This week's menu

Yesterday - Spicy Country Ribs (thanks to Real Simple) with roasted squash and sweet potatoes
Today - Mac and Cheese, grown-up style
Tomorrow - Meatloaf (Dad, it's actually good, I promise. No brown sugary stuff. Even Bud likes it.)
Wednesday - Thai shrimp and Noodles
Thursday - Um, I don't know, we'll think of something.

Kidding. Mom's making the whole bit. Turkey, stuffing, green beans, Aunt Cindy's bringing rolls and pecan pie, Grandpa's wife, Evelyn, is bringing lemon pie, and I'm bringing Grandma Larson's Secret Recipe Pumpkin Pie. One of the two best compliments I ever got from Steve was that I made pumpkin pie as good as his mom. HIGH PRAISE!!

I know we often take this week to think of what we're thankful for, and I am glad that God has prompted me to do this a lot all through the year. There has been a lot of change in our lives this year, some of which has been a bit shocking to the system (like sleep deprivation), and God has been working on true thankfulness in my heart. I see it in the way that I don't miss the little things as much as I thought I would. I don't really miss my salon shampoo or the Bath and Body Works splurges. I don't mind being more of a homebody, or the fact that it takes me 10 times as long to do anything (like simply getting out of the car). I don't mind that my left shoulder invariably has something sticking to it (Lucy has developed a new habit of wiping her face on my shoulder when I hold her. Nice.) So while it seems so obvious to say this, the thing I'm most thankful for this year is my Lucy. My heart nearly bursts with it. The work is so daily, and often seems so drudging. But her soft, sweet smelling skin, her beautiful blue eyes, her two little bottom teeth, and her little personality that is starting to emerge are just more than I can say. I know you all know what I mean, regardless of whether you have a kid or not. You know what it's like to love someone so much it can't be explained.

I'm thankful, too, that God has given us plenty to live on, and a safety net, too. He's given us this wonderful house. He has built a strong, wonderful relationship in my marriage that just gets better every year. He has given us close relationships with our families. I'm so thankful that we are always glad to spend time with either of our families. I know that is not a given, and I count my blessings every time we spend time with family. He has given us amazing friends that most people wish all their lives to have.

I'm thankful for chocolate. I'm thankful for good knives. I'm thankful for fuzzy carpet. I'm thankful for new quilts. I'm thankful for new shoes to come. I'm thankful for running (no really!). I'm thankful for good tunes, both old and new, for cozy slippers, for Parisian Taupe, for Tivo.

Enough from me. I want to know what you all are thankful for!

Oh, and cheesy as it sounds, I'm actually really thankful for your comments. There are many of you that I miss and don't get to see nearly often enough, and I like knowing that you are reading!