Healing, Home, and a Thanksgiving to Remember ✨

Thanksgiving looked a little different for me this year — a blend of gratitude, vulnerability, joy, and a few tears. It was a day full of emotions, but still beautifully meaningful.

I started the morning working at church, and on my drive home I suddenly felt everything all at once. Thanksgiving is meant to be a day of gratitude, a day to pause and recognize the blessings woven through our lives. So I turned the radio off, let the car become my little sanctuary, and sat with my thoughts.

There, in the quiet, I gave thanks for the many people who have walked beside me — especially during these past four months as my mom has struggled with her health. Caring for her, advocating for her, and helping her heal has stretched my heart in every direction. I’m still processing it.

And then came the sadness — the simple, human sadness of a plan that didn’t go the way my heart hoped. Our oldest daughter couldn’t be with us because her sweet puppy ended up in the ER (he’s okay now!). I knew it was out of her hands… but after everything this year has held, my heart felt extra vulnerable, and the change of plans hit me harder than expected.

By the time I pulled into the driveway, my eyes were red, swollen, and exhausted — a mixture of tears of gratitude and tears of longing. That moment reminded me just how tender I still am, how much I’m carrying, and how deeply this season has shaped me.

But as soon as I walked inside, washed my face, and tied on my apron, something in me shifted. The kitchen has always been my happy place. Peeling, slicing, dicing, simmering, seasoning, chopping, plating — that is my love language.

And with that, Thanksgiving came alive!

We had a truly lovely evening. A longtime family friend joined us, and the four of us (five including Daisy 🐶🥰) ate until we couldn’t eat anymore. There was wine, coffee, snacks, dessert, Thanksgiving Bingo, storytelling, laughter — just simple, beautiful togetherness.

Friday, the day after Thanksgiving was all about rest — in our own ways.

I cooked (shocking, right? 😅), Bella crafted, read and napped, and Stan hung a new wall art piece we had finally agreed on after a year of the wall being bare. He also prepped the deck for winter and took care of the outdoor odds and ends.

Before dinner, Stan and I watched a movie, and after dinner the three of us watched another one. It felt good to just be — no rushing, no schedule, and plenty of snacks.

Oh, and the food? Delicious, if I may brag a little. 😅

Everything was homemade, and my gravy did not disappoint! The next morning I made overnight beef tacos, huevos rancheros, and then even more taco meat with fresh pico de gallo. When inspiration strikes, my kitchen becomes a playground.

This weekend has been quiet — and I’m so grateful for that. Grateful to slow down, to rest, to enjoy good food, to be with my family, and to breathe a little deeper after a long season. I even took a nap today (Friday) which is probably why I’m now wide awake and journaling. 🤷🏻‍♀️

The holidays are beautiful — but they can also be hard. Families are complex. Life carries a lot sometimes. Not everything looks like a Hallmark movie or a perfectly curated Instagram reel.

So yes, let’s definitely enjoy the season, but let’s also be gentle — with ourselves and with others. We never really know what someone is carrying behind their smile.

I hope your Thanksgiving was warm and lovely, but if it wasn’t — if it felt heavy or complicated — I pray someone reached out and reminded you that you are loved, seen, and not walking this journey alone.

Sending love from our home to yours. 🧡