Giving Thanks Thanksgiving

 

 Big Delicious and I had the awesome privilege to start off our Thanksgiving Holiday trip by taking a historic adventure through Kirtland, OH at the beginning of Thanksgiving week.

It was such a uplifting and spiritually edifying trip.  We were grateful to take a moment out of our busy lives to reflect on those early Latter-day Saint pioneers that sacrificed and contributed so much in order to build the first LDS Temple in Kirtland, OH.  They gave up all they had to fulfill the will of God.  The revelations and keys that were given in the Kirtland, OH Temple, to imagine prophets of old and Christ were at one time present in the Temple.

    For now, the Community of Christ seems to be taking very well care of the Lords first Temple.  Perhaps one day it will be back in the hands of my beloved church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

 To hear and see how the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints lived in that time made me quite humble and full of gratitude to have indoor plumbing, A/C and a heater, a sturdy home, plentiful food, and over 100 temples that I could attend in these modern days.  It was a strength to my testimony and a desire to increase my obedience to my Heavenly Father and the Savior.

      After we left Kirtland, we headed over to Columbus, IN (where my mom grew up) where most of my extended family and good friends on my mom's side live.  I had not been there for nearly 2 years, and it was such a delightful time to spend a week with aunts, uncles, cousins and my sweet dear Mamaw (my grandma)  She is just a hoot to be around.  I love that little lady with all the jolliness of my soul!  She is starting to loose her memory, which makes her tell stories from her forgetting what really happened.  She is in great spirits though and we just laughed and laughed together.

     My favorite of her stories is that a few years ago her house was damaged from a flood, she owned a cat named Oreo.  Well because my Mamaw had to live in an apartment while her house was fixed, she wasn't able to take Oreo with her.  Now Oreo was a smarty-cat, she trained him well.  My aunts gave the cat away to a friend of a friend from what I understand, but my Mamaw doesn't remember that...so, she will randomly tell you that someone came in and stole her cat.  Hahaa, she says, "Nicolette, someone came in here and stole Oreo.  Who does that?  What kind of person just comes in and steals a cat?" We will let her rant on about her story for a bit and then have to remind her kindly that Oreo went to a nice little girl to take care of.  Then she will agree with you as if she remembers.  I love that precious Mamaw of mine!

     We got my Mamaw to play the game Apples to Apples with us and that little stinker won, she didn't even know how to play!  She would forget how to play by the time her turn would come around again, and she would just play with her cards, and line them up and match them.  But she would always put down the word that ended up being picked.  No one helped hardly either.  I was starting to think she has some sort of trickery tactics go'n on and fooling us all!  Spending time with all of my family was so wonderful, I miss them already and am excited when Mark and I get to visit again.  Mark is recovering from the trip still, haha just kidding!  He was a great support and we both had a glorious time.  I hope all had a Thanksgiving that was as memorable as ours was.  Reflecting on the memories, and all the things that you have in your life.  Even if you have little, it's at least something to be grateful for.  I'm mostly grateful for eternal families and beautiful temples!!