Thanksgiving Adventures Part 1

Yesterday afternoon, on our drive from Dothan back to Birmingham, the girls conked out--utterly exhausted in the backseat--and Jeremiah looked at me and said, "That was a really great Thanksgiving, wasn't it?" "Yeah, it really was."

It felt like a whirlwind of family, friends, and enjoying (as Dr. Maddox kept saying :)) "a visual feast of God's creation." The weather was crisp and sunny, and we soaked up every second of it we could manage. I couldn't get enough...until Jeremiah suggested we go camping at 9 o'clock on Saturday night...then I decided I'd had my fill :)

Let's start with Thanksgiving lunch at my Dad's house. The Sollie's (Mom's side) and the Clark's (Dad's side) always combine at our house. This year we had 35!

And the only place we could all fit to hold hands for the blessing--was the carport.

Everybody brings their signature dishes, and we feast, Southern-style, until we burst.

We love on the ones we don't get to see nearly as much as we'd like to.

And we discover the joy each new addition brings to a family.For dinner, we go to the Maddox's. Just think about that for a minute, ok. One huge meal to the next. Filling my plate to overflow both times, because you know you only get so-and-so's special such-and-such once a year!Jeremiah's Mom does an amazing job at decorating, period. However, her Thanksgiving decorations were especially breathtaking.After we ATE!We all gathered in the living room,(Do you think I need to add wide angle camera lens to my Christmas list??!!)for a little music :) Everybody on the Maddox side sings and/or plays. It's a sweet tradition and a fitting way to end Thanksgiving day.

After all that eating, I thought the girls and I needed to get out and move our bodies a little bit. So, we did what has become one of my most favorite things to do when we visit the farm--go on an adventure. That's all I tell Pace and Mary Aplin. Then, I try to take a backseat and let them lead. It's hard to go wrong when your first steps out the back door, you're greeted by this:

First, they said hello to the horses, who are always excited to see them...I think partly because the girls' hair looks a lot like the hay they are so anxious to eat :) Next, they took a little spin (Not really, don't think for a second I know how to drive that thing.) on the tractor. Nothing runs like a--Then, they led us into the depths of the woods. For the most part, they like to be independent, but every once in a while, they ask for a little hand.I watch them discover God's creation, as though they are the first to ever see it.And I hold my breath as they face life's little challengestogether.We all gasped at the beauty of a lake, tucked in a dark wood.And I think it even made them a little pensive :)

I loved our adventure together. A picture can't capture their frantic search for "hidden treasure" or the questions these kinds of walks prompt in little hearts.

I have another adventure I want to share with you, one that Jeremiah and I both ranked as our favorite from this holiday. It, however, needs a post all it's own. Here's a little hint:

See you soon!