Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving will always hold a special place in my heart. Not just because it is Thanksgiving and I have a lifetime of memories and traditions to go with it. But, because it was four years ago, on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 25, 2004), that we returned from China with our beautiful daughter. We thought it was the coolest thing to come home on Thanksgiving, given all we had to be thankful for.



This was our baby's first Thanksgiving dinner. My mom had the food waiting for us when we arrived home from the airport. My folks left us at home to get settled and get some much-needed sleep - after a tastey meal of traditional Thanksgiving fare. If you can believe it, Annalee ate that whole plate of food!




This is our baby today: a beautiful, bright 5-1/2-year-old girl with an infectious smile and laugh. She is happy, healthy, inquisitive, interested, engaging and -- shall I say it again? -- happy.

Strangely, I think Leelee ate more on Thanksgiving four years ago than she did today.

Happy Thanksgiving!