Gooble, Gooble-2012

So, when we first moved to South Carolina in 2009, I had the hopes and dreams of finally having an intimate, family Thanksgiving dinner.  So that year we stayed at home. instead of going "home" to Alabama.  My parents made the journey to our house and we had a great time.  My mom and I cooked all day while Kent and my daddy and the kids played, helped us cook, goofed off, etc.  We sat down that evening together at our kitchen table and had the best meal together.  It was finally the dinner I had dreamed of since Kent and I first gotten married.  My mom and I then went out and did the whole black Friday deal.  It was my all time favorite Thanksgiving even until this day.  Why?  Because it was the first time my mom and I had gotten to do it together and my mom and I's first time go black Friday shopping.  And it would also be my momma's last Thanksgiving on this earth.  I can not tell you how many times I go back to that weekend when I am missing her.  Those are the memories I pull my strength from some days.  Since 2009, we have gone back to Alabama for Thanksgiving.. mainly because I just couldn't do the at home thing again and secondly because we were trying to be "fair" and share the holiday with other family members.  But this year I wanted to stay home and have our intimate family meal again.  I longed for us to just enjoy each other instead of having to run from place to place.  So that's what we did.  My daddy came up and we enjoyed another meal together. And it was again, a great time.  It still didn't compare to 2009 and I wasn't wanting it to.  Those are sacred memories that will never be out done just because of the speical memories they hold.  But it was a good time and a time that I needed to get through and know that things won't ever be the same, but we can still thrive and move on and make more memories.  So this Thanksgiving I am thankful for my old memories, but thankful to still be here making new ones as well.