On Saturday we celebrated Kristal's Birthday with a turkey dinner - a week early as we will be also be celebrating our Anniversary on her special day.
I'm discovering that preparing a nice dinner can be an all day kind of celebration as I prepare and reflect on the meaning of the day.
By the time the door bell rang, I'd already enjoyed so much of the process! Between dinner and dessert, after the sun had set, Papa went out in the back yard to play soccer with the oldest ones. And after dessert everyone went into the hot tub, outside, while I had the chance to have my own cuddles with the littlest Miss. So . . . onto my reflections . . .
I'm thankful . . .
- for Kristal's love for God and allowing that to be a principal guide in her relationships
- for her love and commitment to Shaun and her children
- for her talents she shares so willingly
- for the encouragement she is to me
I'm thankful . . .
- for Shaun's love for Kristal and his family
- for sharing/using his gift of music
- for his work with teen students through Young Life
- for his willingness to embrace the Canadian way of life
I'm thankful . . .
- for Natalie's shared love for baking
- for her hugs when she walks in the door and again when she leaves, even if she has already settled in the car, she comes back for more . . . just in case she forgot
- for her smiles and joy in continually anticipating the next fun thing to look forward to.
I'm thankful . . .
- for Landon's easy going, like-able character
- for his sensitivity to kids who may get laughed at
- for his tender love for his siblings
I'm thankful . . .
- for Koen's strong will, which will be used for good
- for his musical ear and quick jigs
- for his keen mind
I'm thankful . . .
- for Everly's easy fit into a busy household
- for her smiles coming so early in life
- for her total sweetness all around
Most of all I'm thankful to God for joy and contentment in this season of life and for knowing that the families that are not here are a blessing to us and others even where they are right now. I'm thankful for being able to share life through texts, emails, phonecalls, parcels and the bond of being family no matter where we are.
17 comments:
And we are thankful to be here, and thankful for you!! Thanks again for a delicious dinner (and the leftovers which we enjoyed last night) and for making it a special evening for me!
This is such a beautiful post Anneliese. Thank you for sharing what you are thankful for. I sense such a deep sincerity and thoughtfulness in all you were able to reflect on.
Your photos are exceptionally beautiful as well.
Happy Birthday to Kristal. She is beautiful.
Happy Thanksgiving to all, and Happy Birthday Kristal! What a lovely post. Love your family, such treasures from the Lord. We treasure ours as well!!
Love Mary
Such a beautiful Thankful post, Anneliese.
Beautiful. So many reasons to give thanks!!!
Your heart so beautifully expressed with gratefulness. You spoke into your families lives through this post in such lovely way. Happy Birthday to Kristal. Oh she was so sweet as a baby....and now a beautiful wife, mom and daughter.
Such a touching tribute to your beautiful daughter and her family! So much love in your words and pictures! Happy anniversary and Happy Thanksgiving to you and to all your loved ones.
BTW tonight I made your "special chicken" casserole and your French Bread recipes for our Thanksgiving Day supper to share with our friends. They both have become some my favourites - thanks!!
Great tribute to a beautiful woman! What a special way to celebrate the family that is living close for now.
A lovely way to count your blessings, Anneliese. A beautiful post.
what a beautifu post... so many wonderful things to be thankful for.... love that you itemized each one for the family members... Happy Thanksgiving!
What a beautiful post of thankfulness for your daughter and her family. So glad you have them all nearby to enjoy face-to-face in this season of your life. Sweet photos...all around!
What is the chicken casserole recipe that Rosella is referring to?
Sharon, it's called special chicken, a dish we like to serve with stuffing and cranberry for special occasions. The recipe is in the Celebrations cookbook in the Holiday section.
Such beautiful pictures of everyone. Thankful for you all!!!
Such a great post!! You do such an awesome job of taking time to reflect.....love being able to catch up on your blog posts.
Your blog post inspired me in such a special way today. You are keenly aware of the many blessings in your life, and your way of sharing them, adds joy to my day. I love how you capture so many precious moments and take the time to share them with us.
I wish Kristal, a belated Happy Birthday! She is beautiful!
Post a Comment