Thanksgiving

There are many memories that I harbor within my mind from the past: turkey, my mom's famous cornbread dressing, sweet potato pie, gravy smothering creamy mashed potates, as well as my brothers watching football, while my mom and my sister and I looked through newspaper ads that showed toys Santa might bring.

Instead of focusing on the past, no matter how wonderful they are, for the past fourteen years, I have strived to create memories for my daughters to cherish when they have their own children one day.

I continue to make certain treats such as sweet potato pie, but our traditions include: putting up the Christmas decorations on Thanksgiving weekend and preparing our wish list for Santa. We also include ways to help the misfortunate such as donating to the Angel Tree or to food pantries. We also go to a Christmas tree farm to pick out our tree to decorate on the Sunday before we go back to work and school.

Although it's Thanksgiving, it creates a bridge between the holiday and the one to come: Christmas and the New Year.

It may sound very simplistic. There is nothing fancy or extravagant that makes our time together extraordinary except this: the warmth of a loving home with family surrounding us. My children will have the memories that they were cherished and loved. That is the ultimate Thanksgiving gift: Families are Forver.

Happy Thanksgiving and blessings to each of you.