Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love that it's a time set aside to gather with family and friends and count our blessings. Holidays for me are all about tradition. Growing up, we always hosted Thanksgiving at our house. My favorite memories are waking up in the morning to the smell of turkey in the oven and getting out Mom's good china and silverware and setting the table. Soon the family would arrive, and we'd have fifteen, even twenty people gathered around the table. Grandmas, aunts, uncles, cousins...we all came together to eat good food, to share, to laugh, and to love.
But as life goes on, traditions sometimes change. Grandmas pass on. Kids grow up, get married, and have families of their own. New routines are established...new traditions born.
This year we'll gather at my sister's house to watch the Bears and eat. It's a small group this year, but that's okay. We'll still have plenty of food, laughs, and love to go around.
A few years ago I penned a Thanksgiving novella which celebrates all the things I love about the holiday. Family gathering, delicious food, hand turkeys drawn by little children, crisp fall weather, and especially a heroine who shares my view of not doing anything that has to do with Christmas until Thanksgiving has had its due.
Here's a snippet:
One morning she opened the door to Joe’s smiling face. Her answering smile faded as she noticed the snow shovel in his hand.
“Why do you have that?” she demanded.
She peeked over his shoulder and moaned. A light dusting of snow covered the lawn. It sparkled in the sunshine. But she couldn’t appreciate its beauty. “No,” she whined. “It’s only November. It cannot snow.”
Joe raised an eyebrow.
She paused in her tirade to appreciate the effect it had on his face. But only for a brief second. “Snow is for Christmas. Not Thanksgiving. Ugh.”
He chuckled. “Wow. You are really hung up on that, aren’t you?”
She put her hands on her hips. “Shut up.” The words held no rancor.
He leaned in and kissed her. Only a mere brush of his lips against hers. But it was enough.
Her heart pumped into overdrive. At the same time the breath left her lungs. Her dismay over the weather vanished. She leaned in, eager for a more intimate touch.
Another tradition I have is being a rereader. I'm a firm believer that books are not meant to only be read once and put away. So, this coming week, I'll be opening up An Unexpected Blessing and revisiting Katy and Joe's story.
Until next time,
Happy Reading and Happy Thanksgiving!
Debra
An Unexpected Blessing from The Wild Rose Press.
Joe Mason is the town's bad boy. Literally. He's just returned from a four year stint in prison. He wants nothing more than to put the past behind him and get on with his life. He's had a secret crush on Katy since grade school, but when Katy's parents hire him to be their handyman, she's less than thrilled to have him around.
But soon, through her young son's eyes, Katy discovers the good in Joe. As their feelings for one another deepen, small town gossip and prejudice threaten to ruin everything. Will Joe's past come between them, or will they be able to get beyond it and hold onto a love neither expected?
