I can’t believe Thanksgiving is finally here! This has always been one of my favorite holidays!

Before moving to Haiti –  all the family and our spouses would gather together at my parents’  house. Lori and momma would spend all day cooking on Wednesday! I would wake up Thursday to the smell of Hot Apple Tarts for breakfast – MY FAVORITE!! The feast was normally served at 1pm. We would each go around the table and talk about the things we were thankful for. By the time we got around to everyone – we were all crying! The blessings were just too great to hold it all in!

We ate until we could no longer breathe – which is often the problem of being an Owen!! LOL! Afterwards – the family would play cards and tease of each other!! Yes  – we couldn’t call it a holiday until we teased each other enough to make someone mad! It’s a tradition! That person was normally Bud by the way! 🙂

Before we moved to the Mole we spent the last 5 years having Thanksgiving in St. Louis du Nord! We would invite around 30 of our closest Haitian friends and feast together! I loved to decorate the table with special glasses and candles. Something I knew they would never get to use anywhere else. Everyone would come dressed up! The food felt endless. Everyone got to eat and eat! We too went around the table and said what we were thankful for.

I will never forget the year Mme Selony’s husband died. It was about 10 days before Thanksgiving. She stood up and said she was thankful for the time God had given her with him. I’m not sure I would have been so strong. My dad said God gives us a certain peace in times of trouble – and He had wrapped His arms around Mme Selony.

Today the family is going downtown NYC to the Thanksgiving Parade! Yes we are crazy! Then our family will sit together with Jose’s family and enjoy a feast and fellowship! Isn’t it amazing how a holiday can bring families together – – that might not otherwise find the time?

I have friends who are flying thousands of miles to spend time with their family. There are others who are driving hundreds of miles to unite with friends and family. I LOVE THAT! I love how we sacrifice our time and energy to come together on Thanksgiving!

So today I am thankful for Thanksgiving!

For a day that brings families together and forces us to think about the blessings in our lives!