Thanksgiving

Thank you to Grandma mom for initiating the gatherings we have today. These traditions started with you and have you in them every time we break bread together. Thank you for being who and what you are to all of us.

Mike, thank you for reminding me that patience isn’t my strong suit and I need to work on that. Thank you for reminding me that sometimes when I want you to be four again, that you need to be fourteen. Thank you for having such strong convictions that you will fight for them. Thank you for being you.

Lisa, thank you for being just as crazy as I am. Thank you for peeling thirty pounds of potatoes so that we could enjoy as much kougali as our family needs. Thank you for being my best friend, good-bad-and ugly. Thank you for you.

Alex, thank you for reminding me that patience, again, isn’t my strong suit and I need to work on that. Thank you for reminding me of that over and over again, apparently I am not getting the message. Thank you for reminding me that everyone has a unique vision and without exceptional thinkers and risk takers we would not have the technological, medical, and scientific advances that we have today. Thank you for being you.

Jon, thank you for putting up with my “holiday” crazies. Thank you for cooking four pounds of bacon just because I asked. Thank you for being my best friend and finding a song in all that we do…(Except for pickles, there are no good pickle songs…why is that?). Thank you for you.

Caetie, thank you for letting me see life through your eyes. My life would be black and white without your bold and colorful humor and vision. Thank you for letting me see exceptional self-worth and extraordinary strength of character. Thank you for the honor of being your mom. Thank you for warning me of the repercussions of Pancakes On Wednesday and that Pigs are people, too. Thank you for being you.

James, thank you for reminding me that patience is a virtue. Thank you for reminding me that resilience is good. You always make every situation you are in work for you. Thank you for reminding me that thoughtlessness and carelessness with words are bad and that they can hurt someone for a long time. Thank you for loving me just cuz. Thank you for reminding me daily how I got so lucky. Thank you for believing that I can fix anything, because I can if you believe it. Thank you for you.

Shawn, thank you for reminding me that you can look at things from a million different angles and to do so, you have to get into pretty weird positions. Thank you for reminding me that different is good. Thank you for reminding me that laughter is good medicine. I LOVE BEING PURPLE! Most importantly, thank you for making bacon a part of my life again. Thank you for being you.

Megan, thank you for reminding me that everybody needs to rest. They need to power down their bodies, their minds, their souls so that when day breaks again they can dance. Thank you for making life have a theme song, and possibly a montage. Thank you for you.

Mom and Dad, thank you for reminding me that strong solid foundations can withstand adversity, sorrow, pain, hate, and ignorance. Thank you for being there, even when I couldn’t see it. Thank you for you.

John and Scott, thank you for letting me know early on that patience was not one of my strong suits. Thank you for doing that over and over again. Thank you for letting me practice parenting before the real thing. You were good teachers--note to self--no lighters allowed in the house, no glass blowing, no copper pipes, no “strange” butter brews in the fridge…seriously, I love you both and wouldn’t be the mom I am today without having been your big sister first. Thank you both for being you.

Jen thank you for always letting me see the other side of a situation. Thank you for being “best aunt EVER” and taking such good care of what is mine…why couldn’t you do that when you raided my jewelry box? Thank you for being my little sister. Thank you for letting us share Jim and all that he adds to our family—damn fine barbeque. Thank you for you.

Uncle Tom, thank you for realizing that the most expensive gift isn’t always the one you remember the most. Thank you for still being fearless and sharing that with the kids. Thank you for letting us share Tina and her family this year! Thank you for you.

Tina, thank you for being a part of our family this year and opening your home and lives to our crazy mixed-up family. Thank you for sharing your children and family with us. Thank you for loving football. Thank you for you.

Tommy, thank you for being here this year with us. Thank you for your quirks and your dreams. Thank you for you.

Thanks to all the family and friends that cannot be with us in person today. Thank you for being part of our family, immediate and extended over the years. Our family wouldn’t be the same without you.

Thank you Gram for helping me to see what grace looks like. Thank you for letting me know it is ALWAYS okay to speak my mind, as long as it is truth. Thank you for never letting me forget that there is royalty in our family line and it starts with you. Thank you for teaching me how to make Kougali, the “old” way and how to spot a bargain when I see one. Thank you for teaching me never to settle. Thank you for you.

And finally, thank you Grandpa for never letting me forget that some of our heroes always stand tall and never fade from glory or stand down from a fight. Thank you for letting me see that when you make a mistake the hardest part is admitting it, but that it also the most important part. Thank you for always being there, to help raise our family, to serve our country, to re-tree the planet one tree at a time, to tell stories that are funny and sad and happy and joyous, and thank you most of all for always letting me believe in the magic behind the candy lipsticks.

Thanksgiving.

Classic Cars

J was talking to Lisa and wanted to know how much money we could get for our classic car.

Lisa wanted to know which classic car.

J says, "Benjamin."

"Benjamin" is our 1987 Buick LeSabre.

Classic.