HAPPY THANKSGIVING

I spent a very special Thanksgiving weekend.  On Friday I drove to Weyburn and left for Frontier after lunch with Clare, Jodi and Abbey.  It was a cool day, but sunny most of the way.  We arrived at Sandra and Merle's farm just in time for supper!  Soon we were enjoying tasty Sloppy Joe Squares.  She gave us the recipe so I'll pass it on to you!

Sloppy Joe Squares

1 lb ground beef

1 small onion, minced

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp chili powder

2 TBSP flour

1 1/4 cups water

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

3/4 cup ketchup

2 pkgs Pillsbury crescent dinner rolls

Mozzarella cheese

Cook beef, onions and spices until meat loses its red color.  Blend in flour ; add 11/4 cups water, ketchup and W sauce.  Simmer 15 - 20 minutes.

Line 9" x 13" pan with 1 package of the rolls.  Spread beef mixture over layer of rolls.

Spread mozzarella cheese over sloppy joe mixture.

Place 2nd package of rolls over cheese, making sure dough touches edge of pan.

Bake at 350º F until crescent rolls are browned.  Serve with a salad.  Serves 8.

In the evening several friends and neighbours came over to help celebrate Sandra's 60th birthday.  Jason's wife Marion had made a yummy carrot cake and also brought such a cute "bouquet" of cake pops all decorated with fall colours.  Two year old granddaughter Katie picked out the candles!

We slept in on Sat. morning after a late night.  After delicious cinnamon rolls for breakfast (Sandra took the unbaked rolls out of the freezer the night before, let them rise overnight and baked them in the morning) we drove over to Jason and Marion's, just a few miles west.  We helped cut up fruit for the Sunday brunch and visited as we worked.  Then we were off to Frontier.  Our first stop was the "Corner Closet".  I was so impressed with this small town store, fabrics and ideas for quilt projects, lovely items for home and for gifts, as well as things for children.  I was fascinated with a "Holidays at Home" runner so bought that along with a picture with a special verse on it.

Next we visited my brother, Alan and Judy Erickson.  Clare enjoyed seeing Alan's latest project, a double garage with a shop at one end.  The sun was shining on Frontier's one remaining elevator so Clare took a picture of Abbey against that background.

Abbey against the Frontier elevator site

Then we were back to Sandra and Merle's for a prime rib Thanksgiving supper.  Jason did the roast on the BBQ and it was a super meal, along with Greek flavored roasted potatoes, Caesar salad, apple salad, cloverleaf buns and Norwegian baking for dessert.

Lorna (Marion's mom), Elaine, Clare, Jodi and Abbey
enjoying Thanksgiving supper at Sanford's

We were up early on Sunday morning so we could be on time for Rhett's baptismal service at 9:00 in Climax Catholic Church.  Rhett was born on Clare's birthday and he was honoured to be Rhett's godfather.  Rhett wore the navy and white sailor suit that Sandra made for Jason when he was that age.  Rhett gave the congregation such a cute wave after his baptism. Sandra caught it on camera so I'll add it here.  The family served a tasty brunch after the service so it was a special time of visiting with family and friends.  I enjoyed chatting with friends from school days, Rodney and Wanda (Vasseur) Evenson.

Clare, Robyn, Marion with Rhett, Jason (big brother Blaine looking on)
Rhett Oscar Sanford's baptism
Oct. 7, 2012

We had a nice trip home, stopped in Assiniboia for subs and were back in Weyburn around five.  As soon as my "stuff" was transferred from their Yukon to my Escape, I headed home.  I caught up on the mail, got unpacked and had a relaxing evening beside my electric "fireplace".

Now it's Monday and Thanksgiving Day, a day to count my blessings.  A verse from Ecclesiastes 3:2 sums up this year for our family "For everything there is a season, a time to be born and a time to die"  A verse from I Thessalonians tells us "In everything give thanks".

 It was easy and so appropriate to give thanks for the safe arrival of Nora Josephine Johnson for Todd and Kristy a month ago.  She was baptized yesterday but this grandma had to miss that special event in Kristiansund, Norway. (But when I couldn't be present for my eighth grandchild's baptism, how special to attend the baptism of my sister's eighth grandchild that same morning!) Here are pictures of her in the baptismal gown that my mother made for Laurel's baptism in 1968.  It was worn by our four children and several other family members.  Kristy's parents, Dan and Helga Ledene, were able to be present and also helped prepare a special meal for family and friends after the service.  Little Nora slept for four hours after the service!

A very proud and thankful father with daughter Nora
wearing the gown that he wore at his baptism when he was one month old

Todd's baptism at Trinity Lutheran Church, Torquay, SK
Howard, Elaine, Pastor Ed Hedlin, Phyllis and Bob Hurren
May 15, 1977

A very special "taus-stol" made by Johan Hellandsjø

This traditional chair is a "girl's chair" with a storage place under the hinged seat.  When a girl leaves home, she takes the chair, along with her precious personal belongings inside.  It is the last and 100th chair made by Johan who is the father of Paul, a co-worker of Todd's. What a precious gift for little Nora!

Nora asleep in the baptismal gown made by her
greatgrandmother, Hulda Haaland Erickson

Todd, Kristy and baby Nora
with Mormor and Morfar
(translates to mother's mother and mother's father)

If you want to see all 191 pictures ( or some of them!) just click on the address below and a Go to link: will appear.  Click on that and you should have access to the collection of pictures.  You can watch a slideshow or click on individual pictures to enlarge them.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?

uname=kristy.ledene.johnson&target=ALBUM&id=5796963518899971313&authkey=Gv1sRgCIqn0a-2g8HZsgE&feat=email

We don't think of giving thanks when a loved one dies, but looking back on Howard's passing on May 17, I am able to give thanks in that situation too.  He was diagnosed with dementia as well as Parkinson's Disease and his health was deteriorating a lot in his last months.  Getting progressive pneumonia and dying within a day was a shock for us, but it was really a blessing for him.  He was spared from the latter stages of dementia where he would likely have lost the little independence that he had left and may not have even known his family anymore.  God's timing was perfect.  I was so thankful that all our family were able to be together for Howard's funeral service including brothers, sisters, all of our nieces and nephews and several cousins.  It is truly a time to give thanks for their love and support and for the overwhelming show of love and support from friends and neighbours as we were showered with gifts of food, bouquets of flowers, monetary gifts in Howard's memory, cards and notes sharing memories of Howard, phone calls, emails and visits.  Two hundred and fifty people came for the service where we celebrated his life and mourned our loss. Howard's voice rang out as our CD was played as part of the service "And because He lives, I too, I too, I too shall live".  As birth brings new life, death also brings new life to those who believe in Him.

I can't give thanks for being a widow as it has been a big adjustment to being "alone" after spending almost 46 years as Howard's wife.  I miss sharing life with him and still find myself thinking of something I want to tell him or ask him.  He had a fantastic memory for past events and connections with people.

But I can give thanks in this new role in life.  I am thankful for the over 45 years that we had together, for the four precious children that we raised, their spouses and now the eight grandchildren that have blessed us.  I am so thankful for the CD that the Daae family enabled us to record so that I can still listen to us sing together or hear Howard's golden tenor voice again. I am thankful for all the precious memories and pictures of trips that we took together, including four to Norway and a Mediterranean cruise on our last trip.  I am so thankful for our cosy log home that we had built in 1979.  I plan to stay here as long as my health and other circumstances allows, with the occasional trip to Norway or ?  Most of all, I am so thankful that God loves me and is with me through all the ups and downs of life.  I bought this reminder at that little store in Frontier.  Howard used to sing these words in a beautiful song of praise.  "The Lord is my light and my salvation.  Whom then shall I fear?"  I will keep these words displayed as a reminder that even if I live alone on the farm,  I am really not alone when the Lord has promised to be with me always.  What a comfort that promise holds!  I do not want my thanksgiving to be a one day event but pray that my life may be one of thanksliving.  Thank you for letting me share my life with you through my blog.  May your life be one of thanksliving too as we find ways to give thanks in all circumstances even when we can't be thankful for those circumstances.

Psalm 27:1