Thanksgiving has come and gone, and though the turkey and the pie are must-haves,
they are not the best part for me.

I grew up in a family of 12 children. So, 14 at the table was a Sunday dinner. Over the years we added spouses, children and even great grandchildren. This year we celebrated with 41, proving the decision to move it to a fire hall with more ovens and more space was a good one.

My favorite part of thanksgiving has always been the blessing. When I was a child, my Dad was the one who said it. It was a prayer handed down by his father who could also recite it in German. It starts “Most merciful and everlasting Father”. But the best part is at the end. No matter how old or how young you were, at the end of the prayer, we went around the table and thanked God specifically for something special to us. Some of the things made us laugh, and some made us cry.

This year there were 41 people giving thanks, all included family on the list.

My mom gave her four F’s that she is always thankful for – Faith, Family, Friends and Food.

My nephew Nolan thanked God that it was not a school day.

My husband thanked God for the country we live in and the rights granted us.

So many people with so many blessings: safe travel, family being together, improved relationships, new marriages, children, parents, health.

And though the pumpkin pie was almost as amazing as the cheesecake and Ghirardelli brownies, it still pales in comparison to what we all really took in. What a gift it is to take those few minutes to see our blessings and to thank God for them, not only in our hearts but out loud for others to hear – the best part of my Thanksgiving.