For the first Thanksgiving ever, I didn't get to spend the day with family. While I missed them and our style of cooking very much, I had a very meaningful day! Working at Open Arms, I have learned so much about the power of food and good nutrition, so it isn't surprising that Thanksgiving is one of our busiest times of the year in terms of meal deliveries. This year, I helped coordinate all of the Thanksgiving deliveries. Clients either received a frozen free-range, organic turkey with all of the trimmings to cook their own Thanksgiving feast, or a prepared meal that we delivered on Thanksgiving Day (that arrived in beautifully painted bags!)
In the 10 days leading up to Thanksgiving, we delivered something along the order of 25,000 meals! Thanks Mom and Dad for sponsoring turkeys for 10 families here. Thanksgiving Day, we all worked at Open Arms, coordinating the deliveries and finishing with a morning feast with all the staff and volunteers. It was such a special way to start Thanksgiving morning, and great to finish the week with a feast after running around like crazy for the two weeks leading up to it!
The Open Arms Thanksgiving morning festivities!
My co-worker Ellen and I after our successful Thanksgiving meal delivery coordination!
In the afternoon, Eric and I went to Rebecca's parents house in St. Paul, where we shared in a wonderful Thanksgiving feast with her family. We had a great feast, and I got to contribute our famous green jello with sprite and applesauce family treat. When we got home that night, I skyped my family over at Christy and Carl's house, which made me miss them more! But I'm so glad that they had such a good Thanksgiving too.
One thing I love about my LVC experience is that I am invited along to so many wonderful things. Not being too attached to any one group, I accept as many offers as I can! So Friday through Monday of Thanksgiving weekend, I was invited to join my LVC landlords and their 2 little boys up to the Lutsen ski resort on the North Shore of Lake Superior for a weekend of skiing! I babysat the boys Linden (age 5) and Soren (age 7). We had such a blast playing board games, reading books, knitting, swimming, skiing and exploring the North Shore. I will always be very grateful for these new experiences with people who want to share them with me! It was fun to tag along with another family for a few days. =]
On our way home, we drove through Gooseberry Falls which is beginning to freeze over, so icicles covered the whole surface of the waterfall. It was beautiful! A vibrant sunset on the way home and lots of car games brought the weekend to a great close.
As the end of November approached, I realized that I have so very much to be thankful for this year. After graduating college, a lot of unknowns were ahead...who would have known that life could be so great after leaving a place like PLU?!
A few things I am thankful for after graduating college:
1. I celebrated my graduation with all of my family in the area.
2. 6 days later, I flew to Europe to travel for 3 weeks with one of my very best friends: Annika Odegard--sharing in the trip of a lifetime!
3. I then spent a week at Flathead Lutheran Bible camp with another group of my favorite friends.
4. Jenna and Andrew got married, and I got to be one of the lucky ones in the wedding party! Followed by the best reunion of my PLU friends.
5. Mom, Courtney and I got to take a trip to Chicago and Virginia to see our old home and friends.
6. Dad and I roadtripped out to Minnesota with a stop through Yellowstone, and then he helped me move into my new home!
7. I ended up with the best LVC placement--Open Arms--in the best new city--Minneapolis--with such wonderful new people!
Most of all this Thanksgiving week, I am thankful for my family!! Miss you all.
