Giving Thanks For the "Small Stuff"

Thanksgiving was very uneventful for our household this year, or I guess I should say "unstructured". Due to a family illness and a Family Reunion, our immediate family plans were postponed for another time. We were all supposed to be away on a cruise together - Michael, Lisa, Mason, Patrick, Kristyn, Brienna, and Ellie - and me, of course. But with upcoming surgery planned for Debra and not knowing what the circumstances would bring, we decided we needed to be here with the rest of the family during this time. So, we postponed our trip until the first of next year.

Since a "Simmons Family Reunion" was already scheduled for the Saturday following Thanksgiving, our gang decided to lay low and do "home projects" on Thursday and Friday, saving all of the travel, cooking, etc. for the one occassion.

So, Friday following Thanksgiving Day was spent with a little grocery shopping and a LOT of cooking and preparation for the Reunion. To make the day a little brighter, Kristyn and Patrick were under the weather, which left Omi with two little ones to "enjoy" while attempting to cook and prepare for the trip to Greensboro. So . . . . .one of the special activities of the day resulted in a time when Ellie was taking a nap and Brienna was invited into the kitchen for her first "cooking lesson."

I have no idea what made me decide to do this at this particular time. Just enjoying the moment, I guess. You see, I remember my first cooking lesson. My grandmother Clara stood me at her kitchen table, tied a dish towel around my waist and let me batter the chicken for Sunday lunch. I might have been 4 years old, but I thought I was something else!!

Well, Brienna was a true marvel. I gave her step-by-step instructions for making a Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie, and she did the entire thing herself! The only help I gave her was crumbling the cookies on top!!! Not bad for a 2-1/2 year old Sweetie Pie!

Of course, all good cooks know to "taste test" their wares before serving!

Such a small thing when you think about the grand scheme of things, but such an important moment, too, and one I hope that she remembers for a long, long time.

I have so much to be thankful for - besides the big things like a home, family, job (well, not right now - LOL), cars, freedom, salvation, etc., etc. but there are also so very many little things that I fail to thank my loving Heavenly Father for as often as I should - the smiles on my grandchildren's faces when they look at me as if I'm the best Omi in the world; the way they wrap their arms around me when they haven't seen me for a WHOLE hour and squeeze me so tight, the way Brienna says, "but, Omi, I need you" when it's time for her to go to sleep at night, the way Mason ALWAYS says "I'll just stay with Omi" when it's time to go home, or the way they so trustingly put their hand in mine when we step outside into this big world, so sure that I'm going to protect them with all that I have.

Or the smile of pride on their face when they know they've done something really, really special - like make their very first Chocolate Chip Pie!!!

I love you, Ellie, Mason, and Brienna.

Thank you, Heavenly Father. I love you, too. Omi