Packages for a Soldier

I can't quite take it all in yet just how quickly this year has passed. With Thanksgiving in two weeks buying a turkey is the usual custom. Are you cooking this Thanksgiving? And, what are your family's holiday traditions?

I shared in an earlier post about the first Thanksgiving dinner Bob and I shared. The episode of the case of the hidden gizzard bag is high on our list of memories. Our traditional menu has been the same for as long as I can remember whether it was a houseful of extended family or just us and the kids. The kids always request the same things. I haven't been feeling real energized for a couple of months and was considering not cooking dinner and I didn't want to go out. Alias, out of the clear blue sky I had a thought to use disposable cooking pans, paper plates and prepared food, for example, CostCo sells a prepared mashed potato dish that is delish! although there's no better mashed potatoes than mine so we'll think about that, and there's the dressing. I have changed up my recipe for dressing over the years I came across a recipe from one of the Food Network cooks and since then I've adopted the principles of that recipe adding my own ingredients. It takes more time but is the best dressing ever - that is if you like dressing. Sometimes I stuff the turkey and sometimes I don't - depends on my time.

I'd love to hear your ideas and traditions. If you click on my profile, my email address is listed there.

I packed up three boxes for our Soldier Tom and we'll take them to the post office this morning. I have more stuff to pack but want to stretch the mailings out. I know there's only a couple of weeks more to go before the ending deadline for mailing boxes reaching Iraq so I want to be early.

Saturday is the Blue Star Mom's meeting for our area and they will be putting boxes together for the troops. I went to Bath and Body Works - my very favorite store - and bought a few things for the seven females on our group's list. We'll be stopping by and hoping we can help. We'll have Alexandra on Saturday because Kevin is working - so maybe she can pitch in and help too.

We haven't heard from Tom for about a week now - and I get concerned especially when I hear about the bombings north of Baghdad. I have a map of the area of Baghdad and surrounding U. S. military bases, so I can zone in on exactly where the bombings are and how close they are to him.

I am humbled when I think of the mothers who have several members of their family serving in Iraq or Afghanistan at the same time. They must be very strong to handled the worry and concern everyday, especially if their solder is in combat. I am sure God blesses them with special attributes and strength of spirit.

Our prayers are with all our military personnel no matter where they are stationed. They are serving and protecting our country and we appreciate their sacrifices.