Monday to Sunday November 25th to December 1st, Texas Thanksgiving Traditions And More!!

I'm not even sure where to start and I certainly didn't think this post would be so difficult! We had a great Thanksgiving holiday away in Texas with G-Mommy, G-Daddy, Grandmother, and Aunt Leigh.  Beau even was able to make the 12 hour car ride (both ways) with us.  We enjoyed seeing some of our Texas friends and carried on with our regular Texas Thanksgiving Traditions that we've been doing for the past 15 years; well minus one year for when Lindsey was about to be born and last year when we were in New York for the "Thanks and Giving" campaign.  We had two hours of traffic delays (mostly stand-still traffic... thank you Arkansas Highway Department), lots of restroom breaks on the road, and even more gas and food stops along the way. 

The kids all slept in the same room and, of course, woke up early every day and were ready to do something all day long.  We went ice skating at night in the 30 degree temperatures, made Gingerbread men and houses, helped make and eat a Thanksgiving feast with a house full of new and old friends and family, played golf a few times with the kids, went on a thousand walks with Beau and even tied the kids up in Christmas lights for an attempted Christmas card picture.  We also had our traditional dinner at "Taste of Texas" which included a birthday celebration for Lindsey with a huge sparkler candle in a huge ice cream sundae.  To our surprise, we saw ourselves on TV with the special "Thanks and Giving" kickoff interview between Mr. Shadyac and Anna Kooiman of Fox and Friends.  Programming note... our full segment/interview promoting the SJ Memphis Marathon Weekend with Anna will be on Friday morning December 6th on Fox and Friends.  We will also post it on the blob and on Ingram's Facebook page once it's out.  We made it back to Tennessee in time for Madison to make it to her first real dance with her friends.  It was a blast getting her ready and all, but I'm not quite sure we're ready for this new stage of growing up!  Lindsey was at soccer practice, but Ingram went with us and had a blast at The Peabody and at The Gibson Guitar Factory playing with his friend Katie the whole time. 

http://video.foxnews.com/v/2877317754001/

This Is The Link For The "Thanks And Giving" Campaign Interview With Anna Kooiman And Rick Shadyac

Ingram Glued To The TV While Lindsey Is Glued To Beau!

While Only A Few Hours Or So Into Our Drive Down And Stuck In Traffic,
Madison's Already Giving Me The "Really Mommy" Look!

The Two "KID's" Heading Off To Hit Golfballs!
I Think Peanut's Jealous!

But Clearly Making Candy With G-Mommy Made It Better!

Madison Rolling Up Chocolate, Coconut, And Marshmallows!

Ingram The Ice Skater...Sorta!

It Was Definitely Back Breaking Work In The Beginning!

These Two Were Trying To Break Our Backs By Skating Into Us!
The Troublesome Twosome!

We All Fell At Least Once And We All Came Out In One Piece!
The Fall Ranking System-
"One Fall" All The Way To "Too Many To Count" Goes Something Like This...
Ashley, Craig, Madison, Lindsey, And Of Course Ingram!

Apparently He's Sweaty And Hot From Skating In The 30 Degree Weather!



Someone's Not Digging The Smell Of The Mushroom Soup!

 

The Thanksgiving Dinner Crew Minus Daddy Who's Taking The Picture!

They're Supposed To Be Making Gingerbread Men And Houses,
But If You Could See The Floor And Their Clothes You Would See
They're Really Making Messes!!!

Part Of The Finished Product Before They Were Eaten!

 

Sneak Preview Of Our Christmas Card Picture!

"Madison I'm Mad At You So I Put On Your Clothes. Ha!"
Said Ingram To Madison While We Were Busting Out In Laughter!

Quite Possibly Lindsey's Favorite Part Of The Trip...Every Year!

Or It Could Be This Moment As A Favorite Tradition...
Taking A Million Pictures In The Sleigh Outside The Restaurant!

Where Did Our Baby Go??
All Dressed Up And Ready For The Jingle Bell Ball!

"No Madison Don't Kiss Me! Your Lips Are Like Mommy's!"

Part Of Our Jingle Bell Ball Crew From School.

Photobomber Extrordianire Ingram With Malena, Madison, Gracie, Molly, And Suzanna!

Ingram And Katie Waiting On The Peabody Ducks While We Wait On The Ball To End!

My Thoughts At This Very Intriguing Moment...
I Hope Ingram Doesn't Touch Them!
I Hope Ingram Doesn't Touch Them!
NOOOO Don't Touch Them!

Who Needs To Worry About The Toy Soldier Guard?
If Any Boys Mess With Madison, They'll Have To Answer To Ingram!

Here's where the difficult part starts...With it being the Thanksgiving holidays, we just can't help think about being thankful. We are thankful beyond words to our wonderful doctors, nurses, child life specialists, therapists, and many others at LeBonheur and St. Jude Children's Hospitals, but most of all to our Heavenly Father for bringing our family to this point of our journey.  It's absolutely amazing to think about where we are today compared to where we were just a year ago.  We thank God several times every day for taking away Ingram's tumor and healing his body, but for a holiday that started with being thankful for provisions way back with the "Pilgrims and Indians" as our kids say, it's turned into a whole lot more. 

With the overwhelming thanks we feel, there is also a very strange and struggling emotion of guilt that comes along with it... especially for me.  Ingram "sailed" through treatment for the most part only have a handful of bad days compared with many of his friends.  Being at St. Jude, we've met soooo many great friends that we now call family, but they're not celebrating Thanksgiving with their children at home.  Some of Ingram's friends are having a true Thanksgiving in Heaven while their families are simply enduring the holiday as best they can.  We have other friends that are too sick to gather with their families for fear of unknown germs/viruses being carried around because their counts are too low to risk it; and, there are other families spending Thanksgiving separated in the hospital.  I have no idea what it would be like for us if we were in one of those situations, but I do know that our cancer diagnosis has changed our daily lives forever... holiday or any other day.  Please remember everyone that has been touched with cancer in your prayers even if they look like they're doing just fine each day, because like I've said before... cancer changes everything.