Giving thanks

When people come into my home I have a very high value for them to feel welcome and relaxed.  I want them to feel like they are special and that they "belong" here.

I don't know if I always achieve that goal, but I always try. 

This is one of the ways I show hospitality.  I make and send invitations.  For everything.   (I love the entire creative process and receiving the RSVP phone calls, "Yes! We're coming and I just loved your invitation!" but that's not important right now.)

This is our invitation for Thanksgiving dinner.  I sent them out last week.
I created it in Adobe Photoshop, with digital paper from designer digitals and I was inspired (that's code for "I totally jacked it" but that's not important right now. =D) by the November design on Ali's calendar. 

In order to fit the forty people that make up my immediate family plus friends into our home, we have to move our furniture out of the living room (when I say "we" I mean "Eric" =D).  We have to rent some tables.  We have to prepare food and games and activities for the day. 

We get to give. And that makes me mindful and grateful for all we have.

And isn't t mindfulness and gratitude the whole point of this holiday??  ;-)