THANKFUL!:))

HOLIDAYS ARE COMING!!!!!!!...YAYYYY!...feeling like a big kid...I absolutely love this time of year...sharing, caring, giving, laughter, love, togetherness!...that's what it's all about, right?!?...ok, so I'm sentimental...shoot me!...I have fabulous memories I could share, but one...today comes to mind...Thanksgiving is in two days....the cooks are either cooking already or thawing out the meats...my mind took me back to a Thanksgiving years ago...sorry, not real good with years, dates, time...when I had gone home for the holiday with great anticipation of getting and of course helping my Mom with the "BIG" meal...she loves to cook...anyone who knows her recognizes that this time of year is center stage for My Mom!...if she doesn't do anything else...she'll feed ya!...LOL!...but on that occasion, I ALMOST found myself having to take the reigns....cause Mom was not feeling well...try as she might to get better...It wasn't happening....so I started, a little overwhelmed...she is a tough act to follow...and not that I haven't cooked "the big meals" before...I just had to get my mind right...Well, all of that hype was for naught...cause in stepped the alternate chef of Annie's kitchen!...my Daddy!...Leon the Amazing Himself!....and he took the reigns ya'll...found myself more on the assisting end....My Daddy threw down!...already knew how great a cook he was...but the love and admiration was in the air as he meticulously seasoned/cooked the meat...mixed the ingredients for the pies...and so on and so forth as he would say!!!!!!...I sooo miss him!!!...that day was filled with nothing but love and admiration for a man who not only stepped up EVERYDAY and provided for his family!...but he further proved just how flexible and innovative he was!!!!...A MEMORY THAT IS EMBEDDED in my heart forever....THANK YOU DADDY!..I am thankful for those memories...my family...my friends....my associates...my enemies(hope they're few)!....thankful for the opportunites that God has allowed me to experience and witness!...just THANKFUL!...cause see for me, it's more than just a holiday where everyone gets together and eat...It's about the time, love, care, and preparation it takes to produce something enjoyable for those that you care about....it's about LOVE! AND APPRECIATION!....EXCITED!...MAKE SURE YOU CHERISH THESE MEMORIES AS YOU MAKE THEM!....WISHING EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU A HAPPY, BLESSED, AND STOMACH FILLING DAY!!! this Thanksgiving!!!!!!!...MUCH LOVE, G.