An Apple a Day: Giving Thanks

When experiencing holidays with the Cousins, it's very important to take a minute to step back, take a breather, and give thanks. We put five dogs, two babies, numerous grown-ups, and lots of food together and it gets a little chaotic. It's always such a joy to have everyone together and I'm thankful for each person and the unique qualities they bring to complete the Cousin family. This year, the little girls stole the show. June has mistaken herself as Mimi's two year old mother so the day was full of photos and sometimes intervention.

I missed my family on Thanksgiving and have discovered that homesickness is present even when you are not half way across the country. However, in just a short time I will be surrounded by them and even the thought is so comforting.

Throughout the day I kept reminding my husband how thankful I was for him. At one point during the day I realized that though the focal point is giving thanks, we all have to remember WHO we are ultimately giving thanks to. I loved the light it brought to Will's face as I listed the reasons why I give thanks for him everyday but soon realized why I get to even thank Will. We both know that God has given us every opportunity to provide for ourselves and more importantly, he has given Will and I a lifetime of love and partnership together. I have so many blessings that surround me and when I give thanks it's to God that protects my family and I everyday. I'm pretty sure he is up there with the same smile on his face like my husband when we simply take a step back and say "Thank you."

Our day began with hustle bustle and didn't conclude until 48 hours later. We had the Cousin Thanksgiving on Thursday and continued family festivities on Friday as Julie and I made a great debut on black Friday. Our eight o'clock ETA ended up to be about 11 but we definitely missed the crowd. We hit few stores but hit every section in each one. The deals must have ended by the time we got there because we did not see what all the fuss was about. That night, we had dinner reservations with a few friends that were in town for the holiday. Will and I were able to see Eric who was one of our good friends in Arizona. We had a great time re-connecting! I was about done with fancy food at this point so I enjoyed some basic chicken strips and fruit.

It's only a short few days until we get to give more thanks with my family. It's very needed and I have a count down going.

Thank you Jesus for blessing my life! I have a support group the size of Texas and a husband that treats me like a princess! I am able to continue my education and learn how to impact children! You have provided us work to put food on the time and a roof over our heads!