Thanksgiving Memories

Remember this post? The one where I said that this Thanksgiving was going to be different than all the rest? That this Thanksgiving was going to be one that my heart would never forget? Well, I was right. And I'm sure glad our Thanksgiving memories of 2011are all nestled into my heart because I haven't got a single photo to show for any of them. That's right, I've got pregnancy brain like no other & would you believe that I headed out of town without my most prized possession--my camera?! Grrr. Talk about frustrating.  Oh, but don't worry, that's not all my pregnancy brain had me leaving behind. The pumpkin cream pie that I slaved over? The one I debated on even making because I was absolutely exhausted, but then mustered up the little bit of energy I could to stay up late to finish it so that my family wouldn't be disappointed? I forgot that too. It got left behind in the fridge. Grr.

I have stewed & fretted & stayed up at night thinking about the fact that there will be blank pages in Jett's scrapbook & it will look like Thanksgiving 2011 never even took place in our lives. I have beat myself up. I have rummaged through my phone trying to see if I captured any decent photos of the day on there. And then finally, I have had to come to terms with the fact that this is life. Pregnancy brain happens. And just because I don't have thousands of photos of the holiday to showcase here on my blog, I can't let that steal away the real, true, precious moments that did take place.

This Thanksgiving was a special one, no doubt. But it had nothing to do with the golden turkey, the perfectly seasoned stuffing, or the made from scratch pumpkin pie. This year was so much more than slaving over a hot stove, getting everything out of the oven & onto the table at exactly perfect timing, & stuffing ourselves into a turkey coma. This year was about giving thanks. Real thanks. Where my heart bubbled over in a way that it never has before & I looked at my husband & thanked God for the man that he is. Where I held my son & praised the Lord for trusting me with his little life. Where I placed my hand on my belly & considered the tiny life blooming inside & how truly blessed I am to know motherhood in this way. Where I looked around the room & saw family that has been there, is there, & will always be there for us. Where I counted my blessings not once during grace, not twice throughout the holiday festivities, but hundreds & hundreds of times. My heart was changed this Thanksgiving & though I don't have any photos to whisk me back & let me see the many memories made, I hope to always have an imprint on my heart, one that whisks me back & allows me to feel those memories.

So without further ado, here are a few of my favorite memories from our 2011 Thanksgiving holiday:

* Jett man not taking a single bite of turkey, stuffing, or mashed potatoes at dinnertime, but when it came time for dessert, whoa buddy! I'm pretty sure the kid ate half the carrot cake on his own {& Aunt Aubry makes a mighty big carrot cake}. Coach was the one spooning the carrot cake into Jett's mouth all evening & claimed he was alternating spoonfuls of mashed potatoes in between spoonfuls of cake, but I'm not so sure about that one. Grandparents will be grandparents. {And I wouldn't have it any other way, just for the record}.


* How the dining room boomed with laughter, the way it always does when our clan is together. And how Great Grandma gets so frustrated because we're all too loud & she can't ever hear the story over all the ruckus.

* Jett sitting on Gigi's lap the next morning after breakfast, skimming through toys on the Toys R Us website, pointing out every single thing he wanted. Not even two & already workin' it.

* Trading in our after Thanksgiving feast nap for a stroll to the local park where Grandma, Papa, & Uncle Curtis all took turns pushing swings, climbing jungle-gyms, & exploring through rocks & mud. It was a beautiful day & the sunshine & breeze was the added little touch that made up for the Pumpkin Cream Pie that was sitting in a fridge a hundred miles away.

* Watching Jett point at my dad & actually call him by name-- "Papa". Don't get me wrong, he knows exactly who his Papa is, but he's never come out & called him by name {without prompting} before. You should've seen that proud as punch look sweep across my dad's face!

* Jared & I getting to sneak off for a lunch & movie date while Grandma strolled Jett to the park, to the quaint little shops, & all around town. The time Jared & I got to spend together was so needed & we enjoyed every minute of it. I think Jett really enjoyed his one on one time with Grandma, as well. He didn't seem to mind the lollipop & m&m's, either. Spoiled, much?

So there ya have it. I told you there were some sweet memories made.  And while I'm pretty sure those memories won't ever be forgotten, there's one other thing I'm pretty sure I won't be forgetting in the future--my camera. Lesson learned.

I sure hope you all had a beautiful Thanksgiving, full of memories you can hold onto & treasure forever.