Let me first say that I have an amazing husband!!! He has been wonderful this past weekish. The spaghetti dinner - which was last Thursday – pretty much started off some kind of craziness in our house. I have bible study on Tuesday nights and this semester we have had 11 girls. Six of which are leaving and will not be here next semester. So the other five of us threw them a little going away dinner. We did lasagna but I just fixed the green beans, cookies, and of course – my specialty - sweet tea. Then the next day the cooking continued – for Thanksgiving. I cooked 4 pumpkin cheesecakes, sweet potato casserole, and corn casserole.

When Wednesday night got here I kinda lost it. It just hit me that almost everyone in my family was traveling to Jonesboro, Arkansas without me and Justin!! Usually Christmas is everyones big family holiday. Well – not mine!! Thanksgiving is huge in my family!!! This was also my cousin Josh’s first time to not be in Jonesboro. We are very close – like brother and sister. So he calls me Wednesday night and that helped nothing. We both had a large breakdown over the phone. This was around dinner time so Justin is home when the phone call is happening. So he offers to stay home and study (something that never happens because he gets distracted so easily). So I go in our bedroom and sit on the bed with Ellie to start peeling my sweet potatoes. I start peeling and they are white. So I thought well maybe when you break them in half theyre orange on the INSIDE. No such luck there. And then Justin was like – “Liz I think those are roots”. (Something kinda like a potato here). So I called my friend Ralna (who was with me when I bought them) and asked her what was going on. She then tells me not to worry – sweet potatoes are just white here. WHEW!!!  

So then practically right after that my dad calls and Justin answers the phone. On the other line was Dawson – one of my little cousins. He and Justin talked for a while and I just started bawling during this time. The kind of bawling that usually really only occurs when something tragic has happened. So then Dawson tells Justin that the little girls want to talk to me and Justin attempts to hand me the phone. Im not real sure what he was thinking. Im just shaking my head like do I look like Im in the kind of shape to hear there voices right now? So Justin tells my dad – “umm nows not a really good time”.

So I finish my potatoes around midnight and we head to bed. Thursday Justin just had class til noon. During that time Im laying on the couch watching the Macys Thanksgiving Parade and thinking – right now I should be eating my little cousin Garretts monkey bread. Justin came home at noon and then my cousin Richard Paul called. I attempt to talk to him but lose it as soon as I hear his voice. I got through it though. The rest of the day was continued cooking and even Justin shed a little tear or two. Justin ended up taking the whole day off.

We went to our friends house at 5:00 to help set up for all the people who were coming at 6:30. About 100ish people showed up!!! We were so crammed and there was SO much food!! It was a good time. 

So the reason Justin is so amazing is because through all this time he was basically my rock through everything and while I was cooking – he would come behind me and do the dishes! He was home when he didn’t have to be. He comforted me and didn’t treat me like I was acting like a crazy person. I am very THANKFUL for him!

Above: In my own little world - listening to music - peeling the white sweet potatoes.

Above: The white sweet potatoes. With one somewhat orange one. So weird...

Above: Justin trying to not get tea all over himself while Im driving - trying to dodge all the many potholes on the very rocky dirt road.

Above: One of THREE tables filled with food.

Above: Some of the people at Thanksgiving. There were also people outside, in other rooms, and on the other half of this room!

Above: Justin and I trying to organize the food.

Above: Justin and I during dinner. (My hands were a little sticky from desserts)

 


Comments

Mamaw and Papaw

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 18:01:25

You're an amazing couple and will be rewarded for this time when you feel so far away from your families. We are so extremely proud of how you have leaned on one another. You've been diciplined in knowing who to look to for the devine guidance you've experienced. You will never know how blessed you have been until you can look back on it and thank God for that time He led you into.
We continue to pray as you grow stronger together and advance in your chosen profession. The big celebration is one day closer than it was yesterday.
We love you and look forward to seeing you soon.

 

Merry Beth Anderson

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 09:43:49

Hey Elizabeth & Justin,
I know your family missed you guys as much as you missed them. Kathy told me about you sitting on your bed peeling white sweet potatoes! The first thing I asked was "was Ellie on the bed with her?" To which she replied "No". However the picture shows the truth, which is what I picu\tured in my mind as she told us the story! I'd have had Bear on my bed too...they are like our Teddy Bears, comfort us when we are sad and feeling lonely. Anyway, the pictures of the feast are amazing, that you cooked so much is also amazing! You go girl. We all look so forward to having you both home on Dec. 11th...praying for you guys even as I type. God bless and love you,
mb

 

Joshua

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 13:42:41

Liz, this posting is amazing. If only I could have seen into the future 5 years ago and realized that you would be peeling potatoes and stranded on an island with Justin, I could have really gotten a good laugh. Thanks for helping me get through Thanksgiving!

 

mom

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:55:06

Elizabeth and Justin - Loving the feast and all your friends!! What a blessing from God!!! He has certainly supplied "exceedingly, abundantly more than we could ever ask or imagine." Love you both - praying for you, Mom, Phil. 4:13

 

Angie Martin

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:02:35

When Richard and I were in Hawaii they had sweet potatoes that were purple inside - no joke. That threw me for a loop. They were actually good too. So how did the sweet potatoes turn out?

I have found that just being around people during Thanksgiving helps out. We've always tried to invite people that we knew didn't have any family close by to join us. Most of the time they have been brother and sister in Christ, but other times not.

You'll cherish these life experiences later on.

I'm glad your not forgetting to have fun.

 



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