It was almost a week–a week of Thanksgiving–beginning Sunday the 22nd after the beautiful Thanksgiving dinner at our church, Christ Alive. It was mid-afternoon when Jerry and I drove the 4 1/2 hours to our Crestline home. Our home is situated in such a way that we pass the rear of the house before making a sharp turn and pull into the driveway in the front. As we drove past the backyard, both Jerry and I noticed lights on in the upstairs area of the house.
“Rebecca must have left on a light,” I thought. She had gone up a couple of days before to oversee carpet cleaners who tackled all our downstairs carpets.
As we pulled up the driveway and into the garage, though, we noticed lights everywhere…and then we saw her car. Our sweet daughter and her son, Nathaniel, were already there, with the house warmed–a crackling fire roaring in the living room fireplace.
And so it began…an exceptional week of Thanksgiving with our family and friends. Except for Michael, who was with Mel at her family’s home, on Thanksgiving day, all our children were with us, along with our grandson Chris and his family. Friends Jay and Holly rounded out the group of 18 who were seated for our traditional luscious Thanksgiving dinner.
Chloe had set the table, choosing to use these combination napkin rings and place cards. Shawnna did the calligraphy. I always want to have the children sit with the adults, but our table just won’t stretch that far, so we set a children’s table…using red plates! (Click on any of the pictures to view them in a larger size.)
You can’t see Gentry at the table, but he is pictured well in the kitchen with his beautiful yeast rolls which he made totally “from scratch.” Everyone pitched in to cook this exceptional meal. When Steve and Dearrah came in from San Diego, he was bearing two large ham butts which were coated with a scrumptious Cajun glaze. Rebecca bought a huge tom, and together we chopped and mixed and seasoned until the giblet gravy and the cornbread dressing were perfect. Chloe peeled, boiled and whipped potatoes into a fluffy, buttery mound. Shawnna prepared two large casserole dishes of her famous, cheesy green beans, and before Friday night was over, there wasn’t a green bean in sight.
Desserts abounded, but before we began to eat, Jerry stood at the head of the table, expressing his love for everyone there, and calling on Nathaniel to read portions of beautiful Psalm 136 that speaks so eloquently of thankfulness.
Gloriously inevitable were the games where we hooted and howled with laughter, and one night after Jerry had gone to bed and we were still at the “gaming table,” open swung the bedroom door on the landing, and the sweet Patriarch growled, “You’re being too loud! Woke me from a sound sleep.” We snickered, and said…sorry…and went right back at it, until finally we were all tuckered out and went to bed.
Friends came by; we ate leftovers and ordered in pizza. We encouraged everyone to take at least one bite of the myriad desserts, never forgetting Chloe’s beautiful chocolate meringue pie. We hugged and patted and washed dishes…and did it again…and again…and went to the store one more time, and put jackets on the babies, and took them off again, and matched up gloves for the cold hands and found boots that fit the growing feet. We opened the second pound of Starbucks coffee beans, made another pitcher of tea, and unloaded the dishwasher and put clothes in the dryer.
I had been disappointed to read weather forecasts that predicted moderate, dry weather…and the forecasts were accurate. But I knew the beautiful weather was a blessing in a way for the youngsters had a great time playing outside, even to a late evening football game. Daddies and one grandpa were running about and huddling with Ella-Claire who is two and with Drake who is three. It was a delight to watch.
But on Friday evening, a cold rain began, and during the night a blustery storm blew in with thunder and lightening that is unusual in our part of the country. Our house shook so that some persons got out of bed and spent part of the night in the living room. I awoke to the crashing of thunder and when our bedroom was illuminated with brilliant lightening but promptly went back to sleep.
Silently and without my being aware, began the snow, so that when I peered from the bathroom window early Saturday morning, the ground was blanketed with two or three inches of that pristine covering. It was a fairyland. The trees were white and icy. The temperature had dropped 23 degrees from Friday morning…and so ended the Thanksgiving week. Snow suits and boots came out in earnest, snow ball fights ensued, and one beautiful snow man was built, sporting carrot features and a bright red scarf and hat.
The day had cleared with peeks of blue overhead, but just before we left, the sky lowered and dark clouds built. Hurrying now, we finished packing and as we drove away, fresh snow was falling. We left Rebecca in our home, and when I checked on her yesterday, she was still there. “Nathaniel doesn’t have to be in school until Tuesday. We’re just hunkered down here. It’s so nice.”
I knew there was plenty of food for Rebecca and Nathaniel; there were fresh coffee beans and lots of wood for the fireplace. I consider it a pretty nifty way to finish up the Thanksgiving week. Hope yours was as delightful as was ours…Now on to Christmas, my favorite time of the year!
Shirley Buxton 