Cinderella Chats

Our Thanksgiving 2010

It's hard to believe that this year is almost over. Why does time go? This morning I awake to find my husband Frank where is always is on Thanksgiving morning, right in front of the television with his cup of coffee watching, what else but the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. This is just one of the reason I love him and I am thankful for him, he is Mr. Dependable that's for sure. Anyway, he invites me to have a seat and watch with him, so I do. Frank is also a channel surfer and before you know we are watching a Sport Show that is featuring a story about a fifty year tradition that was started by one man while attending college. It was his freshman year and on his way to a football game he saw this elderly women with a young teenage boy in a wheelchair and she was really struggling with getting around with him in the chair. So, the young man and his friend offered to help out. Well, they really liked the young boy and wanted to make sure he got to all the football and basketball games from that day forward, and for fifty years that is exactly want has happened. The man in the wheelchair name is Buddy and he has not missed a game for fifty years, thanks to that young man who cared enough about someone other than himself. The guys that come in as freshman on the football and basketball teams are responsible for getting Buddy to and from the games.

I CRIED...

I AM THANKFUL FOR THIS PEOPLE WHO CARE SO MUCH FOR OTHERS.

Frank continued to channel surf and the next stop was another story of giving, this time the decision of a gift that touched the lives of four different families. It was sometime around the holiday and this mother got a call that her son had been injured pretty badly and was on the way to the hospital. Her son was an NFL Football player that had been involved in a car accident. She arrived at the hospital and the doctors met with her before taking her to her son. They told her the situation did not look good. She when in to see her son as soon as she did and placed her head on his chest and heard his heartbeat and got no response from him. She said she knew what she had to do, let him go, but she wanted to make sure his life counted for something. She made the selfless decision to donate her son's organ's to those who needed them to live. So, Chris her son gave someone a kidney, actually two different people a kidney, then another received a liver and another a heart. During this tragedy Chris' mom thought of others and through four other people Chris lives on and his mom has a bigger family these days. She says, she misses Chris, but if faced with the same situation again she would make the same choice.

THIS TIME I SOBBED...

I AM THANKFUL FOR MOMS WHO CARE SO MUCH FOR THEIR CHILDREN AND OTHERS DESPITE THEIR OWN PAIN.

I am thankful for ordinary people that do such incredible things for others - strangers who become family.

It makes me wonder, and it inspires me in so many ways.

Anyway, I get myself back together and I am off to the kitchen again to finish up Thanksgiving dinner for my family. I love to cook! It's my way to showing and sharing my love with others through the art and joy of good old home cooking. I do everything from scratch, no processed foods for us. I buy everything organic, local and straight from the farms in our area.

The menu:

Heirloom Turkey

Cornbread/Country Farm White Bread Dressing

Giblet Gravy

Cinnamon Cranberry Sauce

Garlicky Mashed Potatoes

Simply Smashing Sweet Potatoes

Creamed Corn

Turnips Greens

Garlic and Herb-Buttered Green Beans

Homemade Rolls

Pumpkin Pie

Cherry Pie

and

Heavenly Chocolate Pie

While I was going through the pictures I was going to use for this post I ran into all the pictures from this year and they were reminders of all the things I have to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. I decided to share some of them and why I am thankful, I hope you don't mind.

I am thankful for my children who are healthy and have started pursuing their own paths in life. Lisa is in her second year of college, very involved in her ADPI House and with her sisters. She has adjusted very well to college life away from home.

I AM THANKFUL FOR LISA.

Chris is doing well in the Army, he is a Medic and he got promoted from aide to front-line this last week.

I AM VERY THANKFUL FOR CHRIS.

I am thankful for my wonderful husband Frank who asked me to marry him again this year and of course I said, "I do" all over again. What a surprise and what a great guy!

I AM THANKFUL FOR THE LOVE WE SHARE WITH ONE ANOTHER.

I AM THANKFUL FOR THE MISSION WORK HE DOES IN MEXICO.

I AM THANKFUL HE HAS BEEN PRAYING WITH HIS FRIENDS EVERY FRIDAY FOR THE LAST YEAR FOR US AND OTHERS.

I AM THANKFUL FOR ALL HE DOES FOR OTHERS AND US EVERY DAY.

I AM THANKFUL FOR THE CHILDREN GOD HAS PLACED IN MY LIFE TO MENTOR.

I AM THANKFUL FOR OUR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS.

I AM THANKFUL TO GOD FOR EVERYTHING EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE. I AM ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL THERE IS THIS DAY, THANKSGIVING TO HELP REMIND ME AND ALL OF US OF THE THINGS WE HAVE TO BE THANKFUL FOR AGAIN.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL.