Dear Grandma,
It's Thanksgiving - the first Thanksgiving we've had without you. We're in Illinios and we started our journey from Omaha last night with thoughts of you heavy on our minds. We knew something was missing already in the car ride and had to fill the void with a bag of red licorice we hunted down at a gas station at 10:30 pm. Even the smell of licorice makes us think of you.

It's been a great day which started this morning with a little pre-training training for the marathon - a 6 mile run around Jason and Tonya's community. This time last year we were spending our first holiday with the knowledge that our holidays with you were numbered. We called you last Thanksgiving and passed the phone around the room. Dad and I talked about this more than once. It's amazing that even things so small as a simple phone call can hold such a residence in our memories. But as I've said before - I think it's more the lack of opportunity that makes it such a reality now.


The Thanksgiving feast was probably one of the best I've had, a "my jeans don't fit the way they did three hours ago" kind of perfection. Tonya mastered Banana Cream pie again and I swear if I put my mind to it I could finish one of those on my own. I fear that someday someone will bet me to do it, becuase that's a bet I could never turn down. So, here we sit, a bit miserably, planning our Black Friday outings. Mom, Tonya and I are mapping out our route of attack as the boys simply sit back and roll their eyes. I think it's more about the thrill and the bonding than anything else to be honest - but it's a tradition we've all come to love. I'm not typically into shopping but somehow I am able to make an exception for it this one day out of the year. And I'm pretty used to being up at the crack of dawn, so that doesn't bother me one bit.

Saturday is our annnual all day baking extravaganza. I've added dipped Ritz to our endless list of recipes because next to licorice and banana bread they're a goodie that reminds me of you - one that I mostly remember having from you. I'm looking foward to it, but in my current "post turkey status", am dreading the cookie dough induced tummy ache I will have from it. This year mom got us all (including Miss Hannah) aprons and slippers for the big event. Hannah's pretty stinkin' cute in that mini apron - I gotta tell ya.

I hope you're doing something fun up there for the holiday, and I hope you have had the time in your busy day to sneak down and visit all of us if only for a minute or two. There are people all over who are hoping you're around.

Hannah wanted to leave a little message in this letter, so this is from her:
3(
2
3
44444443

=)
Love you,
Kristen