Tomorrow we will once again host the men of Dare Challenge for Thanksgiving at our home along with a couple of people from church.That means that for the next thirty-six hours or so, I will be running around like a crazy woman so I thought I’d better check in with you today while I still have a spare moment or two.
Steve has been in Charlotte for the past two days while his dad (who is 83 years old) had a major back surgery. Thankfully, the surgery went well; we are all optimistic that it will make a big difference for him in relieving the terrible pain he’s experienced for such a long time.
Of course, when Steve arrived in Charlotte he had to take both of his parents for a spin in his new convertible. In the past, his dad has piloted F-111D fighter jets that could fly at 1800 m.p.h. (or Mach 2.5) so zipping around in a Mazda was a bit on the tame side in comparison. However, he has always loved convertibles and had a great time hanging out with Steve.
Steve’s great goal in life when he was younger was to be a fighter pilot like his dad–and his hero–but he flunked the physical. God had other plans for him!
When Steve posted this picture on Facebook, he captioned it, “Mama Bear and Baby Bear going cruising. Love the purple hat.”
Steve’s mom and dad have been the best parents-in-law imaginable to me and I am so grateful for the privilege to have had them in my life for the past 34 years. Hugs to you both, Ken and Vernie!
Steve will be home about dinner time tonight at which he point he will throw himself into the getting-ready-for-Thanksgiving Day fray. He is the world’s great Helping Husband, peeling potatoes, cutting up carrots, vacuuming, dusting, setting the table, mopping floors–whatever needs to be done, he is all about it.
One of the many good things that Steve inherited from his parents (and especially his dad) is that he loves a house full of people. I’m thankful to be married to a man with a heart for hospitality.
As this day of giving thanks approaches, I also want to mention that I am thankful for each of you who has taken the time to come here and become a part of the Smithellaneous family. I am so blessed to be able to share my words and pictures and stories with such wonderful readers who have also become my friends.
Would you take a moment before you leave to mention one or two quick things you’re thankful for today? I love getting an insight into your life and I think it’s fun for each reader to see what everyone else writes.
I’ll close with a few Thanksgiving-ish shots I recently took.
We are blessed to know you all from way back when. Steve’s grandparents George and Hazel were a real blessing to all in Center Church when I was growing up. Another blessing was seeing Ken and Vernie 2 summers ago at Center.
Sally,
How nice to hear from someone from Center Church. What wonderful, wonderful memories we have of that place–not as many memories as YOU do, but still a lot. I miss our trips to Pennsylvania–I truly do. And how nice to hear from someone who knew Steve’s grandparents. They were grand folks!
I’m a little late, but I’m grateful for my family and our good general health (minus some colds and strep throat, just now). We are very fortunate. My dad just had what sounds like similar back surgery — he downplayed it by saying they were just going in to tidy things up, but I think there is now quite a bit of hardware in his lower back to replace degenerated bone and cartilage! My dad is 83 too. Here’s hoping that both dads recover well and find 2015 to be pain free! Happy belated Thanksgiving, Smith family!
Nancy,
I love your dad’s sense of humor and positive attitude about “tidying things up.” Such a practical way to put it. 🙂
As you said–many wishes for BOTH of them to be free of pain in this coming year!
Happy American Thanksgiving from Canada 🙂
I’m wishing Steve’s dad a speedy recovery!
As for being thankful… I am thankful for the most amazing husband in the whole word, and for my precious daughter Lilia. They make me whole, they make me complete. And I am also thankful for my wonderful family, who has been so helpful to us, despite living 7 hours from here. I have so much to be thankful for…
Renee,
How very touching to read your words about your husband and your daughter–you are so very blessed to have people like that in your life.
I will keep your FIL in my prayers. I am thankful for my sweet little family of three. Our table may be small but it is filled with love and so many blessings! Happy Thanksgiving!
Elizabeth,
It’s amazing how much love a small table can hold! 🙂
First of all, I am so glad that Steve’s dad did well with the surgery.
OK, thankful. Alright one or two quick things. I am thankful that Sarah’s social security(disability) finally came through so that I could come off the merry-go-round of working full time while trying to take care of her. That has been so rough. #2 I am thankful that you have continued to blog, because even though we have never met I would miss you if you stopped.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Lesley,
That is such great news that you no longer have to be stretched so thin between your job and caring for Sarah. Hooray!!! So glad for you!
And thank you for your words about my blog. Occasionally I wonder to myself if I should continue blogging, if it makes a difference for anyone. Your words are an encouragement.
It makes a difference.
I am thankful for so many things, including my family (like you I have two of the world’s best in-laws). I am also very thankful for my internet friends…those like you who I read regularly and feel I know, even though we’ve yet to meet in person (the Carolina Coast is one of my very favorite places on Earth so maybe we will get to meet some day!)… and a few that I’ve been able to meet in person and are just as sweet and loving in person as online! Wishing you, Steve, Sarah and all your extended family a very happy Thanksgiving!
SueEllen,
Yes, the Carolina coast IS a truly wonderful place. Be sure to give us a holler next time you get close by.
I’m happy to hear that you ALSO have in-laws you love and that you have people online to be thankful for, as well. Isn’t it amazing how attached we can get to people we haven’t even met? Such a treasure!
I am thankful for my brother! He is one of the most important people in my life, and I am in Washington spending Thanksgiving with him. Your post reminds me that I am also thankful for a life that has been blessedly free from addiction… what a demon these men are battling. Love that you give them a temporary home for the holiday!
Kristina,
I love to hear stories of siblings that love each other–not just endure each other, but really love each other. So nice that you got to spend Thanksgiving with your special sib!
Like you, I am thankful to never have battled substance abuse addictions; what a privilege to offer (as you called it) a temporary home for those who are so bravely working to put their lives back together.
I read your blog all the time but has been a couple of years since I have commented on your posts. First and foremost, I thank God….that he has blessed me with 10 years of life after my Breast Cancer diagnosis which was 10 years in October. I am now starting on my 7th year with Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer. That in itself is a blessing as a lot of women do not get that kind of time. I have met many new friends through my L4 group who are in the same situation I am and we “get” each other. Most of these women are me, 10 years ago, in their 30’s with small children or trying to have children. My cancer will never go away, but I will never give up the fight!! I am most thankful also for my husband who has stood by me the whole time….even when I haven’t been so nice due to all the chemo drugs throughout the years. And my precious 16 year old daughter and 12 year old son who are my everything! Many blessings to you and your family this Thanksgiving. Reading your blog really lifts me in spirit. Your struggles, Sarah and her struggles and wonderful accomplishments and Nathan and Meagan and their cute little, expanding family. I feel I know you all in my heart. Have a blessed Holiday season!
Lisa,
It is always such a special treat for me to hear from a reader who doesn’t comment often. I love hearing your voice!
Your story truly moved me–your attitude, your gratefulness for the fact that you are still alive to wage the war, your thankfulness for your husband and children, your appreciation of the cancer friends you have made who are fighting with you shoulder to shoulder.
Such a long line of thanksgivings from someone who has every reason to find things to NOT be thankful for.
You have inspired me by your story and I’m glad that in some small way, the stories of my family and me have also been an encouragement to you. It’s so nice to be reminded that none of us are on this journey alone.
I’m so very thankful that part of your journey has led you down the Smithellaneous road . . .
Blessings to you and your sweet family . . .
Happy American Thanksgiving- I hope you have a wonderful celebration!! In Canada, Thanksgiving is on a Sunday and Monday in early October, but as far as I understand, other than the date being different, Thanksgiving is celebrated very similarly between the two countries.
I have so much I am thankful for! I’ve had a challenging few months, and it has taught me so much about life, myself, peace, and what it really means to live well. I am grateful for my new understanding that a peaceful heart and a joy-filled spirit are choices we each get to make every day. I am also grateful to live in a beautiful, snowy, freezing wonderland world. I used to despise winter and how cold and dark it gets here in the winter (often below minus thirty, snow on the ground 8 months per year, just 7 hours of winter daylight versus 17 hours of daylight in the summer) but this year I’ve come to see that it is incredibly beautiful to live in a frozen, ice-strewn world, kind of like stepping into the magical world of a snow globe.
I am grateful for my family and friends. I loved your comment about readers that have become friends. It’s funny because I read your blog regularly and every now and then will be talking to someone about something and will reference something from your blog with the words “my friend Becky said…..” Even though we have never met in person, you have become a friend- and I am grateful for your friendship.
Hope you have a very happy thanksgiving!
Jenna
Jenna,
How sweet it is that you say, “My friend Becky said.” That made me smile.
It truly is amazing how connected I feel to you and to my other readers from reading all your stories and hearing the ups and downs of your lives. Such a blessing!
I admire the way you have “re-framed” your view of winter in Canada, looking for the beauty of your “ice-strewn world.” So glad you have found the joys of living in your snow globe but also rejoice with you (ahead of time) for the day that first spring thaw arrives.
May your peaceful heart and joy-filled spirit continue to carry you through the days to come. Blessings!
So thankful for friendship with the Smith family. I am also thankful for wonderful parents and the precious memories I will have as well as the tears I will shed on tomorrow. Mama was not able to cook Thanksgiving meal since about 2008. I would go over and get things done until she went in the rest home in 2011. She did spend Thanksgiving 2010 in Florida with my brother. Daddy passed away Aug 2009 so never has been quite the same. Now that Mama has joined Daddy in Heaven and it will be just Jim and me this year it will be very different. God is good and I thank Him for all He has done for me. Happy Thanksgiving to all. Safe travels for Steve.
Ann,
We are so thankful for you and Jim, as well.
I know it’s such a difficult transition when the people we used to celebrate Thanksgiving with are no longer here. It’s perfectly okay to shed some Thanksgiving tears–those tears are a beautiful reflection of the love we have for the dear ones we miss. Hugs!
Happy Thanksgiving! Prayers for Ken from Portland. I’m thankful for my grandsons (and forthcoming Baby Whosits) and I’m reeeeeeeally thankful that I’m not cooking Thanksgiving dinner!
Jan,
Love the name, “Baby Whosits.” 🙂
Enjoy the grandkids, and the food and the not cooking. Happy day to you!
Happy Thanksgiving. I thought of you as I was madly dashing through the store to pick up all we need for our dinner. I was wondering about the DARE Thanksgiving. So glad that is happening again. Becky, prayers for St. Louis and all the tragic events. We are not the citizens that have been portrayed on the news. We need to find peace, safety, respect for each other (especially our first responders) and all of us trying to make sense of the senseless. I am thankful I will be able to be with all I love during this holiday and for a special friend, named Becky, whose prayers mean so much to me. Thank you, Becky.
Mary,
Instead of “dashing through the snow,” it’s “dashing through the store!” So glad you get to spend Thanksgiving with those who are so dear to you.
I can’t even begin to comprehend what those of you in the St. Louis area are going through right now. Many, many times on Sunday mornings, we have prayed in our church service for your town. And our prayers will continue.
And I already know that St. Louis turns out wonderful people because, well, YOU’RE pretty wonderful!
Happy Thanksgiving I will keep Steves parents in my prayers. I’m so glad you are hosting the “Dare Guys” again this year. I’m sure they really appreciate your generosity.
As always I am grateful for Faith,Family & Friends.
Margie,
Yep, the Dare Guys are scheduled to show up at 1 pm tomorrow for an hour of horseshoes, corn hole and badminton and then we’ll sit down to a feast! We are always more blessed than they are; it is a true privilege to host them.
Thanksgiving Blessings to you and your family Becky. While I am thankful for many things, the two I would mention today are that after 10 years of fighting colon cancer, 9 surgeries, painful and nauseating treatments, too many hospital stays to count, the mister is in remission and I am also thankful for 6 wonderful kids, their spouses and the 17 grandkidlets they have blessed us with. So many things to be thankful for this year and so many things to pray for.
Linda,
Many hoorays and hallelujahs headed your way with the recent news about your husband’s remission. That is absolutely fantastic; I can imagine the kids, the spouses, and the grand kids (and you and mister) are going to have extra thankful Thanksgiving this year!
sorry for the typos in my post… my brain is going fastrer than my fingers I guess.
Happy Thanksgiving! I hope Steve’s dad feels better each day and the surgery is a complete success.We get together with a lot of relatives for Thanksgiving (101 people this year! which is actuaklly down from our usual 120.) I am thankful to be able to do that each year. I am most thankful for my 3 beautiful daughters and that they are all becoming succesful adults.. youngest still in college.I’m also thankful that my husband had successful heart bypass surgey 1 year ago (at age 52!) and appears to be doing well. and lastly thankful that we did not get the 7 plus feet of snow our neighbors in Bullalo got last week.
Michele,
101 people? Are you planning on watching 101 Dalmations after dinner? 🙂
I can imagine that with that many people, there are dozens of fantastic cooks among you. What a delectable smorgasbord that must be!
And I’m being thankful right along with you that your husband is doing so well after his heart surgery–the biggest Thanksgiving blessing of all!
I am thankful for Sarah’s health and blogs like yours that are full of beauty and grace.
Sue,
Awww, thanks so much for mentioning Sarah’s health and your thankfulness for it. We are thankful right along with you.
And to say that my blog is full of beauty and grace is one of the nicest things anyone could say about it. Thank you for making my day!
I am very thankful for my son-in-law’s parents who care for our granddaughter daily while her mommy and daddy work. They provide lots of love, plenty of structure and a safe, happy environment which allows the parents plenty of peace of mind while they are away. Such a blessing! I’m also so thankful for our health and for the two perfect and very healthy babies that will arrive in the new year! Our blessings are too numerous to count and we don’t take them for granted. A very happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, Becky!! 🙂
LeeAnne,
I have to agree that is a great blessing to know that our grandchildren spend their days in safe, loving environments. And congratulations on the coming of two new blessings next year! Happy, happy days!