Thankful: Thanksgiving Day

Our Tree of Thanks

Thanksgiving was never meant to be for a single day~ "Robert Casper Lintner"

    My Grams posted this quote on her Facebook wall earlier today, and it's such a good reminder. I'm glad we have this day set aside to give thanks. Gratitude it something I want to continue working to cultivate in my heart and in the hearts of my family. This month we created a Tree of Thanks as a way to help us remember that Thanksgiving isn't just a day; it's a way of life. I love how it started as just a bare brown trunk and grew into something beautiful as we added daily our little offerings of thanks. I love the leaves in all different shapes, sizes, and colors. I like the big scrawly writing of certain kids, the misspellings of others, and the fact that they each have their names up there several times - they are thankful for each other! Here are a few others: 

• Lego (This is also up there numerous times! My boys spend lots of time with their legos.)
• Kasles! Hoklit Bunes! (Castles and Chocolate Bunnies.... Poppy is just starting to write on her own and her spelling needs a bit of interpretation!)
• Reading stories
• Making crafts
• The WRLD and everything on it! (Poppy again.)
• Cowboys
• A fire in the fireplace on a cold day
• Mama
• The Ducks (That would be Peregrine)
• Lego (Did we mention Lego?)
• A good, secure job.
• I'm happy for Pearl (Raphi loves his baby sister!) 
• Chili and cornbread
• Good coffee (Erik)
• The weekend, my family together
• Unicorns. And Butterflies. And Cats. (Poppy. Definitely Poppy.)
• Thanksgiving!
• My beautiful wife. (My sweet husband.)
• A warm and dry house
• Sushi
• Playing with Dad (Peregrine)
• Sleep (that would be me)
• A healthy family
• Church
• Family and friends
• Books
• Helpful big kids

    It makes my heart happy just to sit and look at this, the giving of thanks for things big and small, things often unnoticed. The kids are already talking about doing a "Christmas Tree" and I think it's a great idea. Let's keep the gratitude flowing; it does us all good. 

Happy Thanksgiving!