But, don't let the quiet fool you. My daughter and her family are still sleeping upstairs. She has teenagers! It's early. Pretty soon, they'll stumble down, one by one, and press the button for the coffee maker. Pretty soon, breakfast will be had. Pretty soon, my house will come to life.
And, then in just a few short hours, our sons and their families will come over. There will be 15 of us today for dinner. I can hardly believe it. 15. 6 adult children, 7 grandchildren. Who would have thought?
When I think about my kids, their spouses, and their children, I get extremely teary-eyed. I love my family. I don't care how loud they get, what get's broken or spilled--I just want them here. I want to be with them. I want to laugh, take pictures, eat, and watch the banter between my grown children as they tell stories on each other--it is childhood tattle-telling at it's finest. I yell out "you're grounded", which is of course what they want to hear, and they all laugh.
That to me is what family is all about. Loving each other, being together, sharing our past and planning for our future. Thanksgiving is one of those holidays where you're forced to stay corraled together. First the parade, then the food, then the football, then the pie. If you can walk after that, sometimes that's on the agenda also. A walk. For us, it depends on the weather--snow, most likely, but even that's fun. We take family pictures, which many times ends up being our Christmas card photo.
Yes, I am a holiday groupie. I love them. So, while everyone is still sleeping, I'll write this quick blog, drink some coffee, and enjoy the silence. I'll pray for my family, think of those that aren't here, and wait patiently for the house to wake and the others to join us. It's going to be a fantastic day.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
