The Thankful Tree and Thanksgiving Morning

We continued a new annual tradition this year: the Thankful Tree. It's a wooden tree I painted brown, and it includes a pack of sticky fun foam leaves. Starting November 1 and until Thanksgiving Day, Katie picks a leaf and writes one thing she's thankful for on it then sticks the leaf to the tree. This morning Katie put the last leaf on her Thankful Tree. Here's her list of thankfulness this year, in order:

1. helping

2. my brother

3. clean up

4. my word

5. being brave

6. readeng

7. cuddling

8. Grandma

9. home

10. food

11. helping

12. God

13. Daddy

14. home with Mommy

15. Mommy

16. happynis

17. Jackson

18. Eve

19. Sammi

20. Crius Gorg (Curious George)

21. Anna

22. bred (bread)

23. Mizzou

24. froinsz (friends)

25. skool

26. goodnis

27. calindr (calendar)

I love seeing what Katie thinks is important. I also love that her brother made it on the list twice. My thankful list would probably include all those things and more: God's love, a devoted husband, funny and good-hearted kids, a great extended family (sister, nieces, brother-in-law, stepmother, aunts, uncles, Dan's family), friendships with people who uplift me and know just what to say when I need it, a new church, music, the luxury of having more than what I truly need (food, shelter & the basics), and MY HEALTH.

This morning Katie went to the St. Louis Thanksgiving Day parade with our neighbors, and Dan got up with Jackson while I slept in. I am doubly thankful for that! Katie and Jackson have been watching the National Dog Show on TV, and now it's nap time before we head out to Thanksgiving Dinner with Dan's large extended family.

I wish you all a nice Thanksgiving Day, with a full and thankful heart.