A weekend to give thanks

I was given the message that I have used my quota for pictures on my blog - this was a scary message -  but best I can tell, I have a certain quota for one year and then it renews.  Hopefully that is true - then, in a few days, I will add our Thanksgiving feast picture to the end of this post.  One year.
Which brings around what I was doing one year ago today.  As I am writing this, we were driving here, to Michigan, for the last time, or first time, depending on how you look at it.  We left one home to make a new one.  One year ago today, I was driving, through rain and tears, we arrived safely at our destination.  This blog is proof of all the heartaches and joys that one family experiences in one years time.  I am often asked 'How are you doing?'  or 'Does it feel like home yet?'.  I never really know how to answer.  We are fine, we are blessed. We have clothes, food and a warm beautiful home.  Home feels like home.  Its nice to have your own bed and a place to walk in and dump your stuff until tomorrow.  A place to hang Christmas lights and make memories.  So, yes, those things are happening and make this more like home.
We went back to MN for Thanksgiving.  We have been celebrating Thanksgiving in the same way with the same people for 4 or 5 years.  It was funny listening to the kids tell us what we were going to do on Thursday because we had to, it was tradition.  Cue Fiddler on the Roof.  We did all those things and then some, and laughed and smiled and cried and laughed some more.  I love that I can drop my kids off in several different homes/situations and they just take off as though they never missed a day.  I love to see the hugs my kids give the adults that they miss in their lives.  I hate the heartache in their voices when they ask to move back.  I was asked several times to move back, by both my children and by the people they visited.  Its hard to be back there, to see life go on, to miss it. Its hard to come back here, to see life go on, to wonder.  But yet, its all so good.  No I did not mean also good.  I meant ALL so good.  We love MN and our family/friends there.  We love visiting them.  We love it when they visit us.  We are asked what are favorite things here are and sometime its hard to have an answer, but we do always have the beach, and the beach day with friends.  We have jobs, and a school, and much to be thankful for.  A video we saw on Thanksgiving morning reminded us to be thankful where we are.... for sight, for hearing, for feet to walk, and if you don't have those things - which many people don't - be thankful for the right here right now.  There was an open microphone in the church that morning.  Jessica asked if she could go forward and talk.  I told her to go for it.  You have to understand, this girl loves the stage and the opportunity to hold a microphone.  She got up there and said 'I am thankful I am back in MN again.'  Much of the church got a kick out of that one!  I can look back to where we were a year ago, and see all that we have learned and found and hold on to and be ever so thankful I have another day to count my blessings.

kids eat first

bowling, part of the tradition