Thankfulness

This time of year I find myself reflecting on and remembering of all the things I am thankful for.
I'm thankful for...my husband (Jim), my family (Mom & Dad, Mom & Don, Jim's Dad, Jerry & Jill, Karen aka Big Sis), my old friends (Cat, Chris, Celeste, Daisy, Jen, Lori, Michelle, Robin, Shannon), my new friend (Ines), my small group (Collin & Rhonda, Mike & Karen, Mark & Laura, Suzanne), my dog (Pru), my health (so far, so good), my home (small, safe & warm and filled with lots of love)... but above all these I am Thankful that I have a relationship with God. Because without God I would have none of the above.

Have you thought about you are Thankful for this year?

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

I LOVE this time of year. I love the change of the trees and the feel of cool crisp days. Living in California I find we don't get to see Autumn like they see it back east or in the midwest; unless, of course, we head to the hills. And that's what we did. We went to our favorite location this time of year "Oak Glen" ~ Apple country. Normally we are there in late October. Unfortunately this year our trip got pushed back a few times and we didn't get there until yesterday. It was beautiful! But it wasn't the normal crisp autumn day we expected. It was 80 degrees. Dang! Is this global warming or what?

Now, because we normally don't get there so late in the season there are apples galore to pick from. We were lucky to walk away with one bag of Arkansas Blacks (which rock, by the way). I guess next year we're going to make sure that nothing stands in the way of our trip to Oak Glen, and hopefully next time it will "feel" like autumn.