Awwwwww!

This morning when I awakened And saw the sun above, I softly said, "Good morning, Lord, Bless everyone I love."

Right away I thought of you And said a loving prayer, That He would bless you specially, And keep you free from care.

I thought of all the happiness A day could hold in store, I wished it all for you because No one deserves it more.

I felt so warm and good inside, My heart was all aglow. I know! God heard my prayers for you, He hears them all, you know.

The poem was truly appreciated. Thanks Sandi in Texas! Have a beautiful day everyone.

A Holiday Shopping Thought

Counting them all up on the fingers of my hands
...The fingers of my toes
(Fingers of my toes?)
Big families are fun
But big families
Make Christmas shopping
HARD!!!!!

Good Memories

I enjoyed today very much. Marie, Karla, Calli and I went to Anchorage today to check out the Craft's Emporium being held at the William A. Eagan Civic and Convention Center. Two floors of crafts! Across the street in the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts, there were four more floors of crafts. It was fun to be together and interesting see all the handworks that have been created in the year since we were last here.

We walked and walked and then I got so hungry! Finally we stopped by Starbucks on Fifth Avenue for coffee and a goodie! Calli and I had a huge, chewy, gingerbread cookie and Marie and Karla had a very good cranberry treat. Not the same, but both had cranberries in them. I had hot chai and it was delicious!

Good memories were made today out Christmas shopping and then even dinner at Garcia's in Eagle River. We missed Kim though, she was not feeling well so she could not come with us.

Tony did a very good job giving the eulogy at his Grandmother's memorial which was held in her brothers vacant home on Friday. Many showed up to honor Lela. Tony shared stories about Lela that made us all laugh. Other friends and family also shared what she meant to them. Afterwards, we all ate together. I know this was a good time for Lela's family and I am glad I was able to go and listen to the good memories others have about her.

You will be missed, Lela.

One More Week

[My Dad, Senafont Shugak and my Mom, Vera during a Thanksgiving meal in Old Harbor.]

One week until Thanksgiving! I will take this time to wish all of you a happy Thanksgiving day ---whatever you plan to do or not do and or where ever you plan to be or not be. God bless!

We plan to have a progressive Thanksgiving dinner with the kids. First we will stop over at Tony and Kim's and she will have appetizers. Then we will go to Chris and Karla's where Karla plans to have the main meal prepared. Then after we spend time there we all will end up here at the lake for desserts and table games. Probably after a full afternoon of eating we should play moving around games!

I have been looking at desserts to make and am excited about that. Martha Stewart was on the morning show on NBC and she always has such beautiful food. I thought I would try to make at least one of her beautiful pies.

Some of you will be traveling for TG and I hope you have a safe trip.

One memory I have about TG was the time Dad moved us all up from the village to Anchorage. With ten kids and living in a new place and in a new environment things were lots different. Looking back I have to say that Dad was very adventurous to move his whole family like he did! Even with the complications of a previously broken back, he managed to find a job and keep us fed and warm.

My younger sister Ruth said that when her teacher asked the whole room if everyone would have a turkey for TG she had told her she didn't think that we would have a turkey for "Turkey Day."

It was so cool because we ended up having TWO turkeys and all the fixings for a dinner for twelve show up at our door a few days before Thanksgiving. One from Ruth's class and one from the Church that we attended on Sundays. Without those donations we would not have had a turkey, but we would not have gone hungry either, because Dad worked hard to keep us from that, we just would have eaten something else.

Benevolence during the holiday seasons is such a good thing, not only the holidays but throughout the whole year.

Now living through the years I find that it is indeed more blessed to give...than to receive. Giving with thankfulness.