A Bountiful Harvest

This is my 4th Thanksgiving since moving to Ohio. My school schedule makes it difficult to travel home to MN for Thanksgiving. We have finals through the day before Thanksgiving, I need to be at meetings next week to plan Winter Quarter, and being the busiest travel time of the year, flights are very expensive. Instead I opt to spend a few weeks over Christmas and stay here for Turkey Day. The first year I made a whole Turkey dinner for myself and just quilted all weekend. It was kind of fun, but I decided it was too much work, too much to clean up, and WAY more leftovers than I could fathom eating. The 2nd year I made a Pumpkin Pie and at a Hungry Man TV dinner. That made my mom cry a little, but I thought it was sort of funny. Last year I was given an opportunity to catch a car ride with two friends from work who were headed up to northern MN for the Holiday. I decided to keep it a secret from everyone but my Mom. I would have loved to surprise her too, but I needed someone to let me in the house at midnight when I got to my sister's house! We left Wednesday as soon as we were done with our finals and started driving. We got to my sisters and everyone was sleeping. I called my mom's cell phone to have her let me in the back patio door. I crawled into bed in on the futon in the playroom and could hardly get to sleep. I felt just like a kid too excited to sleep on Christmas Eve! Early in the morning Mom brought Dad in and said "I got you a Thanksgiving Present" and my Dad's eyes bugged out a little with disbelief. Then we all went upstairs to surprise my sister. There were a few tears and lots of hugs. I was always close with my family, moving 6 different times before I graduated High School, but since moving I have more fully realized the importance of appreciating the people in your life who love you. In this world where there are so many people out there who would do you ill, it is a wonderful gift to have people who love you unconditionally, without hesitation and with reckless abandon.

I miss my family today, but I will be there in 3 weeks. Today I have the gift of a dear friend who drove from MN to spend the Holiday with me. Yesterday we made pies, and today we'll make a Turkey dinner... if he ever gets up.... But first we need to head up to the Barn to give Junior his Holiday apple and get his stall cleaned.

I am thankful for so many things. My job, my health, my fuzzy pony, my dear friends and my wonderful and silly family.

May your harvest be as bountiful as my own.

Happy Thanksgiving

I give you, our Apple Pie....