Flashback Friday - here come the kids!

I am beside myself with joy because the kids are coming home for Thanksgiving -- for the WHOLE WEEK and we are killing the fatted calf!  Well, not literally since we don't farm but I HAVE stocked up on all the necessary snacks and comfort food!

So here's the plan: my sweet Sarah wants to sit on the couch in our PJs, eat Lime Tostidos and watch West Side Story. Then we'll break open the white cheddar popcorn and watch Sound of Music if we can't find a copy of My Fair Lady. The guys will roll their eyes and probably head to Buffalo Wild Wings to watch 15 football games at once. What-EVER

One thing I won't be doing much of is shopping. I will confess that I have purchased exactly ONE Christmas gift, a special something for a certain JMU freshman. I bought said gift when I was shopping with my BFF Sandi in Scottsdale. Last week my VT sophomore informed me that his Xbox got the "red ring of death" which sounded bad enough but then he told me it was FATAL, which means... everybody knows what he's getting.

Something cool I discovered is that I had been shopping and didn't even KNOW IT! Now granted, I can be a little scatterbrained at times (alright, a LOT scatterbrained), but that wasn't the case for once! The Gov brought in a bag of new clothes today, and they turned out to be MY Christmas gift to HIM! And I did QUITE a job! I'm not sure what all there was in that bag but I did see several new dress shirts with French cuffs, which is unusual for my preppy and conservative husband. So I've checked HIM off the list - which is a relief since he's the hardest person ON EARTH to shop for.

So really, I'm doing pretty well considering I've only actually "shopped" once! I'm going to try to get some decorating done while the kids are home since I can't bear the thought of decorating the tree by myself. No sir-ree, NOT going there. So the kids will help me and then take their own little trees back to college with them!

They told me they've been listening to Christmas music ALL MONTH. And it's not even Thanksgiving - what's up with THAT? Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Christmas music but... November??

November is a month for giving thanks...
for family, friends, good health, good doctors, good medicine, a favorable report, a restful sleep, a tasty meal, a comfortable home, a pretty drive, a beautiful sunset, a warm rain, a morning walk, a new adventure, an encouraging word, my little dog, a belly-laugh, a crossword puzzle, my morning  coffee, a fudgy brownie, a hot shower, clean water, warm bread, an interesting book, a happy song, fuzzy socks, tender care, a long embrace, a fresh insight, the right word, a call from someone you love, a knowing look, an inside joke, accomplishing a goal, feeling safe, knowing you're loved...

And then the really important things - Jesus, grace, mercy, forgiveness, freedom, faith, opportunities...

Every single day there is SO much -- THANK YOU, LORD!!