Fa La La La La La La La.....

Well I have decked most of the halls...or at least all the halls in this small house that is...and tomorrow we are ready to ring in the holiday season with Thanksgiving. There are so many things to be Thankful for this year...but I am especially Thankful for family and dear friends. There are so many people in this world that have no one, no friends and sadly enough no family. I think of all those people and what they will be doing tomorrow while I am in the comforts of my Mema's home surrounded by the people who I know and love. I'm "Abundantly Blessed" and oh so Thankful for the many blessings that my God has bestowed upon me. __________________________________________________ In talking about Thankfulness...and Blessing...I feel compelled to tell you about my brother. What brother?...some of you are saying? Well he is 7 years younger than me, and with an age difference like that, it has always been difficult for us to have a lot in common. Anyhow...Trey is his name...my Mom chose that name for him because she wanted two T-names and that was the one she fell in love with. Many people think he is a 3rd, but he isn't...it was just the "right" name for him. We were raised in a loving home, by 2 parents who would have and who would still give their lives for any of their children (son-in-law and granddaughter included!) If you were to ask either one of my parents they would probably tell you I was the "easier" one to raise...not that it was "easy" to raise me, but they had fewer discipline problems when it came to me. I was your average kid, making your average stupid choices from time to time. When I made a mistake I knew I was in trouble...and it haunted me right up to the very moment that I was sentenced with my dreaded punishment. Trey was different than me...he wasn't afraid of anyone, anything or any consequences. As you may or may not agree...an attitude like that can lead to serious problems...and it DID. I could go on and on about all the BAD stuff that happened in that 5 years...but that is not what this post is about. This post is about the Thankfulness that I have in my heart that my brother is alive today and that on Thanksgiving Day and on Christmas Day I am going to be able to wrap my arms around his neck and tell him that I love him. He checked himself into a rehab facility in October of this year...and he has been 6 weeks sober tomorrow...on Thanksgiving Day. I cannot think of anything I could be more Thankful for this year than to have ALL of my family underneath the same roof celebrating the many blessings that God has given each of us. The road to recovery for an addict is a long and hard journey...and the road for the family of a recovering addict is just as long and just as hard. I cannot foresee the future...and I pray that he is strong enough everyday for the rest of his life to make the right choices. My entire family has prayed for Trey...especially my Mom, Dad and myself. We have prayed, we have cried and we have asked "Why?" and even though our prayers were not answered over night, and even though our hearts were broken over and over for many years, our God was listening, waiting and mapping out the perfect plan for my brother. Hearts are on the mend, relationships are being restored and faith has empowered our family. So this year...I am most Thankful that tomorrow afternoon when we are passing the turkey around the table...I will be able to look across the table and see the picture of joy that will be beaming from my parents faces...because I know that to them (especially our mother) having their two children, in the same house, sitting at the same table...at the very same time will be the GREATEST blessing of all. Here are a few pictures that I was able to find on my computer. I wish I had one of my whole family...but hey...its been a LONG 5 years...and those family shots were awfully hard to come by. In 2010...I expect...and look forward to having my brother in my life, in my home and in my blog. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. ___________________________________________________ This picture was taken in 2007 when we took a vacation to St. Maarten in the Caribbean...and yes I am lookin a little "plump" in this picture because I was about 5 months pregnant with Jolea.

Also taken in St. Maarten at some "creepy" creole restaurant my Mom dragged us too :)

Geez...this one is OLD...like 2005 or something!!! Pre-Baby days for sure!!!

This one is a little more recent...about a year ago...on Trey's 20Th birthday

I made some "yummies" for the feast tomorrow...and I look forward to swapping receipes as soon as I get a chance!