Thankful this Thanksgiving

Nannie and PaPa with all the grandchildren

Thank you Nannie and PaPa for another wonderful Thanksgiving......we appreciate all you do for our family! You always work so hard to make the holidays special.....and they are. The meal was delicious. We are thankful for you. We love and are thankful for our big, crazy, family! Amy had a special first Thanksgiving. She woke up early and immediately got dressed and ready to go.....not understanding we had to wait until 2:00 in the afternoon!  She loves getting together with family.
  Amy said the mealtime prayer:
"Dear Jesus, Thank you for our family and friends.  Thank you for my bigga family. (She still has the unexplainable, Italian accent which we love!)  Thank you for our food and Thanksgiving.  Please bring Logan here safely.  (Her best playmate cousin was running a little late).  Thank you for our feast, in Jesus name.....Amen."

For Amy, food is not yet the big event.  She would be very content with her package of Raman noodles. She was very curious about the turkey.  She saw the platter with the cooked bird and wanted to know where he came from and what happened to him.  At mealtime, she did taste a bite but quickly decided she would pass on the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and vegetables.  She chose instead to  eat lots of yeast rolls and some fruit. What she was thankful for most... was this:

The place card with her name on it.  She said, "Look!  A....M....Y.....that's me!"
Thankful for a designated place....just for her.  Then she wanted to know where everyone else would be seated so we went around the table and I read the names out.  She went back to her place and smiled with pride...so this is"my"seat.  Letting it sink in, there is indeed a place for her among the many people who love her and whom she loves. She will not be left out, she will not be forgotten,... she is important.
She asked Nannie if she could keep her name card. As in tradition, Amy received her first Christmas ornament and it is her favorite princess, Cinderella.  She put her name card in the ornament bag for safe keeping, then checked on it several times that evening.  After Thanksgiving,  Amy brought it home and placed it on our table where she sits.  Assurance.  Everyone wants to know they have a place in this world.

Amy, we are thankful you have joined our family forever.  We pray you understand your place at our table and in our family...... is safe and secure.

Thankful for each of you, Will, Anna, Amy and Wesley and for the bond we have as a family

Thankful for the sister bond that grows stronger each day