Diary of a Thankful Homemaker

 

Friday:  I said I wouldn't make a post this week but I thought I'd jot down a few thoughts each day of things for which I am thankful in this weekend and week leading up to Thanksgiving.

Today I am grateful that Caleb was feeling better.  I am grateful to have seen Josh and Isaac for a few moments.  Surprise of the day was to hear Isaac READ the first page of his new book!  He's just in pre-K so this was a very pleasant surprise indeed.

Lastly, Katie was given time off an hour early tonight so we were able to finish up our day and have Shabat on time this evening.  Lovely!

Saturday:  Never heard John leave this morning at all.  I had a long list of things I might do and a very real desire to do none of them.  In the end, I decided to go get a haircut but chose a different branch of the usual salon.  I am so glad I did as this one opened at 9am and I was second in the shop.  I had a nice conversation with the stylist and then I was headed back home.  I stopped to pick up a biscuit for breakfast and home I came.  

Typically, we don't shop on Sabbaths but we've sort of been cramming in what we could into our weekends since I started keeping Caleb.  Knowing that next week will be a busy enough week, I decided that a day of quiet would be most restorative.  We shall not have a quiet weekend this next one so I'll take what I can get now.  

Sunday:  It's been a funny sort of day. Very sobering in many ways.  I ask that you continue to keep Sam and Bess in prayer.

I went to the early church service.  The service this morning was so moving and powerful.  First was a new song that certainly did much to open hearts and sobs were heard throughout the place.  A powerful prayer time was had.  A moving and inspirational testimony heard.  And finally, our pastor gave us a rousing good sermon with some beautifully made points.  I left service today with mascara running down my face.   It was just that sort of day.

We stopped at the grocery on the way home to try and find Gramma's Fried Chicken or a suitable substitute for Taylor's visit today.  II'd called to place an order last night to pick up this morning and I was told "No ma'am, not until sometime later in the afternoon can we guarantee we can get you 8 pieces of chicken."   I'd hoped against hope we'd find cold 8-piece packs or even chicken tenders in the refrigerated cases in the deli.  No luck.  In the hot case there were loads of rotisserie chickens (which were so little and wee they almost looked like Cornish hens).  They also had in the case 8-piece packs of fried thighs and legs.  That did just fine.

I picked a handful of items needed for Thanksgiving and a few sales items. Shelf stable milk for $2/carton is a pretty darn good price, one I was glad to take advantage of.  We were hurrying home when Katie called to say she was going to come out early, and would stop to pick up Millie, who was spending the day with us.  The boys were with Gammy for the day.

Katie brought a guest, a young man she's been seeing for several weeks now.  He was very nice, and Millie, Taylor and Caleb all felt very comfortable with him.  In fact, Millie pretty much attached herself to him until we were serving lunch.  John and he talked for the full length of the visit.  He certainly made a good impression upon John and in listening I heard several things that I admired about him.

Caleb took a nap.  Taylor and Millie played together.  Taylor painted Millie's nails and Millie sat patiently allowing her to do it.   They both wanted to sit upon my lap and it mattered not at all that Millie is all of 2.5 feet tall and weighs 28 pounds and that Taylor is nearly 5 feet tall and probably weighs 60.   They both 'fit' and made sure they did.   

Katie and her crew left to take Taylor home and Millie stayed with us for a little longer.  She looked tired and kept telling me night night but she wouldn't lie down in the pack 'n' play nor would she lie on the pallet I made for her in the living room.  Instead, she'd try hard to lie down on the floor next to my chair in a cramped area with a pillow that propped her up.   Bess came over to pick her up about 4.  I sent her home with something easy to make for supper.  Sam had gone to fetch the boys from Gammy's.  I told Bess I'm open to baby sit any time over the next few days.  She's worried it's too much but it's the least I can do and I'm prepared to do it.

Monday:  A little rain in the morning hours which was needed.  We've been passing mowing and combines in fields and the clouds of dust were worrying.  It wasn't much rain but it was a little and a help.

I had a failure today.  No one really cared for lunch and because of the foods I made (last minute no plan) I realized I'd screwed up my supper plans as well.  John made Caleb a peanut butter and jelly sandwich which he wolfed down.  I should have just thought of that for all of us but I didn't and so food was not enjoyed.  Even though the adults ate it, it seems a waste to me when food is not enjoyable.  So, I was left scrambling for an alternative meal for supper tonight.   I came up with something and while it was an improvement compared to our lunch, I confess that this meal too fell flat.   Some days are just that way.  

Caleb was convinced Katie was on her way as early as 4:30 today.  It didn't help in the least that Maddie, who hasn't got clear vision, would bark at Rufus or River if they moved in the yard.   We kept telling him it would be a 'little while longer', but each time the dogs barked he ran to the windows to look.

We were having our supper, which we eat in the kitchen with him because he has had a tendency to throw food on the floor.  He kept craning his neck to see out the windows to see if Mama was coming the whole time he was eating.   Well, I've said to Katie before that Caleb has ESP where she is concerned.  We were all eating our supper and all of sudden I heard a noise, which Caleb heard at the same time.  His little face lit up, he gasped, and grinned.   What had he heard?  His mama's booming speaker as she turned into the driveway.   It was a moment I shall not forget for a long time the look on his little face.

Yes, she was here a little early and somehow, he'd just known she would be.

Tuesday:  It was a difficult day and the difficulty was within me.  Not due to anyone else, exactly, though it seemed I could find plenty of people to blame.  This evening I have a little headache and a load of tension in my shoulders.  I expect that headache was already in process when this day went so very wrong for me.  

But there were things to be thankful for all the same.   There was a funny little boy who stuck to his grandpa like glue this morning.  John was trying to clean his music room which turns into a pseudo gust room when the grands from down South are expected and Caleb was 'helping'.   At some point he was doing something he shouldn't have been and John said more and more loudly "no, no, NO!" and I called out to Caleb to come to me.   John said "He's fine!"   Caleb came running out of the room, stopped midway to the kitchen where I was working, shouted "Fine!" and ran back to John.   I chuckle every time I think of it.

Bess texted to say she was headed to do one last grocery run and asked if I needed anything and I said "Yes!" and sent her my list and money to purchase what I needed.   I was so very grateful for that because I realized today that I was going to have to go to the grocery tomorrow with Caleb along and I wasn't really wanting to be in the mad house of a grocery on the day before a big holiday.

Katie came in on her late lunch hour and brought me Gingersnaps which is a favored cookie of mine.  I have stashed them in the beautiful cobalt blue jar I bought at Dollar General the other day.  It's the perfect size for a biscuit jar...and not a place just anyone is likely to look into so the cookie stash can remain mine.

John took care of Caleb most all morning long.  I suspect it was as much to keep clear of my sniveling as it was to help, but it was a blessing all the same.

Wednesday:  Another unexpected day off.   I didn't know until well after 9am that I wasn't going to be keeping Caleb today.  

Mind you there are no complaints.  I got a world of baking done this morning, cleaned guest bath, hunted up bedding for the incoming guests (WHY do I no longer have pillows?!), cleaned up two or three or five sinks of dishes, made breakfast and lunch, told John we're having Chinese takeout for supper, have insured I have all the foods required from the pantry closet, and I'm now ready to clean my kitchen and do a little tidying of the house overall.  I have several items on my list of things I still must do: set up a toddler feeding spot, set up a children's table, bring out enough chairs for adults. 

I let my turkey sit at room temps all day on Saturday and then put it in the fridge...The darned thing is frozen solid still!  I'm letting it sit at room temperatures today and hoping that it thaws a good bit.  I expect it will still be icy but I do hope that it will be ready to bake in the morning!  

Honestly, I hadn't realized how very much there was to do today until I made out a list.  I got started this morning and haven't stopped now for several hours. I sat down here to rest with my feet up and told John I'm not done but I need to stop for a break.  

I shall make mashed potatoes today and then heat in the crockpot tomorrow.  I'm going to do as was suggested by someone a year or three ago and do a mix of instant and real potatoes, then I'll layer them in the crockpot with pats of butter in between as a Mennonite lady did for an EMS/First Responder dinner one year.   I've made the sweet potato casserole and the topping, have a pan of dressing, pre-made my gravy.  The whipped topping is in the fridge ready to be use, the cranberry sauce is chilling.   

I need only bake the turkey and make a green bean casserole and reheat all else, which is a wonderful thing as I have to drive over to pick up Mama in the morning and that shall take a good hour and a half or so.  

The cat is wailing at the front door, reminding me I have yet to feed her and the dogs, sigh.  I must say I don't know how I should have managed today or when I might have stopped or if there would be time for picking up takeout for tonight if I'd Caleb today as I expected to have.

I suppose five minutes of feet up is quite enough...Off I go to do the rest of the jobs!

Thursday:  Happy Thanksgiving to all of you...I expect it's about over for everyone at this time but I wanted to stop in and wish you a happy day, all the same.

Ours was busy, hectic, bustling, plentiful, abundant and excellent.  I hope yours was, too!