Home. We’re home for Thanksgiving. It’s been 13 long weeks of the empty nest, and, now, everyone is home. Home for Thanksgiving. By everyone, I mean both Michael and Bethany. Bethany hasn’t seen her friends, or her parents or her bedroom since mid-August. In that span of time, she has met new people. learned new truth, and gained an appreciate for the fact that not everyone grew up the same way she did or holds the same values we do. “Mom, thank you for not being a jerk.” One of my favorite observations.

Michael is doing life, hanging on to his scholarships, holding down and job in the midst of his classwork, and finding time to train for a half marathon and attend home football games to watch his beloved Golden Knights of Central Florida. Did you know their football team is ranked this year? It’s a big deal. That’s Michael, on national TV, behind the row of people with the tee-shirt headbands. See him?

But today, on Thanksgiving, we’re all home, and it’s good. Everyone helped clean the house this morning, so I have time to write. The turkey is in the oven, the stuffing is made and ready to bake, the homemade cranberry sauce is in the refrigerator, waiting to be forgotten. The potatoes are peeled and soaking on the stove, waiting to be boiled and mashed. We’ll do the green beans at the last minute. Pretty standard fare. All family recipes.

We think of you today, thank God for your friendship, and hope you are enjoying time with those you love.