Giving Thanks

Last night we had our annual Pilgrim Feast.  We headed down to the basement with our friends Floyd & Peggy so that we could sit in the coldest, darkest part of our house--our pantry.  We cuddled in blankets and pretended we were in the cramped quarters of the Mayflower.  As the sound of ocean waves came from the CD player, we sang Oh God Our Help in Ages Past, read psalms and portions from Pilgrim Stories, The Landing of the Pilgrims and Of Plymouth Plantation by candlelight.  We ate soda crackers (which subbed for hard tack) and salami (after years of eating dried canned beef on this night, we decided to go for the more edible Italian dry cured meat).

Once our worship was complete, we convened upstairs to eat fish chowder around our dining room table. After dinner, Floyd's enthusiastic readings of Brer Rabbit and Richard Scarry's Mother Goose entertained the little boys.  The girls and I chatted with Peggy.  I think Floyd & Peggy are beginning to get used to the loud volume of our household.  It was a nice, relaxed evening (aside from a few minor little boy squabbles).

This morning we attended the Thanksgiving service at our church.  It was a time set aside from the busyness of meal preparations in order that we might give thanks to the Lord and the abundant provision He has bestowed upon us.  As my Uncle Keith said to me this morning, "It would have been enough."

Late this afternoon we will head over to Matt's parents' house for the big feast.  Seventeen of the nineteen grandchildren will be there.  We'll have more food than we can eat, even with all those people. We are blessed beyond measure. 

Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!  Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing.  Psalm 107:21-22

Leaves

Fest at Home, Round Two

I've already written about how we had our German Festival at home this year.  As nice as that Fest was, it just wasn't the same without family.  So last Saturday we invited my parents and Uncle Keith & Aunt Leanna to our house for a German feast.  Again, the menu was cabbage rolls, kartoffel und kloss and sausage (thanks, Uncle Keith!).  We also had a very rare plum strudel, instead of the usual apple, which my aunt & uncle also provided.  Grace made my German Great Grandmother Katherine's rolls.  Uncle Keith was in heaven.  Great food and great company.  Es ist gut!

Jude's Request

Friday at our house is not the most longed-for day of the week by any stretch of the imagination.  Fridays are chore day here.  Last Friday, Jude came to me and asked, "Mommy, could we please get a robot to clean our room?  Please?"  No, son, your name is not Elroy, it's Jude and you'll need to pick up your room every Friday for the next two decades, give or take.

A Good Day

Yesterday was a good day.  I got to the dollar store in time to buy the advance edition of the Sunday paper.  I buy a few papers every week for the coupons, but the competition around here is tough.  If I'm not there early, I miss out.  However, yesterday I made it in time, plus I had a chance to squeeze in a walk and shower before I left for the store.  So the day started off well.

After I got home, the kids and I sat down and made good progress on our BSF lessons.  Lydia told her older siblings how to spell, "Tigris River."  I had a nice conversation with my mom on the phone.  She was excited because it was snowing where she & Dad live.  She always gets to enjoy snow before I do.

It's getting cold here.  Matt and the boys drove out to the country to pick up a cord of firewood yesterday morning.  He got back to the house in time to sell his 1994 Subaru Legacy.  It had only been on Craigslist for a few hours.  Matt bought the car used ten years ago and drove it to work and back every day.  He bought it when it had 115,00 miles on it and then put another 90,000 miles on it.   

Grace worked hard outside all day, cleaning the chicken coop and the shed, putting away the patio furniture and the bikes for the winter.  Liz helped her with the shed and she also helped me get some work done at church.  Matt and Paul sorted and stacked the firewood.

Early in the evening, Matt got a good fire going in the fireplace and I made chicken noodle soup for dinner.  Grace made two loaves of challah bread.  We celebrated Shabbot last night, something we haven't done for a long time.  For dessert, we ate apple pie that I had made from the Granny Smith apples we picked a few weeks ago.

After dinner, Grace and I got the kitchen cleaned up and got breakfast going for this morning.  Daddy gave the boys haircuts (Isaac is nearly bald! oh well, it'll grow) and they all got baths. Jude put on his heavy fleece pajamas.  I finally gave him permission to wear them as it was cold enough here that I knew he wouldn't wake up in the middle of night because he was too hot.  He was one tickled little boy--he's been dying to wear those p.jers.

Matt stoked the fire one last time before we headed to bed and aside from a low battery alarm from one of Matt's electronic devices (we finally figured out where the noise was coming from), we had a restful night's sleep.

Happy Sweet Sixteen, Elle!

Autumn