Give Thanks

The upcoming holidays can bring with them a nostalgia for holidays gone by. We've enjoyed many Thanksgiving turkeys and Christmas breakfast spreads with our beloved families, and this year will be different. It will be special and beautiful in its difference, but this year will also bring a few tears of longing to be closer to loved ones.

Yet in all this, God has given us such a sense of family here at LTS. Tonight they hosted a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for everyone - largely because they had Americans (us!!) here this year. Robert, in the spirit of Thanksgiving traditions, had everyone go around and say something for which they were thankful. Then he prayed for us all...

THEN we ATE!

This was my contribution to the evening: 2 pecan pies and deviled eggs. Nigel said these weren't very common dishes for the English and I was happy to share 2 of my Thanksgiving favs!

This was part of the delicious spread. Truly, no English meal is complete without peas, and I'm thankful this cultural staple has "overruled" Robert's aversion to them.

Turkey, potatoes, stuffing... all the comforts we're used to!

Happy eaters =) The children ate first and then ran wild around the halls together. Their cheeks were pink by the end of the night and the girls went straight to sleep!

I sat next to one of the seminarian wives tonight who works at the London School of Economics... I think I started drooling when she told me. I've been on their website one too many times dreaming of further education...

More friends enjoying their meal at table 2:

Look who I got to hold! Ellie took this picture of Isabel, which is not surprising as none of us can get enough of her...

It was such a special night to celebrate with this new family we've been given. And - as Robert prayed tonight - it was a sweet reminder of the fellowship God gives His children in each other. No matter where we go, there will be family to love and be loved by. For this we can heartily give thanks.