Obvious yet obscure

“Remember, as far as anyone knows we are a normal family.”

This quote makes me laugh, especially after our Thanksgiving marathon weekend.  It was tailor-made for our big extended family. 

Thanksgiving.  It wasn’t just a single day for our family.  Our celebration started on Wednesday and wrapped up on Saturday {Sunday for the diehards.}  There was plenty of good food, wine, dessert, lively and honest conversation and lots of laughter.

Every year my mom gracefully hosts a crowd for the feast.  This year was no exception – we had 27 people seated around the table {William slept nearby in a bassinet.}  My parents opened their home for almost five days of meals {breakfast – mom makes killer scrambled eggs and Auntie Chicky makes the best cinnamon rolls – lunch and dinner.}  We all happily descend upon their house and catch up on each others lives, plans for the future and for plenty of laughs. Often the guys go golfing and hunting.  The kids blissfully run around basking in the attention from older cousins, aunties and uncles.

With each holiday the “family” we celebrate with looks a bit different.  This year some were celebrating with other branches of their own family, others traveling.  It doesn’t matter.  To me family is family.  This is something I want to teach my kids and have them fully embrace.

I’ve said it before, and I hope I never tire of saying it.  We are so blessed.  I hope that I am always aware of how precious our life is – the people in it, the basic things we tend to take for granted {food, a home, clothes.}  Our freedom.  His love.  We have so much.

I was thankful on Thanksgiving for so many things.  Yet, my hope for each day is that I would live a life that reflects a style of thankful-living.  It seems so obvious.  Obvious yet obscure.  {And no you aren’t missing a key theme.  It’s just one of those wierd family things.  One of those weird “normal” family things.}