30 days of thanks.

This time 3 years ago we were stuck in Uganda . It really did feel like I was never coming home! I had my girl, we had met some wonderful people who are now like family on the other side of the pond, we were entertaining each other to while away the days and yet we waited for a visa.

It took a month for us to finally make our way home. Within that time we spent the whole of November in Uganda . I didn’t realise how precious those days were but it enabled me to spend time alone with my daughter. It was our time. There were no interruptions from the outside world. It was, for the main part, me and her. It was a time we needed.

Our new found friends then introduced us to Thanksgiving. It was a bitter sweet time for them as they reminisced on the Thanksgivings of the past. They talked of all the traditions and celebrations. They knew their two young children left in the States would be going through the traditions without them, while they too waited in Uganda for their daughter’s VISA. Instead of sitting around thinking of all they were missing we turned our day into a positive and had our very own Thanksgiving Feast in Uganda . I don’t think the waiters knew what was happening when we ordered an array of food at the one food court. We ate all day, even splashing out for ice creams in the afternoon. It was our first experience of Thanksgiving. It wasn’t by any means traditional but it does bring a smile to my face when I remember that special day with the Gaddis family.

This year, we decided that we would join in with some of the traditions in our home. We have joined the 30 days of thanks dare challenge. You can find it here. Each day, we look at the list and think about what we are thankful for. Each item we think of (3 per day) we write on a little strip of paper and add it to a paper chain. By 30th November we will have a very decorative piece, all full of thanks.