Every Sunday I publish a good news post, some reflection of a good thing that happened to keep me in the spirit of thankfulness. I did that yesterday. But something happened today that I can’t wait until Sunday to talk about.
Yesterday we had our Thanksgiving dinner. Amanda cooked a delicious turkey with all the things that go with it. But there was something missing. There was family missing.
Today our children Logan and Abby came for their weekly visit. They both have autism and live in a group home nearby. It was so good to have them. There were hugs and kisses. There was laughter and tickling. And as always, there was a Veggie Tales marathon.
We didn’t have big plans for supper so Amanda made baked macaroni and cheese (which I always enjoy).
For the first time in a long time, all seven of us were sitting at the dinner table. There was none of the usual complaining. We sat together as a happy family. Logan and Abby are both nonverbal but Logan used his words and Abby used sign language to ask for seconds.
For many families, especially before the children become adults and start families of their own, it is no big thing to have all the children at the table. It is something easily taken for granted.
Not so for our family. While we have made peace with the decision to have our children in a group home, there is a regular price we pay. Having our family together made macaroni and cheese the best Thanksgiving dinner I have had in a long time.
For my wife Amanda’s reflection on the same event, read her post.
