Monday, November 23, 2009

Giving Thanks: There's no Place like Home

This week of Thanksgiving, I am republishing some post of the past, these are all relating to Thanksgiving celebrations and traditions. I am busy this week planning, preparing, and taking this time to visit YOU, my blogger friend. For I am immensley thankful for you!
Thank YOU for taking time from your day to drop by Bloggeritaville to visit me. I enjoy your visits, your comments, your emails. It means so much to me. I invite you back this weekend for a look back at my Thanksgiving celebration and on Monday, where Christmas will be in full swing, complete with a Christmas header, Christmas music and Christmas post! I hope that you will join me.

May your Thanksgiving be filled with good food and good company. May you relish your Thanksgiving traditions, or start new ones. I pray that your blessings are plentiful!
Thankyou friend!

Leigh


Giving Thanks
There is no place like home. It's where the living is littered with the contents of the lives celebrating the children that live there....
a few wayward checker pieces, a pair of dirty socks (that kid #2 better pick up!), framed pictures of times celebrated and of generations past, paper,pens and markers in the middle of becoming an award winning novel. At least in the heart of the author's mother.

There is no place like home. It is where at first entry I am greeted by 5 happy pups, each dancing about and wagging tails and bottoms with delight at my face. You can't buy that anywhere!! It is guaranteed kisses and cuddles, always a warm lap and tug o war play.



















There is no place like home. It's provided by a hard working man, who never complains about going into work-even on cold mornings when I know it's hard getting out of bed- before God turns on the lights. It's financial security, because the working man knows how to work a budget that most people could not live with. Even his wife sometimes. It's doing without materials but never love. It's a future that is visible and is on a straight and narrow path to our hopes and dreams for our family. It's a foot rub at night as we watch tv, it's a hug upon first sight of entering, it's a word of appreciation that the others live under it's roof too.

There's no place like home. It's handed down clothes, recipes, furniture and traditions.

There is no place like home. It's a southern momma's cooking, whose dishes are steeped in love. It's hot chocolate and marshmallows, hot soup on a cold day. It's Great Grandma Idabelle's recipe for cornbread cooked in a blacked iron skillet. It's a cozy bed with blankets on the edge of the bed to cuddle up in, knitted by grandma....Blankets that have the ability that each time the blanket surrounds you, you can feel Grandma's hug.

There's no place like home. It's good music playing in the background. It's antibacterial gel, Lysol spray, and Clorox and healthy bodies to fight off "ick". It's candles in the fireplace. It's laundry that needs to be folded. It's "lived in".

It is peace, even where there is not. It is chaos. It is wild. It's inside jokes. It is memories.

There is no place like home. It's warm in spirit, it's where we hang our hats.
And it's carried in our hearts.
No matter where home is literally, it is always there inside of us. In the eyes of our family.
It is there in it's spirit.
It's Love.
And I am blessed each time I drive up, no matter the chores that await me. I am blessed.
And I count those blessings as we approach Thanksgiving Day.

I hope you have many blessings to count too. May you be blessed.
What are you thankful for?


Kellie, over at Kellie's House is hosting all kinds of fun as we count down to thanksgiving week. She is having giveaways based on Thanksgiving post. You can play along too for a chance to win-and join in the fun of the holiday. Go to Kelly's House, tell her Leigh sent ya!

14 comments:

Frannie said...

beautifully said...

Anonymous said...

Wow! That was amazing! You have a wonderful way with words.

Trina said...

Great post. As much as it drives me insane when my house is a disaster, am I so thankful to have one. I am thankful for many things.

Jess said...

Long time no see, Leigh. This was a blessing to read this morning. Thanks for sharing.

j said...

"It is peace, even where there is not. It is chaos. It is wild. It's inside jokes. It is memories."

That was perfectly felt and written.

And there is truly no place like home, but it is those IN the home that make it so. If I didn't have my kiddos and B? I don't know what home would mean to me.

SitDownKaren said...

That was awesome (as Karen wipes away tears)! I'am grateful for everyone I have in my life and all the love I get & give. The best thing about my house? When veryone comes over to "hang out" it makes me feel good!

Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality said...

Such great thoughts, Leigh! THat's beautiful. Thanks for stopping by, I don't think I did see those deer candlesticks you were talking about. There was SO much to take in while we were there!

Liz Harrell said...

Beautiful thoughts... ones I needed to be reminded of today.

Anonymous said...

Hey Leigh, That is WONDERFUL. I love reading your blog. Thanks for sharing.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for our memories...you are so very special and loved so much.
So well written and remembered....
I love you,Mom

Susie Homemaker said...

You have a gift for words...very nice post.

Thanks so much for sharing your sentiments with us...

Warm Wishes,
Susie

"J" said...

What a pretty post!!!! You have such a wonderful family!!!!!

Barb said...

Hi Leigh,

Come on over. You won The French Elements giveaway. Your post was lovely.

hugs,
Barb

P.S. Please email your address.

Jane said...

Leigh,
Your post was lovely. It was a great reminder of everything that we have to be thankful for.
Have a very Happy Thanksgiving with family and friends!
You know I'll be back to visit with all your new Christmas bling.
Thanks for being such a great blogger friend.
Jane