Thanksgiving

We're hosting Thanksgiving at our house this year with a few friends and my sister who is flying in from NYC.  My friend Noelle was joking around with me, stating I'd better have the house decorated to the nines for dinner because my guests will expect a lot of me because of the magazine cover situation.  At first I thought, no way.  Who cares.  Then I thought hmmm...maybe she's right.  I'd better give it some thought.  After giving it some thought I quickly (and obviously)  reminded myself that I don't live in a magazine cover.  I live in a home.

Today I was watching my kids run around the house, screaming and giggling smearing their dirty hands on the walls, dragging their muddy pants along the floor, and experiencing sheer joy.  Instead of interrupting them to wash their hands, cuff their pants and pick up their trail of toys I just watched them having fun, living life...Living joyfully.  

As much as I love having a nice home with pretty things to look at, that's all buttoned up and organized that's not what really matters.  A home is a place for joy, laughter, snuggling by the fire, reading books on the comfy sofa, listening to music, lounging with friends, getting crazy with friends, smearing paint all over the dining table, digging holes in the yard, filling your shoes with sand at the playground, spilling flour everywhere while baking a cake, emptying toys all over the floor... 

This Thanksgiving we are thankful for so many things, but at the top of the list is the joyful spirit our children bring to our lives.  Our children remind us of what home truly is.  It's so much more than a physical place full of decorated things.  Home is where our spirit lies.  I hope your spirit is filled with joy this Thanksgiving.

~Jenna