thanksgiving memories {2010}

it's been a few hours since we returned back to VA from our travels "to the north" to visit our families... PA first...then DE...
i'm pleased to say we didn't balloon to another clothing size... (hehe) but we hold some sweet memories...

~sitting at the table with our families...but especially with my mom as she ate turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, gravy...the fixins... :) a seemingly "simple" praise...but after what she went through with her tonsil cancer and the treatments she endured, which literally stole more than a year from her sweet soul... but the pure delight i feel while watching her be able to eat is something i cannot even put into words...

~watching the snow fall quickly and thickly on Thanksgiving morning... and hearing K tell us " 'no is coming from the ki!!" :) and her immeasurable joy and excitement... :)

~safe travels...over 8 hours going, but only 5 hours on our return trip... not too bad at all :)

~the beautiful crimson sunset on our way home...

~"i spy," the 2 year old version, for horses, cows, school buses, trucks, jeeps, and cars for the car rides... and her sadness when we couldn't stop and see the parked school buses for a lengthy time period...

~K's random announcement/request for "Mickey D's" on the ride home today... even if it is just for some apple dippers (the only thing she'll eat from there :))

~taking the annual Rakow (as in the in-laws) Christmas photo at Ronnie's Garden World in DE... wreaths around our necks...pretty trees...a 2 year old who won't look at the camera or, when she does, she won't smile...people staring at us as we try to take pictures during prime shopping time... :) having fun with the picture on Picnic later that night... lots of good laughs... :)

~doing a little Christmas shopping at a craft house in PA... a most prized purchase for my mom... :) more on that later... :)

~watching K climb up in "bebot's" chair with him as he watches TV (bebot=grandpa)

~K finally trying a munchkin from Dunkin' Donuts because we told her it was "cake"

~K sitting like a big girl at DD as she told us she was "watchin' the kids" or looking for "n" and "o" and "m" in any sign she sees...

~K referring to every slightly over middle-aged man, especially with grey hair, as a "bebot" and announcing when they were going to the bathroom to "go pee pee"

~thinking about decorating for Christmas at the house (and finally putting away the pumpkins - sorry sweet K)

~awesome Christian songs on satellite radio to fill my soul on the drive

~realizing that we are cheap... we keep our house really cold compared to our parents' houses....

~Wawa iced coffee.... :)

~watching "The Wiggles"

~dreaming of 2 slices of amazing white pizza with broccoli from Maple Glen Pizza on Wednesday evening... and Dad coming home with regular pizza with broccoli because "they didn't have any white pizza"


i know there are so many things that we can find as "not so perfect" each and every day... but, in all honesty, i think that we sometimes fail to see the real blessings that surround us... and, for this trip...while the turkey was good and the sweet potatoes were wonderful, the REAL beauty of the time was being with family and just "being" in every single moment. i loved every minute of it... :) and, i cannot help but feel a tremendous and overwhelming sense of thankfulness...and not just for the big things...but also for the little things that we often take for granted or fail to notice...

i look forward to Thanksgiving 2011 for even more invaluable memories... :)