Thanksgiving!

Wow! What a long but great week it has been! We left on Wednesday around 3:00 for the trip to Birmingham. I would have like to have left earlier but that just didn't work out, but that's okay. We still made it in semi-decent time and had a good drive up there. We got to the house around 8 or so and I was exhausted! I quickly changed into my shorts and t-shirt. Ben got to the house about 15 minutes after us so the entire drive we were close to each other. Mackenzie was sooooo happy to see grandmama. I have to say Jackson warmed back up to my parents fairly quickly. I think it's in part because my dad is so good with both of them. He's "getting his nose", doing his "good night...good morning" pop up routine (which gets the gutteral laughs from Jackson) and all sorts of fun things with him.

Lee and I were both exhausted by Wednesday because of staying up late and working and all sorts of things (taking it for the team). Needless to say we went to bed fairly quickly once we got there. I ended up sleeping with Elizabeth because Jackson kept kicking me off of the bed and the double bed wasn't really the best thing for 3 of us. Mackenzie slept w/ Grandmama. And Ben, well he got to sleep on the couch all by his little self. Mom's rules. Elizabeth woke me up in the night telling me I was snoring. I could sorta tell it was happening because my nose was all stopped up. I remember I kept trying not to snore when I went back to sleep.

We got up early on Thursday morning and drove over to Georgia to my cousin Tara's house. I have to say the drive wasn't too bad. We pulled up right after my dad and grandmother and my cousin Neil and his group pulled in behind us. Our timing was perfect. Mackenzie fit right in with the very rambuncious 4 year old Sara Beth. They fed off of each others energy. We got inside and tried to get Jackson and Jonathan (the only son of my true 1st cousin) to interact. Jonathan is adorable. He just turned 2 in October. They both enjoyed the dry erase board.

It was great seeing all of the family members that I haven't seen since Thanksgiving 2002. It was hysterical because Mackenzie, my precious ham, has talked in the highly Georgian accent since we left. She even asked for someone to pass the bread during lunch in a heavy thick accent. I remember leaving there and talking a little more southern for a week or so. Mackenzie fell right in with Kaylin and Coltin (Brandy's twins who are 10) and Whitney (Tara's 10 year old daughter). Okay, the cutest thing EVER was me going to check on Jackson in Whitney's room and they told me he was just fine. Whitney came out of the room with Jackson was soooo sweet and adorable with him and asked him if he wanted to go outside. She carried him out and took care of him. It was just so sweet. She looks just like her Uncle Josh and is so country sounding it's adorable!!! I just wanted to eat her up.

Some things never change at Thanksgiving. Lee, me, Elizabeth, Ben, Neil and Laura ate on the screened porch with the kids. haha It actually worked out well since Jackson and Jonathan spilled some of their food. It was just funny though to realize we'll never eat with the adults.

I hate that I didn't get to spend much time with my Grandmother. She looked so good in the pictures we took but I know she hasn't been well. I worry for her. I don't know how I would be able to handle it if something happened to her. She and I have been very close since I was a girl. Even though she can be ornry (and I'll tell her to her face) and go off on tangents that are rude I still love her. I can't imagine her not being around. I'm the only grandkid that ever calls her and has always no matter what been there. It's not because I had to but it's because I wanted to.

We went back to Birmingham and ate dinner again at my parents house. We also had my mom's birthday cake. She's now 52! Getting older! Wilson is so sweet and thoughtful. He made her the usual carrot cake and put 53 candles (1 to grow on) on the cake and spelled out Joy. I also hate I didn't get to spend more time with Avonelle and Wilson.

Here is where the trip gets fun. Lee and I left my parents house about 8:45 to head out to Best Buy to wait in line for Black Friday. The adventure gets better. More to come on that later.