Happy Thanksgiving

I am so glad it's Thursday! I know the saying is TGIF, but this week, TGIT! I have been looking forward to this 2 day vacation for quite some time. I spent the week running back and forth between hearings with crazy people downtown, a deposition and a mediation. I was really stewing and worrying as I tried to sleep last Sunday, but God has proven faithful once again and gotten me through a week I didn't think I'd survive with my sanity in tact. I drove away from the mediation downtown yesterday shouting praises at God as I headed back to the office. I'm glad no one else was in the car, because I'm not sure they'd understand. I finally felt the knots in my stomach unwind and my eye that's been twitching for over a week finally started to calm down a bit as yesterday went on. I even got to leave the office around 3:30 yesterday - and truthfully, the last 30 minutes or so was spent playing Word Twist on facebook while Tim ate leftover lunch from our potluck Thanksgiving day lunch.

Today, even though I had all the freedom in the world to sleep in, I still woke up early. The turkey is almost done cooking - another 30-50 minutes, the deviled eggs (new for me this year) are done, the sweet potatoes are ready to be baked. There's a pumpkin dessert waiting and I just need to mash some white potatoes and mix up the green bean casserole and we're good to go. I'm excited (and hungry).

Last night, we started what I hope will become a new tradition. We met with the other 4 couples in our small group with all the kids for our own Thanksgiving supper. It was so much fun to eat with people you like and care about and have the kids running around. I realized we're the only couple that doesn't have 2 kids to add to the mix, but for now, I'm ok with that. When we walked in, several of the girls (the oldest is 5, the youngest is almost 3) all jumped up and shouted "hey, it's Mr. Tim". I don't think he knew what to do with that! They all ran over and hugged us and by the end of the night, they were climbing on him and he was chasing them around. I think he really likes the group better with the kids. They're all really good kids, so they're fun to be with. Hopefully this'll "soften" him up a bit. One day...

Tomorrow, I'm planning to try to get to Kohl's and a few other shops to work on Christmas shopping. There are a couple of really good deals at Kohl's, but they open at 4AM!! I really want to be there when they open because I want the gifts I found that are not only on sale, but I have an additional 15% off coupon good even with sale projects. Not sure if I'll get there when they open, but I'm going to try.

For now, though, I'm going to check on the turkey and watch the end of the Macy's parade. I'm truly thankful for my family and the blessings I've been given - including thse 2 days off of work!

John Harrington Rosser

My grandfather died this morning. He was an amazing man. I think if a dictionary was all pictures, you'd see his picture next to love. He was the best example I've ever seen of how to love others. He and my grandmother were married for almost 60 years. I've been able to witness it for the last 30. I didn't know it when I was a kid, but as I grew up, I watched how he handled other people. He always had a quick smile, sometimes indicating something mischevious was about to happen. He disciplined in love (although I was too stubborn to see it when I was younger). He and my grandmother always made sure each of their 7 grandkids felt like the only one he had. I am the oldest grandkid. The youngest is not quite 13. There's competition in a lot of families amongst kids and grandkids to be the #1 loved kid. I have always felt like I was #1 in their book. But, I know all of my cousins feel the same way. I don't know many people who can share their love that equally.

My grandfather taught me a lot of things in life. When I was really little, he was the first to show me what real cooperation was about (although I'm pretty sure I was the one trying to do the teaching, having told him if he'd just cooperate with me, we could have the leaves raked up much easier). Before duct tape caught on as the master "fixer up" tool, he taught me in his woodworking shop out back behind the house that there's nothin in life a little glue won't fix. I had trouble saying glue and since then, our family joke has been "a little 'woo' will fix it". He showed me how to peel a green grape and make it an eyeball to scare someone. He tried to teach me how to garden (it's a lesson I never quite mastered). He taught me the importance of making time for people even when you feel like you don't have the time. He made sure he attended graduations from high school, college and a late visit after law school. But most importantly, he showed me how to love. I'm pretty sure he didn't even know he was teaching the most important lesson - learning to love unconditionally is hard. I'm not sure I'll ever master it, but I had the best example in my grandparents.