WHY I HAVE A DEEPER RESPECT FOR THE PILGRIMS

We have survived our first Thanksgiving in China!!

The day before Thanksgiving, I went to another team member's home to help with preparations because I don't have an oven.....that really limits me to what I can bring. When I arrived I was amazed at how much prep. work she had to do before I even got there. She had to boil the pumpkin for the pies, and make the apple pies because she only has 2 small ovens and there's only so much time. We made the pumpkin pies from scratch (she did the crust....and shortening is not available here)and I did the filling. We then prepared a yam recipe that she would bake the next day. We then prepared the 4 chickens.....no turkeys are here either!! We had to cut the necks and feet off and then remove all the insides...this was knew to me and I tried not to show how naive I am when there wasn't a little pouch with the insides in it. I now know how to clean out the inside of a chicken....something I thought I could go my whole life without ever needing to know. We marinated the chickens in a seasoning overnight and she baked them this am. I told her I felt like a Pilgrim woman cooking the way we did except we didn't wear little while caps and aprons! It is so hard to cook anything like we are use to because we have to do everything from scratch. Nothing is in cans here.....all ingredients are fresh or you do without.

Thanksgiving morning we slept in until the Gans' skyped us....which is always a reason to get up! We enjoyed seeing into their world a little while and then off into my kitchen I went to make Rice Krispy Treats (thank you, Connie, for sending the ingredients with us....otherwise I don't know what I would have made) We talked to Jim's mom on skype for awhile and then got ready to go to our dinner with the rest of the team members.

More people were there than I expected....probably 40. Some people invited friends so there were alot of new faces. The Korean team members made Korean food but seemed happy to try the American-traditional Thanksgiving food. We had the following: mashed potatoes with gravy, green bean casserole (made without canned cream of mushroom soup.....it was made from scratch) baked chickens, King crabs, biscuits, assorted fruits, vegetable tray with dip, dressing (the dressing was from scratch and the recipe called for breakfast sausage so my friend had to make the breakfast sausage in order to use it....I'm so glad she knows how to do that now....I so want to benefit from that) and then we had all the Korean foods. I didn't eat any Korean food, even though I love it, because I won't get another chance to eat the American food for a long time.

After dessert (apple pies, mock-pecan pie made witih oatmeal and walnuts, pumpkin pies, and my Rice Krispy treats....which the Korean and Bella-Russian team members loved....who knew!) we watched the movie Wall-E on the wall with a projector and some played board games. The kids enjoyed this. Then before we left we sang some praise songs from the dvds we broght (thanks Dan!) and went around the room and said what we're thankful for.....very moving. Then we slowly dismissed.

It really was a fun afternoon and we enjoyed the casual atmosphere and sharing laughter with new friends. Today was not like what we've been use to for so many years, but we were comfortable where we were and loved the day. One of the other team members mentioned during our time of sharing what we are thankful for that she is thankful for the kids being here. Their youth and energy is welcomed by these members and several of them are really connecting with the kids. They take time to play games with them on the computer or board games and of course they love hanging out with Joseph. My kids are the only kids here on the team, except for a boy 1 month younger than Joseph. It's fun watching the 2 boys together....I'm enjoying them noticing each other and imagine what they will be like together when they're 2!

We are thankful for so many things....too many to write tonight. We are especially thankful this Thanksgiving for our family and friends back home who are celebrating the same things we are here except 14 hours later (except Vanessa who is 17 hours behind!). We are thankful for the memories we have of past Thanksgivings....memories are precious to us now more than ever.

I have a better appreciation of those first Thanksgiving women who had so many preparations to do.....I'm learning how much work goes into a meal without so many of the modern conveniences I thought were normal......and I now know it's just easier to eat what the Chinese and Koreans do.....rice, rice, rice.

Happy Thanksgiving.......We wish you the best on this day of gratitude.