It's Thanksgiving Eve and all through the house, not a pie is baking. No cookies, no cranberries, and no candied yams, wait for Thanksgiving to land. Instead a quiet fire is roaring to life in the wood stove to keep us warm tonight. It's not poverty or a lack of food. It's a lack of the right mood.

I'm tired. I worked crazy hours the last few weeks. I have mystery shopped, answered calls, merchandised, and fixed kiosks without corporate to help. I drove hundreds of miles to take pictures of malls. Only to find out the pictures were of the wrong ones! Back again, back again, do it all over. I'm tired. Thanksgiving, is giving thankfulness for a day of rest. I'm not gonna rush to bake and cook and roast and stew, when I already have so much to do.

This is still a homestead, nonetheless, and heat is needed to keep the pipes from bursting. Wood had to be hauled in. Animals fed. Dishes needed washed. I gratefully got a second bowl of stew from the crock pot. Thankful it was warm, healthy, and barely needed me to cook. My only treat, a dinner roll, to go with my stew. I eyeballed the turkey sitting in the fridge, knowing it wasn't meant for a big dinner or a large gathering.

My children no longer come to my house and this year is the first they haven't invited me to theirs. There's no drama, we're all just too tired. So we all collectively decided to rest on Thanksgiving and be thankful for the peace.

I just wanted to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving! Let's spend this day doing what it was truly meant for...being thankful. Whether that is thankful for a huge meal, a big game, or just to have a warm fire to sit by and drink your coffee and a whole day to rest.