and it was very good!

A few weeks back I was given a vicious bug from several preschoolers in the Sunday School class I teach. I pretty much know the exact moments they shared their precious gifts as more than one repeatedly coughed directly on my face....we then spent a few minutes learning and executing the proper way to cover and cough into ones elbow.

This lesson was too late for my benefit.


Two days later the yuck had set in. In the four weeks that followed, things went from bad to worse culminating with a diagnosis of pneumonia just days before Thanksgiving.


Those who know me well understand I'm a fairly high energy-on the go caregiver and not one who easily sits back and allow others to pitch in and help out...I'd much rather do it myself.

I can be a real control freak at times.


As Thanksgiving neared, my breathing and energy wained. I was ready to abandon any thoughts of business as usual.

Reluctantly we cut out all the fluff foods, decorations and preparations leaving us with the bare boned holiday essentials. Truth be told, were it not for my determined little family, I would ordered a pizza or two and called it a day.


Instead, a few of my resident angels rolled up their sleeves and saw to it that some semblance of Thanksgiving would grace our table this year.

Paw Paw and Kyra did the grocery shopping which included raw and prepackaged food stuffs.

This was okay with me.

We made a few phone calls and delegated some side dishes.

This was okay with me.

Then there was the pie.

I don't know about the rest of you, but in our house besides the bird, celebration of this holiday must include pumpkin pie.

Now Madame Publix is a mighty fine baker, but let me tell you, she has nothing on Miss K.

At 5 years old, Thanksgiving 2008 marked our baby grands first solo baking experience.

And she did good!

Actually, little Miss did very, very good!

Using her radical reading and math skills, she gathered all the necessary ingredients and proceeded to make pies.

First, Baby Grand measured and mixed the sugar and spices...

lots of spices.

Next, she broke some eggs...

Eggs can be messy!

with only a few pieces of shells

Then little Miss beat the eggs...

After which she added some pumpkin...

and more pumpkin....

Next up adding the wonderful sugar and spice...Yum!

and mix!

Mixing can be hard...Sometimes, this requires two hands

BG added some milk

(one of only 4 things Maw Maw got to do help with) More mixing...

then pour!

It was as easy as pie!

and of course, you've gotta lick the spoon.

Ready for some heat

Into the oven

(another of the things Maw Maw was allowed to do)

While the pies baked,

we set to work tending the turkeys...yes, I said turkeys-plural.

LOT'S of turkeys!

Then

we cleaned up...

made bubble sundaes....

Until the pies were done...

to perfection.

With requisite goodies prepared, we headed off to bed.

Early Thursday morning we wrestled the other bird and had him in the oven all of an hour before a power outage struck our section of town. After an hour and a half, as we readied the grill-planning to smoke our fowl (stuffing and all), the power returned.

By the time our family gathered later in the day, a few more plans had fallen by the wayside,

but nothing we could not do without.

The bare essentials were in tacked.

Football was watched, kiddos played, the grownup caught up trading stories and laughter.

We spent Thursday and few days more

giving thanks for the bounty of that is our lives.

and it was very good!

I hope you and yours were blessed in similar ways during this time of thanks.