11.27.2009

Give thanks with a grateful heart

Thanksgiving is such a special time of year. It marks the season when we first gather with family & friends to focus on our blessings & give thanks to our God (at least that's the way we do it in the Duckett & Eldridge families). It marks the weekend when it is officially okay to start thinking about Christmas & decorations [my very favorite time of year!]. It's my favorite time of year because the core of this season is two things: Jesus & family.

I don't know about you, but my Thanksgiving was fantastic this year. Not just because I have (1) some fantastic cooks in my (2) large family but for a multitude of other reasons:

3) TIME w/ my family - the older I get the more I realize that time is precious & life goes by SO quickly. I am thankful for the time I got to spend with my family this year.

4) Memories - this Thanksgiving was extra special to me because it was my Mamaw's 90th birthday. Leslie, my cousin, put together 90 years of photos & history. It was really neat to see the history my grandmother has been through in her 90 years. And it was really cool to see the family she came from & the family had....almost 40 GREAT-grandchildren (& counting).

Happy 90th Birthday Mamaw!!



I am so thankful for the memories!  Here are pics of a few of my all-time favorites:

time spent with my sweet Gran & Mamaw

playing w/ Hot wheels w/ Daddy (or anyone else who would play)

Alabama winning the NC in 1992 - ROLL TIDE!!

[Insert here] a picture of Shanna & I with the Dream Dollhouse
or our ribbon dancers (that we made, thank you) or our Simba dolls. 

5) Best friends - I am so blessed to have true best friends. 
Ashley - blood doesn't make you best friends, but it gives you a head start.  I have the most loving, giving, sweet sister in the world.  She holds memories that I share with no one else.  Like the year we told each other every Christmas present Mama bought the the first time we got to shop for the other sister.  Or singing Blue Moon in our panties & sleep shirts with a video camera (yikes!)...cause of many a laugh, I assure you.  She is a phenomenal cook & probably the most hospitable person I know.  She likes to have a good time & will make sure anyone in her presence does, too.  I love being able to confide in her & get her advice when I'm in a bind.  I am thankful for how rich our relationship is today.  She is irreplaceable in my life.

                                               
Shanna - I can hardly remember a time when this lady wasn't in my life.  Childhood best friends then, grown up best friends today.  We've shared almost every life event together [college graduation, marriage, buying our first home] & she holds tons of my childhood memories.  Her quick wit & charm with words is one of my favorite things about her.  She has a gentle & forgiving spirit that I aspire to have.  She is always an encouragement to me & I trust her with my very life.  Words are not sufficient to describe the role this sweet friend has played & continues to play in my life.  Now that we're grown ups, we love hanging out as couples.  Shanna & Jonathan are such a delight to be around.  We are thankful to have dear friends as we have in the Moody's.

                                       
Jenny Beth - God blessed me with a new friend just when I needed one.  Our friendship with the Rodden's has blossomed over the last couple of years beyond anything I could have imagined.  They are our second couple friends who we love to spend time with.  And their sweet little girl, Anna Caroline, is such a joy.  We love her like she is our own.  Jenny Beth is my go-to for all things creative & decorative. I always feel empowered to be completely domestic when I'm with her.  She is also one of my prayer warriors.  I know I can count on her to talk about life & depend on her to faithfully pray for my family.

                                       
Kacie - I don't get to talk to this chick nearly as often as I'd like, but she is a jewel in my life nonetheless.  God brought us together in high school & has used our similarities to allow us to be supports for one another through the years.  If there is a picture of kindness, it's Kacie.  She has a heart of gold & a heart for the Lord.  I am so thankful to have her as a friend in my life.  She certainly makes it richer.

6) Security - as a woman, security is an important feature in life, in a marriage.  God has richly blessed me with a husband who takes his role as provider seriously & gives me a sound sense of security.  We have been so blessed to be able to purchase our first home this year & we are able to experience many of the things we enjoy, such as traveling to see family & friends.  I am constantly reminded of God's faithfulness to me.  No matter how impossible it seems, my well-being is in the BEST of Hands.

Those are the my top 5 reasons I'm thankful this year:  my [big] family, TIME, memories, best friends, & security.  Have good cooks in the family is an added bonus :)  Thank you Lord, for the many blessings you have poured out on me this year!

What do you have to be thankful for this year? 

1 comment:

  1. tears at work... calling for a convo later... love you tons.

    ReplyDelete