderful, delicious, awesome, yummy dinner complete with turkey, stuffing, yam casserole, carrots, green beans, cranberry sauce, biscuits and PIE...served hot and with love! It was such a gift of love and I am so grateful to my friends at Methodist (I love you guys) who contributed to make this possible. And, Roni also brought all the "trimmings" including a boquet of fresh flowers in fall colors, a fall candle, fall paper plates, napkins and cups and a DVD for Christopher....Cars (Disney/Pixar). He was elated!
Although our "families" were far away today, we felt surrounded by the love and concern of the "family" of friends that God has blessed us with here. I do have MUCH to be thankful for!!!
I hope that your Thanksgiving was as enjoyable and blessed as ours was. My prayer is that we all have time today and in the coming days to reflect on the gifts that God has given us and be THANKFUL... thankful that we live in the most prosperous nation on the earth, thankful that our men and women in uniform are willin