Giving Thanks

I am looking back over the past month, when all of the planning began for the Thanksgiving holiday. I have spent so many moments with conflicting emotions. I've been worried, stressed, sad, excited, overwhelmed and happy. Now that the Thanksgiving holiday has passed, I wonder if I could have handled everything differently. If only I had prayed more, trusted more, backed off more, given in sooner, relaxed. But here I am on the other side of plans made and of events that have occurred, and I am grateful. I missed my older daughters so much over the past week, but in the midst of it all, I had so much to be thankful for. I found my thoughts resting with them so often, and yet my fears and worries were drowned out by my trust in God, that He knew where they were and what they were doing, even if we were apart from each other. I was able to enjoy Michael and Meredith in spite of some sadness in my heart. Patrick truly helped me get through the week with his encouragement and the plans that he made to keep us busy. Being with my extended family provided distraction, joy, so much laughter and many great memories. It's hard to believe that this week I have been dreading for a month is over. I am so grateful for that - not just that it is over and in the past, but that it was well spent and taught me great lessons.