Thanksgiving

So it's fall here in South Korea.  The Koreans had their Thanksgiving, Chusok,  in September with the harvest.  They probably think we're pretty weird.  But hey, the feelings mutual.  :)  We ate Thanksgiving dinner at the church with 2 other families and 12 missionaries.  I brought Jessie's sweet potato casserole (which I got 2-3 recipe requests for), traditional green been casserole, 2 pumpkin pies (crust made by me, filling by Ken), and a batch of gingerbread cookies.  It was a different gingerbread recipe than I usually make because I had run out of shortening.  They were alright.  I wouldn't make them again.  There was turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, gravy, dressing (no cornbread dressing though), stuffing, salad, rolls (although they weren't Mama's), and lots of pies.  I think I had some sweet potatoes left, but everyone loaded up plates for the missionaries to take and they took the rest of the potatoes and almost a whole pie of Kens.  We all had a great time.  I totally forgot my camera so I have no pictures of Tater's first Thanksgiving unless my friend emails the ones she took to me.  The kids played, the missionaries sang for us, and we came home and had naps.  It felt weird not to have leftovers to snack on for the next day or two.  So, I'm getting some turkey and stuff to make our own little mini Thanksgiving and we'll have it again.

Some things I am thankful for this year:
1) Family.  Being away from extended family has made me all the more thankful that we are that close to our families.  It has also made me appreciate all the past holidays shared with them, as well as look forward to the possibility of being with some of them next year.  I am also thankful that our own little family is together this year and not separated, even amidst the current political tensions.
2) Friends, old and new.  I'm thankful for all the friends that I have held on to from the past.  Thankful for all the family that we also consider friends.  And I am especially thankful for all the friends we've made here in S. Korea to make it a little less foreign and a little more like home, or at least less lonely.
3) I am grateful for freedom and the soldiers who fight to keep those freedoms.  They are all sons and daughters, some of them are husbands and wives.  All of them are sacrificing being with someone they care about to be somewhere else to protect our country and I am becoming more thankful for that willingness to serve us and our country.

We hope everyone had a very Happy Thanksgiving!!!  Hopefully we'll see some of you next year!