THANKFUL

Last fall, I went to my parents house in Washington DC area. We traveled from DC, to New York, to Gettysburg PA in hopes to see as much of the American history as possible. We arrived in Gettysburg around 5pm and started the tour. One stop, to the next...to the next, learning of all the battles fought in this one little town over the course of 3 days.At this point we reached the battle of the Bloody Angle.

This was a bloody battleground. The entrenchments behind you would have been shoulder height, rain would have been falling, and the mud here slick and slippery.  You can see from the terrain how a Union soldier, moving along the valley and trying to keep from exposing himself to fire from the Confederate line extending to your right would have been naturally funneled to this position.

The monument on the left of the picture marks a second ridge.  The other side of it was also shielded from Confederate view, but the moment they crossed the ridge they were exposed to fire.  This is where many Union soldiers died, coming out of the low ravine and into the hail of Confederate fire.

At this position, Union soldiers would have huddled in the mud and rain, before climbing onto or over the wall, to shoot at or engage Confederate soldiers in vicious hand to hand combat on the other side.

This picture is just one of the battlefields. 620,000 soldiers died over a course of 3 days, for our freedoms. When we got to this point last fall, the sun was setting. The red sky, the view, and the reality of this war, struck me and nothing said thankful for another day of life, like this moment of time.

It's almost Thanksgiving. What do I think about that? Well, I survived another year here in Alaska and will now be celebrating the Traditional Turkey day in my 2nd Alaskan home. The snow today gave me a little excitement. It reminded me of the joy the season brings.

It also made me remember I would love to be around family right about now. It brought me to memories of Cooking in the kitchen with my sisters...singing christmas songs from the Afterglow Christmas CD...my sister Tiffany cooking like 15 different pies at once. And Jordan, being a silly old kid that just makes me laugh. My family, the Lloyds.

With all the thoughts of Christmas, I also pondered the idea of taking all the kids to Grandma Lloyds house someday.

They would all love it there, with all the museums and food right around the corner...and making cookies even if it is 11:30 at night.

And curling up to a story that Grandpa Lloyd is reading outloud. My parents always loved the laughter and joy children brought into homes...and I want my kids to feel their love in return.

I also think about my grandma Marilyn who passed on earlier this year....
I miss her.
_____________......

She...made the best food. Seriously. Grandma could cook now! My first memory of grandma was her tall cupboards and at the very top, was the jar of gumballs. It wasn't playing in her backyard that I remember, it was the gumballs. And her giant heater that I would sit infront of and watch the artist painting guy on PBS.

I'm thankful I know the story of the Pilgrims and now it is my job to make sure my kids know it also...(I know I'm off of the subject a little, but Morgan said she doesn't know the story at all and she is in 1st grade. Do they really think that Thanksgiving is all about a Turkey dinner?...there is a story behind, that's all I'm saying)

I am thankful. Thankful for all my wonderful examples and memories. The Traditions. The good food that was prepared for me my whole life, so that I can share in the Thanksgiving Spirit. I'm thankful for the family time. The nap after turkey... And the late night pumpkin pie. I'm thankful for freedom and for the people that have fought to keep the United States that way..
.and I hope it all sets the tone for the spirit of giving. Christmas.