Thanksgiving Memory

**ooops...forgot to hit publish yesterday**

Awww…look what I found when I was rooting around through some old stuff!

That was Amanda's first Thanksgiving. Our first Thanksgiving as a family. Wow!…seems like about a million years ago.

A lot has happened in the twenty-three years since that photo was taken.  I mean besides the kids growing up and the parents growing old(er).

There have been heartaches and hard work, laughter and tears, life-altering events, beginnings and endings and we picked up a couple of sons-in-law along the way. As a family, we have had our ups and downs, our little arguments and real big fights.  But, one thing has been constant…we have always been together as a family unit for Thanksgiving.  Always.

That’s not something to take lightly.  Lots of folks are missing someone today.  Lots of folks don’t have anyone to miss…at all.  Lots of folks are lonely and hurting on this most festive day.

In the end, I don’t think the food, no matter how delicious, will be the thing that we all remember.  We probably won’t even remember whether we all took a long walk to burn off the calories, or if we crashed in front of the television. We might remember funny things that someone said, but then again, we might not.  It won’t matter who wore what, or if anybody helped do the dishes. We will just remember that we were all here…together.

...and it's still hard to get everyone to pose!

…and that is a priceless memory. (for which I am ever thankful)