Every day should be celebrated as Thanksgiving. And Christmas. And Independence Day, maybe even Groundhog Day. Quite simply, every day should be a celebration.

With Gail, as you may have deduced by now, every day is a celebration.

After two years at her daughter’s house in Wichita, scheduling conflicts determined that Thanksgiving would be held once again at Gail’s house, as they had for many years prior. It matters not where we gather, just that we do gather with family.

Over the interstate and through the cold, to Gail’s house we did go. The weather kept some loved ones back, but they were with us in spirit. I rode with Suzanne and her husband, making the journey almost as much fun as the celebration. On the way, we stopped to partake of Black Friday shopping in Hays, Kansas, which was a new experience for me. After spending six of the best years of my life there in college, it is always a nostalgic trip back. The town is bigger now, but the mall is smaller–in my mind. It seems those places can shrink with age. Perhaps a mall of any size to a starry-eyed college student from a town of 300, was a behemoth. I don’t normally do the Black Friday thing except online, which we had fun doing in the car, as our favorite puzzle maker had a sale that couldn’t be missed. We should both be set for some time with puzzles after that order. We were good girls this year, Santa would see it the same way so we just did a little of his work.

Arriving in Atwood at Gail’s house in late afternoon left us a little time before we had to load up and head downtown to the annual Christmas parade. We couldn’t be late, we were part of the lineup. Spectating at a parade is its own thrill, but riding in the back of Lola–Gail’s 1974 Chevrolet Nova she bought for herself as a 60th birthday gift almost six years ago–with my sisters Gail and Suzanne, and John, the son of the original owner (Lola) at the wheel, was a new thrill for me. I think we enjoyed it more than the kids who picked up the candy we threw out. Suzanne’s husband got to ride shotgun.

Gail’s stepson, Tyler, was an elf extraordinaire.

The small-town spirit of Christmas was felt in full force; an energy that cannot be duplicated by anything else.

Saturday morning brought the anticipation of the feast, with the preparation being another kind of unique energy. Everyone brings something, and the big stuff is created in Gail’s kitchen.

Gail’s dressing—Mom’s recipe–is second to none, but we all had a hand in making it.

Every year, a secret ingredient is added, leaving the guests to try to figure out what it is this year. No one guessed the acini de pepe pasta that was left over from the salad; it baked in quite nicely.

The feast was the usual fare, but there is never anything usual about our gatherings, especially at Gail’s house. There were prizes drawn for those who remembered to bring their personalized, laminated “Turkey Club” cards issued years ago, but in the end, everyone got a prize. Gail is generous like that. Our choices ranged from her homemade salsa, canned zucchini relish, Pampered Chef utensils (from one of her several side gigs), an Amazon gift card, summer sausage and a few other goodies. Gail does nothing halfway, especially when it comes to giving.

When a decoration was noted to be broken as she took it out of the box this year, she added the accessory to make it a story of its own. She had to order a box of four from Amazon, so, if for some reason you need a small accessory such as this one, she has three left. Let us know.

Bonus points for finding it in five seconds or less.

We dined, dined some more, had dessert, talked, laughed, reminisced and knew we had to make it back over the interstate and through the cold to get home, so we wrapped it up and bid adieu until next time. The 3.25 hour trip was a breeze being chauffeured by Suzanne’s husband, as well as the good company they provided. Thousands of other travelers lit up Interstate 70, adding to the holiday spirit on Thanksgiving Saturday, one of the top road travel days of the year.

I listened to a podcast this morning about gratitude. Not just the surface stuff, but the nitty gritty, small things that comprise most of our days. We all know there is so much sadness in the world and in many of our own lives, so finding the smallest of things to be thankful for can truly make all the difference.

Today, for example, I noticed the jade plant I just repotted is sprouting a new leaf, when I thought perhaps I had killed it in the move. I was grateful. One of my favorite comedians has a new show out. I found another book I was looking for in the thrift store in Hays. I am first on the cancellation list at my dentist’s office to get the root canal I need to fix my tooth earlier than my appointment on Thursday.

Sometimes it takes a little digging, but there are always small things that we can give big thanks for.

We found this picture from Thanksgiving 2008 at Gail’s house. It was the first Thanksgiving after our parents died, and I was taken back to the bittersweet gratitude we all felt that day. We have come so far.

I am so thankful for my sisters, and we are so thankful for you, dear readers.