Happy Thanksgiving from Our House to Yours...

Thanksgiving has always been such a special time. When we were little every Thanksgiving we spent with Uncle Joe and the boys... either at our house or theirs. Some of my best memories were the times we spent together... all 8 of the cousins. This year was our first year without Grandpa. I knew it was going to be hard... but I also didn't know how much being away from my family would bother me until the week of Thanksgiving rolled around. Mom and Dad went to Ohio to Amish country...Jean, Chris and Tabitha are WAY OUT IN ARIZONA (hint-hint)... Daddy, Frances and Kelsey were in Memphis since Grandma Goff was in the hospital... so Jamie, Jodi and I were all just doing our own things separately. By Tuesday, I was pretty SAD. However, after a little plotting and planning... and a special surprise of Mom and Dad coming home from Ohio early...we all met at the movies in Georgetown to go and see "Happy Feet" at 5PM on Thanksgiving evening. It was a lot of fun... the girls were only mildly traumatized by the scary birds that tried to eat the baby penguin, and the mean seal that chased him... and the "bad fish" (aka the killer whale)... Overall, though they really enjoyed the movie and thought it was great fun that we took up an ENTIRE row at the theater! (Although, Jean and Chris... there were several seats left...so there is plenty of room for you to join us next time!!!!) Family is important to me. It always has been, and always will be. They can be the first ones to make you crazy - but they are also the first ones there to defend you, to encourage you, to pick you up when you are down... and to love you unconditionally like only a family can do! My family is very important to me... and on this Thanksgiving I want to say THANK YOU Mom, Dad, Daddy, Frances, Kelsey, Jamie, Chuck, Briana, Jean, Chris, Tabitha, Jodi, Chad, Austin, Bryson... and of course Tim, Ali, Rachel and McCaleb for being the wonderful family that you are! Each of you have added something special to my life - and for that I will be forever grateful. I love you all very much...