Monday, December 1, 2008

Thanksgiving 2008

I was thankful to have my family in their old "spots" for Thanksgiving. I love to hear the floor upstairs creek beneath those 4 size 14 feet, the shower on in the boys' bathroom, and especially to hear all three of them laughing about some story one of them has remembered about the other. They live in your house such a short time...
Casey and Ryan were able to spend a few days with us. My folks and my sister's family spent Thanksgiving Day at our house. And we visited Brian's sister and brother and their families on Saturday. It has been a time to remind ourselves how very blessed we are.
Donkey, on the Shrek movie, said something like, "My mother says that it ain't Christmas till somebody cries." Unfortunately, I
know just what she meant. The days before they all get here are very busy. They are days of hard work. And in your mind, you are foreseeing a perfect meal, perfect decorations, perfect lighting, perfect music in the background and perfect hair. When your company arrives, you may be hanging on by a thread and your emotions fragile. I've had my share of crying due to the exposure of that last, raw nerve. Looking back on it, whether it was a public event or a private cry in the tub, I usually make myself a promise that things will be different next time. I'll get more rest. My menu will be shorter and simpler. But by the time the next holiday arrives, I forget and pile all that extra work on top of the already busy routine. Sometimes our worst enemy is the person we share this skin with. Our families would rather we feel well, healthy enough enjoy time together rather than spend all our energy before they even get home, attempting to create the prefect anything. I really am going to remember that next time.

Updates on our family: Casey has been in Houston working for State Farm on the hurricane claims and will finish some time in December. He has enjoyed the change. Ryan, who celebrated his birthday this weekend, is responsible for the inspections of the foreign commercial vessels entering the Port of Charleston and has found it interesting. He showed us online pictures of some of the huge ships he has inspected. The ship captains he deals with tell him about listening to the communications of the Pirates that are causing so much trouble. Bree has been going to school two days a week but will be a full time student in January, finishing sciences she hadn't taken at A&M. She will decide if she wants her masters in physical therapy or physicians assistant. My folks are in Haskell, dealing with old age. My sister is Haskell County Constable and her husband is a trainee agent for State Farm and will be the Haskell Agent in April, after 15 years as the Police Chief. Aubrey is a Jr., Crissy a 6th grader, and Cash is in kindergarten. (I plan to post some "information" about this child and his activities soon.) Brian's sister and her husband are in London, missionaries for the Southern Baptist International Missions Board. Their oldest son is a computer person for Southwest Airlines in Dallas and their younger son, a member of the National Guard, just began tour of 9 months in Iraq. He is an engineer in Dallas and was married last fall. Brian's brother teaches in Ballinger and his wife is the Runnels County Tax Accessor Collector. Their daughter is finishing a degree in education at McMurry and their son works for UPS in Lubbock.
I have included below a slideshow of our Thanksgiving. (Meal and games at home, lunch at Rod's, visit in Dallas)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Loved seeing your family...you are doing good on the blog site.