thanks

today is thanksgiving. i'm overwhelmed with thanks. it's amazing all that we have. it's sometimes incomprehensible how much we are blessed. i've been here in Virginia for a few days and it's all i can think about- family.

sometimes it's a good thing- living far away. it's nice to be welcomed back. everyone is glad to see us. everyone looks forward to our smiling faces, quick wit, genuine humor and the stimulating conversation we bring as we return home ; - ) it's nice to feel like we are the rock stars in the family, returning from a long european tour. it's a celebration every time.

and then we settle in and it's like crawling into your childhood bed and feeling safe and warm and secure. there's nothing like it. moms and dads are there. all the kids. all the cousins. all the chaos. {even the scary shelf elf.} all the food. all the love. and it's so, so good. {except when the stimulating conversation turns political...wow, that's crazy}

and then we leave and it's hard. and i sit in the car and look out the window and conjure up all the ways i can get back-soon. not just soon, but quick.

and i quietly give prayers of thanks for the love i feel from family. for family. it's nothing that can be replaced. i thank my father in heaven for this family.

mine. yours. ours.

p.s.
we also give thanks to the powhatan police department this day. noah was dialing 911 on the hello kitty phone this morning. he told me all about it. "yes, nine comes after 8." after explaining that we do not dial 911, all was well. until the powhatan police department called back, making sure all was well this thanksgiving morning. yes, we are safe and warm and well. but, the powhatan police department is very dependable and thorough. a knock on the door produces a uniformed officer, with newspaper in hand, making sure all is well in person.
thank you police man. we are thankful you made sure we were safe.

p.p.s
after noah told me what he had done with the hello kitty phone, i told him that i sure hope the police don't come and arrest him. well, poor baby. he's still reeling. i'm sure he thought the police man was here to get him. when it comes to frightening my children into good behavior, i think i need to come up with better parenting tactics.