Having just finished our Thanksgiving holiday, thankfulness is on my mind. A large portion of our extended family gathered at Deep Creek, Maryland, this year for our holiday. There were about thirty-five of us. We cooked, ate, cleaned up, and talked, and enjoyed each other’s company. We know that we are blessed to be able to be together, and never take that for granted. We were too busy to take many photos, and some of those who agreed to a photo being taken asked that they not see it on the blog! So, I am honoring that request.

I am also grateful, thankful, and blessed today, for it is my 72^nd birthday! As hard as it is to believe, I am this age and do not complain about living this long. My mother passed away at sixty-four years of age in 1998 and I am always mindful of that on this day. I am also mindful of the gift of good health and am well aware that good health can change at any time. This cold that I have, my sore left hip, and my arthritis in my hands are reminders that I am alive, and that as I age, there will be some aches and pains.

I spent the last couple of days putting away Thanksgiving decorations and occasionally wondered if the effort to decorate for Thanksgiving was worth it, since we had very little company, unlike past years. Yet in spite of the work, when I saw the pilgrims, turkeys, and other fall decorations, and remembered what they all represent, I was glad to have made the effort.

Unlike many people, I do not begin any Christmas decorating until at least December 1. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, then soon after Thanksgiving comes my birthday. So, celebrating these two events is my focus until December. In a couple of days, I will begin getting ready for Christmas. We will be spending Christmas in GA with daughter Tara and family, so I will not decorate as much as I normally do. While I used to not understand people who did not put up a Christmas tree, the older I am, the more I do understand that! In years past, I had as many as five large trees, but those days have passed. The best I will be able to do is decorate one tree this year. I need to cull some of our decorations, since I do not plan to ever need all that we have again. But those of you who have been with me for a while know how hard it is for me to let go of things that involve traditions and memories. I am working on it, but I am not there yet.

I hope that you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, and that you are looking forward to a joyful and peace-filled Christmas. Let’s feel grateful, thankful, and blessed.