It seemed that everyone wanted to come to my mother's house for Thanksgiving.  You can see my mother sitting beside her two sisters (one on each side) and her brother sitting beside their sister on Mom's right (your left).  My wife, Shirley, is standing third from right of the picture.  I am not in the picture, because I was taking the picture.

In this picture some had already left to go hunting or to some other frivolous sport or recreation.  The turkey has been eaten, the mess is still in the kitchen, and everyone is miserably full of food.  It won't be long until most people will be gone, and the rest of us will be sitting around sharing stories and making memories, and my mother will be in the kitchen trying to clean it up all by herself until one or two of the daughters-in-law ease in the kitchen to help.

This time of year is a great time to be thankful for the people who surround you, whether it be your immediate family or your close friends, to thank God for their being there and the love that comes from having friends and family together.