For THIS, Dear Lord, I am TRULY Grateful!

(this didn't get posted on T-day....but, better late than never!)

Thanksgiving 2010 was to be THE Thanksgiving of all time. Yes, I did mean to write 2010.

We had so much for which to give thanks, so very much. It had been one for the history books.

The year started off with the record-breaking snowfall during the Winter of ’09-’10. Despite the cold and snow, the lamb crop was outstanding.

When Spring finally came, it was cold and damp. But, it was Market season again, and life got back in rhythm quickly. The Market season showed promise of being an excellent one.

Then, April 22 brought an end to life as we knew it and almost ended B’s life as well. She and J were hit head-on at an incredibly high speed. Rescue gave her a 5% chance of survival when they packed her in the helicopter that night. The impact of this incident is still felt by all of us, although to a somewhat lesser degree these days. Someone else’s reckless behavior and complete irresponsibility meant that B spent 34 days at UVA and another 5 months getting back on her feet (literally).

During that time, The Boss kept the farm going somehow,
J kept working and looking after B,
while A and T found a house and bought it.
Their wedding was scheduled for October, so we attempted to get all the details worked out during the summer. I spent my time split between B’s house and here…the hospital and physical therapy trips. There were a couple of times when the stress of it all threatened to overwhelm.

By the time B returned to work, A and T got married, and the Market wound down for the year, it was Thanksgiving. …and boy was I thankful. I was convinced it would be a wonderful Thanksgiving…”the mother of all Thanksgivings”.

However, events conspired against me and it was not the event that I thought it would be.

All that surviving/recovering had taken its toll. Everyone was tired. After our supper, a number of us dozed off. T was coming down with something and didn’t feel at all well. A was worried over him. J’s granddad passed away early in the morning that made for a bittersweet kind of undertone to the day. B had been featured in the newspaper for the one event in her life she was trying to forget. It was a gloomy, rainy cold day…no family picture on the front porch. Some of us had to work the next day, (Black Friday) so the mood wasn’t completely festive.

But, we were all together. All together…when it could have easily been a sad and horrible day. God had been merciful to us and we all knew it.

Fast forward to the present…

As Thanksgiving 2011 approached, I knew what I wanted. I wanted the picture I didn’t get last year. I wanted the day-long enjoyment of the family I love so very much. I wanted to make home-made, home-grown food for my family, and sit back and watch them enjoy it.

…and I wanted to make sure that each one of them appreciated that I thank God every day for every one of them. I won’t embarrass any of them by getting “all mushy” here. Suffice it to say…I have an awesome and amazing family…and I love each of them more deeply than they will ever know!

Everyone is healthy, happy and prospering. In some ways this year has been far superior to last. The number of things for which to be thankful is truly overwhelming. I may have had to wait an extra year for my family photo, but that’s okay… It was worth it.


For THIS, Dear Lord…..I am truly grateful!

...make that ETERNALLY grateful!