I’m sure a lot of people bypass Thanksgiving as they look forward to Christmas. How can you NOT do that when Christmas decor is displayed in stores for 5 months out of the year, the radio stations play holiday music in November, and the constant stream of shopping sales are broadcast? While I do love everything about Christmas too, as I’ve gotten older, I have developed a new sense of appreciation for this often-overlooked celebration of thanks.

Growing up, I never considered the importance of Thanksgiving. Back then, it was a time that let us get out of school and eat a big homecooked meal. There’s no twinkling decorations, beautifully wrapped gifts, or cheerful carols to get you in the mood for this holiday. But it’s not just about food and football. It’s simply about giving thanks. It’s about family and fellowship. It’s about tradition.

This morning as I stood over the hot stove and mixed the ingredients together for my pumpkin pie, I became introspective on all the Thanksgivings I’ve had before now…

I thought about how my Momma would somehow manage to cook the entire turkey feast by herself when we were growing up. I never realized how much time and effort goes into preparing a meal this large until I started helping in the kitchen. I don’t know how she did it all those years with 4 kids running underfoot! I am thankful for that I inherited her love language of cooking food and sharing it with others. I can only hope that I will be able to do it with the grace that she did all these years.

I thought about my Gramma and her cornbread dressing. She never wrote down any of her recipes; they were all just ingrained from repetition. I’m attempting to recreate it this year, but I would give anything to go back and ask her to tell me the secret recipe. Still, I am thankful for the memories I have of Thanksgivings with her, eating that famous dressing.

I thought about how excited I am to be with my entire family today. With everyone’s busy schedules, it’s not the easiest task to get all 12 of us together under one roof, even during the holidays. I took for granted all those years when my siblings and I weren’t married with kids. Now, I know to relish in these moments. Today, I am thankful to fill my heart with new memories made with our growing family.

I thought about how much Bradley and I have to be grateful for this year. As I write this, baby girl continues to ferociously kick inside (she’s ready for some pumpkin pie!). We have been blessed beyond measure in our first year of marriage, and God has continued to strengthen our faith and bring us closer to Him. I am thankful for His guiding presence as we embark on a new adventure with becoming parents.

It’s hard to imagine that this time next year, we will have a 9 month old crawling around. I look forward to the day that she and I can cook in the kitchen together, to sitting down for the turkey feast and expressing what we are extra thankful for that year, to creating new memories and traditions with our little family, and to sharing my love for this simple holiday with her.

Wishing you and yours the most wonderful Thanksgiving full of love, family, tradition, and homemade dressing!

(photo taken with point and shoot…apologies for the awful colorations!)