"It's beginning to look a lot like Thanksgiving"

What does Thanksgiving look like?

When Bill and I first got married it was a lazy morning at home, watching the Macy's Day parade. Getting ready about noon so we could go to dinner with his family and later have supper with my dad and his family.

When we first moved to Kentucky it was getting up early, quickly eating some breakfast and packing the kids in the car, stopping at rest areas because restaurants and gas stations were closed, racing against the clock to make it on time to dinner with his family, supper with my dad and his family then crashing at a friend's house as our "home base" for the weekend.

When the kids got older we started having Thanksgiving at home. I would get up early to begin cooking, the kids would watch the Macy's Day parade and Bill would go to the Middle School to help with the community dinner. After he arrived home we would eat our dinner.

We had only one year of just the two of us. We spent it with a dear family. We didn't get to enjoy pie though because there was an emergency situation with another friend and we had to leave abruptly.

Three years ago, just a few months after Bill's death I was at Sarah and Kourtney's. We were getting ready to move them to my house as they were transitioning. Kourtney had accepted a new job and they were determining the best place to buy a home.

Two years ago...I don't remember what I did.

Last year it looked like me driving home from Sarah's Thanksgiving morning as she and Kourtney headed to Nashville to spend the weekend with his family and I spent the day with dear friends.

This year is different. But at the same time strangely familiar. Monday I went shopping for Thanksgiving Dinner. Beth and Sarah and their families are coming home for a few days. I sent this picture to them with a note- "It's beginning to look a lot like Thanksgiving".

Yesterday I worked outside all day. Mowed the lawn for the last time this season. Spread some mulch. Cleaned up yard debris. Had a bonfire to get rid of a the mess and a box of old credit card receipts. It was an exceptionally good day.

This morning I had a leisurely start to my day. Then the cooking began. Cranberry sauce. Cheese Balls. Savory and Dessert. Hard boiled eggs-for eating or deviling. Pies. A Birthday Cake for Willow. Chocolate chip muffins for breakfast.

It has been a week of wonder. I keep wondering who the woman is that is visiting. She is vaguely familiar. She is the same one that put up the Christmas tree weeks early. She is welcome to move in and stay. It's beginning to look a lot like Thanksgiving past. And that is a good thing.