Thanksgiving Abroad!

(Thanksgiving at our house, November '08. Amazingly, just looking at these pictures of Thanksgiving in our own home helps soothe the Seasonal homesickness in several ways... I'll try not to think about how every precious thing on this table-- table and chairs included-- are all boxed up in dark cold storage this Thanksgiving. *mock heaving sobs*)

All across America, our friends and family are setting their plans and their dining room tables in preparation for a wonderfully short work week and a cozy 5-day Holiday weekend. They'll enjoy a feast of all things wonderful. It may vary from house to house, but traditionally it's turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, fresh hot rolls and/or cornbread, pecan and/or pumpkin pie and several other mouthwatering morsels. Our American friends will also partake in the age-old Thanksgiving Day tradition of gathering warmly by the living room fire to gaze upon the 42" plasma screen TV to watch college football in high definition. (Ok, so the high def aspect is relatively new... but the rest of the tradition is respected and observed by so many that one would think it is nearly as old as America, herself.) And then, at the strike of midnight, the Christmas season begins! It's simply lovely. A beautiful segue to the most wonderful time of the year. Sigh... Thanksgiving. How we'll miss you.


(Thanksgiving at our "new" house, November of '10. We are SO thankful to have been sent some pictures of family and some Thanksgiving things in the mail! Makes the season a little more festive, for sure!)


November 25th here in England will look quite different for us, and understandably so. It's a usual Thursday for me and the girls. Collin has a full schedule of class, study groups and meetings lasting from sunrise to sunset and probably well beyond. We will be longing for a true Thanksgiving on that day, and I'm tempted to ask my family if they would be willing to set the laptop in the corner of the room for me to "skype in," but I ultimately think it would be more depressing to look but not taste. (If you had ever tasted my Mom's Thanksgiving dinner, you'd understand my angst. It's fantastic.) So, Thursday will be a bit of a let-down but we are looking forward to Saturday the 27th when we'll attend a Thanksgiving Potluck dinner for our group of expatriates and friends! That will be a treat, assuming we can arrange a babysitter! And even as wonderful as it will be to celebrate here with fellow Americans and others, I'm afraid it will be no substitution for the real thing: There truly is no place like home for the holidays.

So, my sweet and wonderful American friends and family... PLEASE enjoy. Enjoy enough for all of us. And when you're finished with the feast of fabulously-flavored fare and fourty square inches of football, grab a quick nap so you can be sure to bring your "A game" at Wal-Mart on Black Friday! It's the American way and I love it!


From all of us here in Merry Olde England, (including Pilly Hill, the Daddy, the Turkey, Ernia and Chicken...) we wish you a very happy day of giving thanks. And we, too, will be counting our blessings with a grateful heart for all that God has done.