Thankful heart.

I had the best Thanksgiving ever. I missed alot-my family, my home, my favorite foods...but I really had an awesome Turkey day. Here's the run down.

Wed. nite-Shauna cooked dinner for Anne and I. We had a "Turkey Chase 10k" (of which we did the 2 mile fun run) on Thanksgiving morn. So we carbed up. Had a great time. On the way to Anne's house, it started snowing-HARD. By the time we got to Wheaton, it was sticking to the ground. By the time I had laid on the couch for an hour, there was enough snow for a snowball fight. By the time the snowball fight threats began-there was alot of snow. By the time the fight commenced (inside the house, mind you--against Anne--I won) there was ALOT of snow. Big, giant flakes. It was beautiful.

Thursday--woke up early. Had a race, you know. It was FREEZING. Bitterly cold. I was wearing shorts. Grrrr. We got up, got ready, talked Lisa into joining us, got in the car, drove to Bethesda, got out of the car (i may have cried a little b/c of the cold), ran to the starting line, and watched over 5,000 people start the race! It was CRAZY! It was inspiring! It was awesome! So we watched the crazy people start the 6+ miler...then we lined up for the fun run! Ran it. Afterwards, it was kinda cold...sweaty-so wet, and therefore freezing....not the best combo. But my girls-Anne and Lisa-were all kinds of into the activities. There was the hula hoop contest that Anne almost won (to the chagrin of the 8 year olds she was competing against)...there was the frisbee game we played that almost cost the lives of several bystanders...there was the line dancing to the dj. All good fun at 8 am on a balmy Thanksgiving morn! I finally persuaded the girls to leave-we went and got coffee and a bagel. Laughed like hyenas in the Starbucks (as usual)-drew a few stares. Ran by the store to pick up wine and flowers for dinner. Went home, lazed around, took showers, got ready, went to the movies for "Yours, mine and ours." Cute and predictable-but perfect holiday movie fare. Came home again--picked up Chris (who was joining Anne and I for dinner at the Schmidt's). Headed to the Schmidt's for dinner.

The Schmidt's are Anne's cousin Susan's in-laws. Whew. What an explanation! Stan and Ann. So nice. So funny. And cute to boot. We had a great dinner, great entertainment (thanks, Chris!) and great conversation. After dinner, we went home, went to bed full of triptophan (turkey drug). Nice.

Friday, Anchovie (Anne) had to work-so Lisa and I laid around watching trash tv all day. It was AWESOME. We got out once to go to the po and to pick up lunch. Then we had a happy hour downtown. After drinks we watched a movie at Nancy and Jeannie's. Quietly, tho. No talking during a movie if you're hanging with those kids.

Saturday, we slept late. Went to lunch at the silver diner, hung out in a hair salon for WAY TOO LONG....picked up Nancy and went to see "Walk the Line." GREAT MOVIE. But way sad. I was pretty mellow the rest of the nite after watching it...so moving. Went to bed early.

Sunday, had breakfast with my Russian friend, Anya. Went to church. After church Anne and I did some serious food shopping. We had decided earlier in the weekend (this all began over a craving for brussel sprouts) to have a second, "friends Thanksgiving." Most of us had no leftovers and there were things missing off the table we all wanted that we didn't have. So we made a list and bought it all! We spent Sunday afternoon and nite cooking and eating a second Thanksgiving meal. It was AWESOME. My girl Anchovie can cook now! Here's to you "la petits poissons!" I drove home Sunday nite happy and full. I am blessed.

So why was the best Thanksgiving ever, you may ask?

Top 10 reasons this was the best T-day ever:

1. As much as I love and miss my family, the lack of family obligations at a holiday is nice. Makes it much easier to relax.
2. All I had to bring to dinner was flowers...and Anne put those together for me!!!
3. Lots of sleep. Lots and lots of sleep. And most of it at the Dawson house--therefore it was cricket free!!! And sleeping in Anne's room is like sleeping in an igloo! Good for the imagination AND she has the most comfy bed ever.
4. I'm not going to blog the details...but the table conversation at the "big dinner" was HYSTERICAL. Even tho the 'boys lost.
5. Movies-2 good ones. And nachos. And popcorn. With nacho cheese sauce. Yum.
6. A second, full, dream-fullfulling Thanksgiving meal. Even better than the first. With leftovers.
7. A race. A short one even. Yummy.
8. Snow. Just enough to see and enjoy--without sticking around long. Love it.
9. The food. It's worth 2 spots on this list. Especially the brussell sprouts. Great job, Anchovie!
10. Precious friends. I was with Anne and Lisa most of the weekend...Susan, Jim and Katie on Sunday. (It was sad not to have Shauna there, too...but it was good knowing she was closer than usual--only Boston instead of AL!) Crazy that these people I haven't known that long have quickly and effectively become some of the best friends I've ever had. I am blessed and humbled by God's goodness to give me great friends.

Here are the members of the "Friends Thanskgiving Party" 2005. From l to r: Susan, Jim, me, Katie, Anne, Lisa.