Thanksgiving "plans"

This year, Thanksgiving did not go at all as I planned.... It reminded me so much of the quote I hear on TV lately, about if you want to hear God laugh, tell him your plans!

After recovering, or so I thought I was, from our visa ordeals in China I was planning on and very ready to post a long list of the things we are immensely grateful for and put up photos of my sweeties enjoying their Thanksgiving dinner. This trip really helped me put my values in place and remember what the most important things are and how lucky we are to have been able to come home on time..

I had felt lousy on Saturday, when we got to Beijing and had a sore throat and fever while coming home. I just attributed it to exhaustion and a cold or mild virus. I had lost my appetite completely and just attributed that to the exhaustion as well. I made it through a day at work on Tuesday and was really feeling jet lagged and under the weather, but I thought that was , again, just exhaustion. Wednesday evening, my mouth began to burn like I had just drunk sulphuric acid and burned off all the skin.... I then broke out in all kinds of blisters in my mouth and my gums started bleeding. I panicked and ran to the doctor. I had not eaten or drank much since Saturday and was also dehydrated.... Evidently the mouth sores Andy has on occasion are part of this virus I was not able to prevent myself from catching and because of all the stress I had been in, it hit me with the force of a tidal wave....

So the past few days, I have spent in bed sick, while my oldest daughter has really helped me care for my little ones. She has been amazing help! Sadly it also let me see how much she has grown up..... It is good, but sad for a mommie to see happen. She was my little baby just "yesterday".... Sera YangYang has been such a trooper and has been happy and playing with her siblings without any problems. She is so precious!!! My family and friends have all helped us out and my kids ate Thanksgiving dinner at at friend's home. My dad cooked my turkey and packaged it for the freezer and we will enjoy Thanksgiving dinner often in the upcoming month. I may not eat it too soon though, because these things are showing no signs of going away quickly... UGGH... At least I will be thinner for Christmas!!!

So... I must rewrite my list to the effect that I am even more extremely grateful for my health, which I usually enjoy, the health of my family, the love of my friends and family and the three best kiddos a mom could ever dream of having!! Originally I had planned to write almost the same things along with being very happy to have Visa's and never having needed to visit our very clean, efficient and orderly American Police station for anything other than my clearances AND even more importantly, for the many opportunities we have had to get to know so many WONDERFUL people this past month!

I guess my list truly is essentially the same, but with yet even more added appreciation. 'Odd how difficult circumstances make you see things even more clearly!!

And I thought on Monday that I could not be MORE grateful for what I have! HA!! I am no longer telling him my plans!! I will just do what he leads me to do and hopefully stop being a source of amusement.... :-)

Uh Oh........... did I just say what I "planned" to do!!!!!?