what I am thankful for...

Last night at dinner, Clara's friend had prepared little place cards for each of us and inside of each card we were supposed to write what we were thankful for... we each had a lit candle in front of us and after we read our card aloud, we blew out our candle.

It made me think about what I was really thankful for... and at that moment, I was so very thankful to be surrounded by this group of friends. Thanksgiving is a huge family day in my family and this is the second year in a row that we have been unable to go to Missouri to be with them. It was tough thinking about facing this family holiday without one. But then our friends offered to host Thanksgiving and we gratefully accepted the invitation.

Three couples.... six kids....
... all of us truly enjoying being together....
... after dinner as all six kids played peacefully together (okay... so there was the occasional loud thump from upstairs and other noise... but no bickering or tattling - this time), the guys watched football and I was sitting with the moms... I began to realize that we're becoming a bit like our own "family" of sorts... we spend holidays together (it was at this same house that Clara and I spent Easter), celebrate birthdays together, we trade favors, and with some of the girls dancing together, we attend recitals together and go out to dinner afterward as one big noisy group! :-) I love that our kids are growing up together. And I truly love that we all enjoy each others company.... my kids have had friends where I didn't really know (or wanted to get to know) the parents, and I've had friends where my kids didn't really mesh (age or personality) with their kids... but this is one group that gets along well from top (parents) to bottom (the kids)....

... and for that, I am very thankful.