Thanksgiving 2015

Happy Thanksgiving from the Judds
 (Yes, this is the best photo we took)

Here's our Thanksgiving recap:

some of our guests

more of our guests

• 28 guests spread over 2 celebrations representing 6 countries (tonight, the day after we can add one more guest and one more country)
• 2 water outages, the day before and day after Thanksgiving (made prep and clean up quite interesting, but THANKFUL we had water Thanksgiving Day).
• consumed: more than one pound of butter, 2 kg cream cheese, 5+ chickens, 20+ green chilis, 3 packages of bacon, 2 kg flour, 2 large pumpkins, 10 USD worth of walnuts, 3 dozen or so eggs, plus carrots, sweet potatoes, potatoes, red peppers, celery, fruit, and someone brought a dish of spicy chicken feet to our second celebration. (I just sent them home with our house helper :)) 








Catherine made this banner with help from me. She did most of the cutting and traced the letters. 



proud mom :)

This was the only turkey we had. I like turkey, but not enough to pay $60-75 for one.

We had chicken instead. The guys arranged it on the platter, as you may have guessed.

part of the spread

more of the spread

brought by friends: some kind of sausage/ham, dried fish, and pineapples 

What we're thankful for this year:

• Our return to China: although we always miss family and friends this tie of the year, we are thankful to be back on this side of the world after an extended time in the US last year.
  
• Aibigail Joy was added to our family....and she has truly been a joy! As babies go, she's fantastic!
  
• our time in Chengdu before and after Aibgail's birth. It was so great to reconnect with some of Jill's friends from college and the girls had so many friends to play with everyday.
  
• We're also so thankful Mary Caye was able to join us both in Chengdu and in our home city. We're thankful Delton could visit our home for a bit too.
  
• Business registration complete! It took most of the year and having it complete is a huge weight off our shoulders. We are especially thankful for new people to influence for the Kingdom through the business.
  
• Catherine and Ann growing in their love for one another as sisters.
  
• our current home. The place we've been living since March is by far the best place we've lived in China. It's not without its frustrations and inconveniences, but the space, the heating we control ourselves, the fact that no one lives below us, and the comfort make us so grateful for His provision for us.