Thanksgiving

Thankful that my two oldest are at their grandmother's being stuffed with carrot cake and turkey and steak and love.  Thankful my mom and sister will be together in the snowy mountains of West Virginia.  Thankful that our Paeds team gathered 40-plus-strong with visitors and kids to feast together, a taste of the Kingdom, shared struggle against suffering, shared victories, shared love.  Thankful that Patrick's sister got him up into a chair and spent the day reading through Genesis aloud. They were on chapter 9 last time I saw them.  Thankful that my patients made it through today and I have a weekend off. Thankful that the home-front-kids finished exams for the term and we can celebrate with them and Miss Bethany this weekend.  Thankful for almost 50 pounds of turkey on the grill, and more mashed potatoes than a human army could eat.  Thankful for colleagues, particularly the young Kenyans pictured above, and even my colleague with preterm labor who is calmly emerging from the danger zone.  Thankful for this reminder on the true nature of Thanksgiving:

"One act of Thanksgiving made when things go wrong is worth a thousand when things go well."  St. John of the Cross