Friday, November 28, 2008

Thanks on Friday

I'm thankful that my cousin, Ron, married someone from Cambridge, Ontario because I get to see them at least once or twice a year when they journey north to visit Tammy's family. Our families spent the morning together playing, talking, crying (the kids ... not us adults). It was really nice. We shared what's happened since the last time we saw each other. We exchanged prayer requests. We complimented each other's kids. We laughed at how our little reunions are going to be for our kids what the Pamer reunions at the Rural Life Center in Mansfield were to us! Yes, I'm thankful that Ron and I both married Canadians because we do enjoy our little family get togethers!

I'm thankful for personal mail. I got a piece today! Well, it wasn't exactly "personal", but it was addressed to me in inked handwriting and the card inside had wonderful and crazy pictures of my family on the front, so I guess it was personal mail! I got an official invitation to the annual Schley Family Christmas Celebration and Allyson put a little thumbnail photo of everyone who came last year to our Mashed Potato Contest Christmas Celebration. This year we're doing CHILI!!! I'm a little afraid to compete because I've heard of some of the concoctions that Gabe has made, and I think there have been rumblings that Chad is pretty good at combining ingredients for a chili. I know that the Bockas love to try new and unusual things, too. I'm afraid my chili will be bland and without anything fancy because I'll need to make sure that my family has at least one option of something that they would be willing to eat. It may end up looking and tasting like plain old tomato soup in the end, but at least I'll know they won't go hungry.

I'm also thankful that so far the weather reports are saying that our huge storm isn't supposed to hit until Sunday night. We have a busy weekend coming up. We're having a baptism at our church this weekend and we're expecting a lot of people to come! Many of them will be travelling from out of town, so if this storm could hold off until Sunday night like they're predicting, I would really, really be thankful!

3 comments:

GramS said...

So if Chad makes things rumble, we should probably stay away from his chili. Mine would be the plain simple stuff, nothing hot, nothing wierd, just good old fashioned Wendy's-type chili.

Your and Ron's families are making good memories. I'm glad you're able to get together. It would actually be better than the Rural Life Center because you can concentrate on only 2 families instead of 15 or 20 of them.

I hope the snow hangs back until later in the week, so your guests can all get home OK. Sounds like nice weekend plans.

Anonymous said...

Go for the chili, Mar. You can win this Chili cook off! Feed it to all the little kids and have them vote for yours, since it's not hot, etc . (You might have to hide your mom's, though).
Thankful your and Ron's family are able to visit when they go to Canada. How about a visit when you come to OH? Would love to have you all. We've got lots and lots of toys in the basement to keep everyone entertained for quite a while, including the parents if they so choose!

liz said...

WE have very specific toys---Thomas trains!

And didn't allyson do a great job with that picture?