It was the best kind of fall weekend - the colours were at their peak and the weather hit 28 degrees during the day and then only dropped to the mid-teens in the evenings. We spent our Saturday off in the yard - cleaning out the gardens, dismantling the swing set, playing chase with the dogs, a little football, and stopping to bask in the sun with coffee.
Just before dinner we put on our jeans and grabbed our sweaters to take to the rink for Sheldon's hockey game. Afterwards, we all cleaned up and headed out for dinner to celebrate. You see, it was the same kind of beautiful day 17 years ago on Saturday that Peter and I got married - outside, overlooking gorgeous farmers fields, surrounded by the colours of the fall.
Bright and early the next morning we took off for my in-laws for Thanksgiving lunch. Eight hours (total) in the car together just for lunch but what a great time we had! It was a chance to visit with family that we hadn't seen since the kids were small. A chance to listen to their stories which then become part of our family history.
It was amazing to see the grace and calm that my mother-in-law, Dawn, showed while putting together a turkey dinner for 11 people in her tiny kitchen. I swear, she never showed a second of stress, instead she made sure that everyone had what they needed, including the extra raw veggies for the kids because they probably wouldn't eat the hot casseroles. Smart woman.
Although, truth be told, turkey or not, it was all about the desserts - the chocolate birthday cake, the pumpkin pie, the apple pie, the fruit pie, and Juliana's bowl of whipping cream. How to choose? Don't.
Later, with company gone and stretchy pants put on, I took the kids swimming in the condo's pool and then fell into bed (or out of bed, since I was booted to the floor midway through the night) exhausted and (still) full.
Considering the weather was so beautiful, we fit a morning family walk in before we started off home.
Back on the road, we stopped a couple of times - once at the lodge where we were married. All the buildings were closed up but we were able to take a walk around the property and show the kids where we got hitched. Even re-lived a little of it for posterity.
Home again in time to pick up the dogs from their overnight at camp and to ready for the start of the week.
Really tired. But the best kind of tired. It was a busy, busy weekend with a lot of celebrating packed in. A thanksgiving. Three days to remind me how thankful I am. For my husband, for my kids, and for a family that I was not born into but feel like I've been part of for a lifetime.
And those are reasons to celebrate.
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