Thanksgiving Day for me, had it’s ghosts. On a Thanksgiving Day in years past, events occurred, scarring this usually wonderful holiday with unfortunate memories. Until…
Thanksgiving 2001 – My friend, Linda, knew I was depressed. I had just been through a divorce and felt life was over. I looked at it from every angle and came to the conclusion… “yep – it’s pretty bleak”. Linda and I talked on “chat” nearly every night and she suggested I come out to Council Bluffs for Thanksgiving.
So in spite of myself, I took her up on it. I flew in Thursday night (cheapest fares) and it was the start to a wonderful weekend! Friday night, they had invited over a bunch of people and we played games, ate and talked… had lots of fun. Later in the evening, Linda got on her computer and discovered her friend Kevin was online and asked if he wanted to come up and join us. As it turned out, it wasn’t Kevin but his friend Johnny who was over visiting him and using his computer. Johnny declined but Kevin decided to come up. 
THAT, was when we met! It was a trend to forever change the Thanksgivings of my life!
Thanksgiving 2004 – Let me back up… earlier the summer before, I received an email that would change my life! It started, “Hi, you don’t know me, but I am…” It was an email from a daughter I had given birth to when I was 20 and had relinquished to adoption. She was nearly 22 and for long years I had hoped for and anticipated an email like this. Never did I realized the wonder, the gift her presence in my life would bring.
We met for the very first time on U.S. Thanksgiving 2004. This would be another trend that would forever change Thanksgiving day for me! I say U.S. Thanksgiving because Cathi is actually Canadian. Her parents, Ron and Fran Delaney live in Vanderhoof, B.C. which is an hour west of Prince George. Their Thanksgiving is in October.
Thanksgiving 2005 – I flew up over U.S. Thanksgiving and spent 5 lovely days in a very cooooooold Vanderhoof. Only my 2nd time to Canada…. the first was when I was 17 and it was summertime!
Thanksgiving 2007 – Cathi flew down for 8 days and we had a great time! For the first time we had all of our kids together. We celebrated Thanksgiving at Kevin’s folks and all the family was there. Cathi discovered a whole new family here in Council bluffs and we all welcomed her with open arms!
Here are some of the scenes from this last greatest holiday of Thanks.
Cathi flew in tuesday night before Thanksgiving…
Wednesday night we went to Sears for pictures and then to dinner at the Spaghetti Warehouse in downtown Omaha.
Thanksgiving Day! Grandpa Bob had Cathi light the candles (as the guest of honor). Nick read from a letter written by Abraham Lincoln addressing the nation. It was a wonderful meal Mary prepared and a bunch of us added to and we all ate good and plenty!
The day after Thanksgiving… Although we had good intentions of getting up at 5a.m. and doing the crazy day after shopping spree, we had stayed up late the night before so didn’t pile out of bed until after 8. We went shopping and had barrells of fun!
We had Christmas out at Matt & Dana’s and I managed not to take one picture while we were there! Prior to going out Cathi was playing Santa and busy wrapping presents. Here are some random pictures I picked out to share… enjoy!
Sunday we had a potluck with the Eichers and a few of our closest friends. This was the only group picture I got from the whole thing and it shows about half of the people there.
The day of departure arrived and Cathi was fairly organized… We got her to the airport at some obnoxious hour of the morning and yes… there were people awake and alert to fly planes and stuff!
We had a great time Cathi… can’t wait until you return! Bring your family with you next time!
Thanks for sharing in this mini picto-gram of our Thanks Giving. Thanksgiving will ever be a day of thankfulness!
Sherlene
Regarding your group TG day photo: I recognize the older guy second in from right and the guy on the far left looks familiar too. I remember asking you one other time if you were related to anyone in the Council Bluffs area but I do not recall if you replied. It has been years since I saw any of those folks in Council Bluffs but I just have to know the guy’s name second from right. Would you please email me?
I was in Council Bluffs for a short time about fifteen years ago. I’m trying to remember names . . . I knew some folks in a house northeast of town . . . Dave? Agh! My memory is killing me. They lived up on a hill on a gravel road, had a trampoline, and he was a carpenter. I remember Menno and his wife . . . one of them got staph at the hospital after heart surgery or something to that effect. Seems there were quite a few Eicher’s in that area but my memory fails me at the moment. Seems Bob lived south of the main drag in CB.
Your website says email addresses will not be published. I would appreciate it if you do not give out my email. But I would appreciate a reply of some sort. Thanks.