Thanksgiving...

This year, Thanksgiving will be extra special! On top of all the things that have been presenting themselves for me to remember to be thankful for, I received a surprise today that completely made my holiday.

At the end of August, my Dad was forced to make a move to Minnesota to accept a good job- something hard to find in his specialized field. My parents began to search out places to live and a house to buy... and I was left with the hollow realization that my parents are moving 1500 miles away. I'm not a dependent child, but it's a hard idea to swallow when my family is as close as it is.

Because funds are tight and flights are so expensive, we accepted the fact that Dad wouldn't be here for Thanksgiving this year- a first since I was a little girl and he was deployed in the military. Every time I thought about it, I would tear up. I couldn't get past the thought of him sitting alone in some dimly lit Denny's style restaurant eating a half decent representation of what he normally gets on this holiday that is so special in my family. Not to mention the empty chair that has been vacant for these past months that would be reminding us constantly that our family wasn't complete- something so very frustrating since we just got Ian back from his mission to Paraguay last month and filled his empty chair.

So, today we invited my family over for Sunday dinner and there I was in the kitchen, baking holiday goodies that had been requested... and my mom shows up early for dinner. She says her friend had dropped her off. We chatted a few minutes and I finally asked her who her friend was that had dropped her off. She said "that one" and pointed behind me. I turned around, and there stood my Dad. He'd been standing behind me the entire time my mom and I were talking.

I immediately burst into tears. :)

Needless to say, I'm happy right now! His being here was made possible through a chain of events through his current job- seriously a holiday miracle for our family. Talk about having a full heart. Thank you Heavenly Father!