Happy Thanksgiving!

Forever on Thanksgiving Day
The heart will find the pathway home.
~Wilbur D. Nesbit

Virtual Coffee

Hi all! Happy Tuesday!

It's gas station coffee for me today, but that's okay. I love their variety of flavored creamers. Sshhh, I usually put a couple in my pocket for the next day, too.

I'm sorry I can't actually sit down, and have coffee with you this morning, Macy has me on the run. I need to get some mixed fruit to her school by 9:20 "pronto". (see note below)

She has her 'healthy snack' feast with her classmates today, and we signed up to bring in fruit. According to her note, I need to bring it in "know", which is really "now". Isn't she bossy cute?

So, what are your plans for Thanksgiving? We are going to my godparent's house this year. I am bringing nothing. I asked my godmother what I should bring, and that's what she said...nothing. I know I should consider myself lucky, but I feel kind of weird about it. Like I haven't graduated to 'grown-up' status yet within the family. My mom, and my godmother have always done it all! I have never cooked a turkey in my life. Have you?

I also feel kind of bad that my kids don't get to wake up to the warm cozy feeling, and the smell of turkey, and stuffing cooking in the roaster. I loved that as a kid! Oh well, maybe someday I'll have a house big enough to fit everyone, and I'll actually learn how to cook...someday. (dreams, dreams, dreams)

I do have something exciting to tell you today...I won something! Yay, me! It's an inital ring from this etsy shop. Check it out, there's some really cool stuff on there. I found her website, and blog just by clicking around here and there...you know how that is...and I was lucky enough to stumble on her site right in the middle of a contest. Instead of an initial on the ring though, I asked if I could put the number 3 on it, to represent all of my kiddos. I'm so happy!

Well, I better hit the road, and get this fruit to the school pronto, or I'll be in some hot water with a certain 8-year-old. Why do I feel like this is some kind of "prove your worth as a mother" challenge?

I hope you all have a wonderful Turkey Day! Head on over to our lovely host Amy's for some more coffee goodness.

Quiet Gratitude

I find myself with not a lot to say this time of year...

While I travel around, and see everyone making lists of the things they are thankful for, it leaves me kind of speechless. Not because I don't have anything to be thankful for. I do. In some ways, I am grateful beyond words.

Five years ago this would not have been a problem for me, because back then everything in my life made sense. I didn't need a holiday to remind me of how lucky I was. I was grateful on a daily basis.

I didn't even think about the rug. The rug that, once it was pulled out from under me, would make me see gratitude in a whole new way.

I find myself now in a place of quiet gratitude, where nothing makes sense, and uttering the words "thank you" aren't nearly enough.

Lucky Star and Backyard Dress Up

"You must be my lucky star,
'cause you make the darkness seem so far."

This little punk, my middle child, shines a light in my heart everyday...some days more than others. :) She is strong willed, crafty, silly, and loves to be outside. She tests my patients like no other, and never takes 'no' for an answer when it's something she really wants. She is my mini me in so many ways, but so different in other ways. She likes fashion, and sewing, and she is very organized. She is my shining star, and I am a lucky mama. Whenever I feel as if my spirit is flailing, I just look at her, and I remember who I am.

She came out of her room this morning dressed in one of my mom's old petticoats. There are still a few of them in their dress up clothes, and I'm so glad that I saved them. I love petticoats! And these particular ones have definitely been put to good use. First, under my own mom's poodle skirts. Then I wore them in my late teens, to dress up in my backyard, and imagine I was some sort of Madonna fashion model. Doesn't everybody do that? Madonna had just come out with her songs, "Borderline", and, of course, "Lucky Star". I loved her funky style back then, but I was only brave enough to wear it in the backyard. Um...thank goodness, right?

And now my funny, little fashionista, my mini me, gets to wear the petticoats in her own backyard. I love that! My girl is a saver like me too, so maybe the petticoats will make it to the next generation. Poodle skirts might be in style again then, you never know.

P.S. Below is what my girl wore a little later in the day. That style definitely needs to stay in the backyard. I'm sure I never wore anything that silly, right mom?

My In Between

Today, after this happened...

I drove Griffin to school.
I had some delicious coffee with a friend.
I met up with two other friends and went hiking in the woods.
I went to JoAnn's and bought the new Artful Blogging magazine and a photo collage frame.
I went to the drug store and printed out some photos.
I visited a few virtual friends in blogland.
I did some cleaning, some thinking and some planning.
I picked Griffin up from school and we just hung out
until this happened...

...and I would call that a pretty good day.