This is one of my favorite Norman Rockwell paintings. "Freedom from Want".. I love it.. It reminds me of the Thanksgivings we would spend with family when I was a little girl. Often we would ride over the river and down the expressway to Southfield to Spend Thanksgiving with my Aunt Ellen and Uncle Ralph. I would bang around on the old piano in the back room. The kids tables would be set up out there.. The adults would eat at the large kitchen table. I counted the days till I could eat at the big table.
Then some Thanksgivings were spent at Grandma and Grandpa's farm in Parma. Grandma would get out the good china and glasses. She would put the fancy tablecloths on the table and get out the cloth napkins. Grandma would wear her fancy apron, you never saw grandma without an apron on. We would have fancy jello salad appetizers, and my favorite was getting to drink Cranberry juice out of fancy glasses. We would eat till we thought we would burst. My favorite was always the Stuffing, cranberry sauce, and pie.
There were a couple of years that we would head back south towards Detroit and my cousin Paul's or Cousin Richard's house. The families were growing in size and we needed more room for kids tables. I loved the Thanksgivings when there was snow and we'd take the sled around the yard, or the kids would make the ice skating pond. I was to afraid to skate, but I loved watching the others.
These days we are home and try to have the kids and grandkids come here and eat. I love cooking. I hope to be able to do it for many years. I can't wait for the day when the grandkids will bring their families to Grandma Karen's house to eat Thanksgiving dinner.
There are No fancy plates here. We use the good Hefty foam plates, and eat on trays in the living room gathered around the TV. It's hectic and chaotic like all really good family Holiday dinners should be. I still like that we talk about what we are thankful for. I still make the kids be quiet so we can thank God for all His blessings. I still get tears for a few minutes thinking about the family members that could not join us this year, and the ones who are eating Thanksgiving dinner in Heaven.
I hope whether you are eating on foam plates, or the best china. Whether you are eating turkey, ham, or neither. whether you are with family or with a few friends. I hope that you can remember a few wonderful things you love about Thanksgiving. I hope you can say a few things you are thankful for, And I hope you can spend some time remembering those you love.
Happy Thanksgiving.. God Bless you !
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