IN ALL THINGS GIVE THANKS

Thanksgiving was met with a boatload of anticipation and preparation!  Two thirds of the crew were scheduled to be here in Louisiana to celebrate in the new digs.  The pumpkins and fall leaves adorned every nook and cranny.  Cooking had commenced the weekend before.  The linens were fresh and the house spic and span in anticipation of a wonderful holiday visit.  


I might have been a little surprised when the four littles and their mom arrived a few hours earlier than their anticipated arrival.  NOT TO WORRY!  Playing in the yard while Lulu's psketti (spaghetti in little speak) simmered on the stove, we were building up with the preliminary feast in anticipation of turkey and all the trimmings for Thanksgiving dinner.


With the early evening arrival of the party of two who completed our guest list, we had dinner, conversation, and a lively evening of fun.  Good company and great fun led to late bedtimes for all.  With the last dish washed and the casseroles thawing, I hit the hay with visions of a wonderful celebration of thanks on the morrow.


I am jerked from my deep sleep at 5:00 AM by the unmistakable sound of retching.  I am up and running before fully awake.  Crying, "I'm sick!" , I walk into the room and find #4 Grand throwing up for the first time.  Unfortunately my mother's instincts have gotten rusty over the years.  Instead of taking him into the bathroom, I tell him to wait and run to get the trashcan.  TOO LATE-BIG MISTAKE!  He is on round two when I sprint back into the bedroom.  By this time, his brother is awake, his mother is awake, and his sister is crying.  It is bedlam at best!  We are stripping clothes, striping beds, cleaning carpets, and all the fun things which go along with the stomach bug.  The little man in my bed manages to sleep another 30 to 45 minutes, but we are all up long before I had intended.


Somehow, we manage to get dinner on the table at exactly twelve noon.  My future daughter in law was most impressed.  Since we all got up at the butt crack of dawn, I had PLENTY of time to make it happen!  It truly was a sad sight to see the sick one with two crackers while everyone else had a heaping plate of the goodies.  


We watched a classic Christmas movies, played cards, rode scooters around the quiet streets of the hood, and enjoyed a beautiful day.  Even the poor sick one seemed to enjoy his day of fasting since he was over the worst.

Black Friday we had plans to go to the park, and perhaps do some visiting.  The Little Queen woke up with a fever and upper respiratory virus.  S E R I O U S L Y
This is NOT how I envisioned the weekend playing out.  Most of the morning The Little Queen was in my lap napping.  The meds finally kicked in and she began to perk up.  We made a trip to the park, and roasted wieners and marshmallows for somemores in the patio fireplace.

The next day finds everyone leaving to have a day at home before the holiday weekend was over.  The holiday had not played out as I planned, but in retrospect it was not all bad.  In fact, except for the two incidents of illness, it was a great weekend filled with fun and family!

Sometimes things do not always turn out the way we envisioned them.   Be it one holiday, one occasion, one day, or life in general, there is no guarantee it will look the way we anticipated.  No matter how elaborately we plan, things may not work out in the manner we have mapped out.  Life gets in the way!  That is when we have to roll with the punches, clean up the mess the best we can, and make the most out of the situation.  Things may not go as we wish, but that does not mean we cannot make the most of what we do have.  There is always something to be thankful for.  The Son is always behind even the darkest clouds.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
Romans 8:28

6 comments

  1. And ... looking for more positives ... the two incidences of illness brought out the best in the grown-ups, the loving, the caring, the worrying ... and in adversities you were all brought even closer together. The young ones will remember and appreciate that when they grow up too.

    God bless you all always.

    P.S. Personally, I prefer the spaghetti to the turkey. Why in the UK we always have Brussels sprouts with our turkey at Christmas? Can't understand it. How about chocolate covered Brussels sprouts?

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    1. You need to try Cajun blackened Brussels sprouts- YUMMY! AMD the turkey was injected and deep fried! The South KNOWS how to cook!

      The Littles are much less fazed than the adults by all the hubbub! It was a perfect weekend!

      Blessings, My Friend!

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  2. Awww.....poor things...hmm on your future daughter in law {{grinning}}}. We haven't had deep fried Cajun anything since we left the south. Oh and I had Brussel spouts for the first time while in the hospital...their not too bad.

    Still giggling and I know its not funny...ours well, you know the story behind that...lolol. Next year will be better and I will not just have come home from the hosp. At least, family counts, Lulu. smiles

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    1. You HAVE to laugh!! Next year you will be a new woman!!
      Blessings My Friend!

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    2. From your mouth to Gods ears, smiles. PS it hurts to laugh. Sneeze, cough. 😊😊

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  3. No, Lulu, definitely not what you had planned or envisioned, but I love how all of you rolled with it and made the best of a not-so-great situation. I think this will be a Thanksgiving you will always remember!
    Blessings, and stay well! :)

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Your comments keep my writing and often cause me to think. A written form of a hug or a pat on the back and an occasional slap into reality---I treasure them all!