So thankful

I am my mother's child. I love to plan, cook, and enjoy a good meal. I love to be with people, to talk and share and enjoy life. And I love the holidays. But I've never experienced a holiday quite like the one I did this week.

This was my second Thanksgiving away from home. And while I've enjoyed most of my 31 Thanksgivings (a few have been spent with the flu and/or colds) - this one ranks right up there with the best.

Angela Garber, one of my awesome new friends, organized 'Little Orphan Angie's' Thanksgiving dinner at the Hollywood United Methodist Church. She invited friends and families and people who wouldn't have anywhere else to spend the day except maybe at a restaurant. What transpired was truly a blessed day.

We cooked, we cleaned, we laughed, we played charades, we walked to Starbucks, we toured the church, we played Uno Attack, we met new people, we got hugs, we gave hugs, we ate too much, we tried new things, we learned about each other, we shared with one another, we were thankful.

And while dinner was two and a half hours off schedule (turkeys can't be eaten rare), no one cared. We enjoyed the time. We shared experiences and created new relationships. And before we sat down, all 25 of us joined hands and bowed our heads and gave thanks. My friend Pauley asked that we each say what we were most thankful for on that day and while some scoffed, everyone listened and spoke and God surrounded us.

A lot of the time holidays are stressful. Especially in my family. This year, for me, Thanksgiving was not (Angela Garber may disagree!) and I am so thankful for that. For that and for the new friends and old friends and everyone in between that I got to spend the day with.