Friday Fifteen Freewrite

I really have been doing it every day! I said, "Famous last words" about my resolve to do this every day this week, but I really am. 

I had such a sweet time with God this morning. I think to do an Examen after such a perfect Thanksgiving day was pretty easy and sweet. I love George's mom. It was just George, Michael, Paul, and me with George's mom. She has not been feeling very well. So we offered to come and do the meal. She was shaking when we arrived. She is 90 years old, although she looks like she is 70 years old.  She is such a wonderful woman who raised a wonderful son. I am not ready for anything to happen to her. I pray she reaches a ripe old age of 100 (at least)!

I think the reduced size of the gathering makes for less stress for all of us. I think the person who causes the most stress has chosen to not be a part of our celebrations, and I do not miss it. I think that this person is on a journey that none of us can help ease. I have let it go, but it was a matter of prayer for me this morning, and it was such a good time to pray. I am resolved to pray for the healing of that person, but that person has to want to heal. That is the issue. Do they realize that their patterns are destructive? I am not sure. There is still blame being cast. There is control being exerted over others. We are just relieved to not be among those who are in the net of control. We have freedom. 

All that said is that the prayer with God was for a resolve to pray daily for relief and healing. I would not want to live with the challenge of that person's day to day existence. Mental illness is such a difficult thing, and I feel nothing but compassion and love. I know this is not about me (although I have been blamed at times).

All that said is that my kids are so fun. We laughed and learned together. I made rolls. George did the pies and turkey at home. We piled it all in the car and drove through the heart of the Willamette Valley in the cold sunshine of a late fall day. It was GORGEOUS, and I was in heaven. Europe is beautiful, but where we live is even more so. We listened to our familiar Christmas CDs on the way (thinking Grandma would not approve, but she said later that she thought that was nice that we listened to it BEFORE Thanksgiving had ended). 

We had a team effort in the remaining dishes. I did the sweet potato with brown sugar and butter glaze. I cut the last tomatoes of the season from Grandma's garden. Paul did the mashing of the potatoes and opening up of the cranberry sauce, Michael made the gravy, and George did that incredible stuffing (Brother Paul's amazing recipe - YUM!). Grandma warmed her homemade canned green beans. We threw in a warm-up of a can of corn.

After dinner had settled, we played Trivial Pursuit for about two hours. It was so fun. I want to say that my hubby is a rock star. He knows so many obscure facts. He is so smart, and I marvel at his breadth of knowledge from Arts and Literature to History to Science. The boys won while Grandma and I had a late entry into being able to answer questions. It was so fun. Paul liked it so much that he continued to ask us all questions from the pile.

Homeward bound we reveled in more Mannheim Steamroller and instrumental Christmas. We came home to listen to more music. I tried to watch a Christmas special but fell asleep within minutes of getting in bed. 

Such a perfect Thanksgiving Day!