It’s the weekend before Thanksgiving and I’m sitting down to take a deep breath before all the crazy starts. Crazy in a good way, of course. Right?

My beautiful fall candle is burning a festive fragrance and the afternoon shadows lengthen. The wind has picked up fiercely as I am quickly typing these words-even the weather is co-operating. Temps are going to be below freezing tonight. First fire of the season tomorrow?

Just maybe.

All this is helping me get into my Thanksgiving mojo.

Mojo.

The loose definition of mojo is enthusiasm or motivation. Yes, that is exactly what I need to get through this coming week. I mean, coming weeks.

There are a lot of sick folks at my work right now (staff, not patients). I got my flu shot, been taking Vit C everyday for a month and Emergen-C for the past week. I have been washing my hand so frequently that when I got fingerprinted for travel last week my prints could not be seen digitally.

Not lying. (This is apparently not uncommon for nurses, so they told me.)

All to say…I. Can. Not. Get. Sick. Being sick this week would be a huge blow to the mojo.

In a mere 72 hours the airport runs will start as we collect our loved ones coming from Georgia and Colorado. The beds all have fresh linens, bathrooms are gleamingly clean and the pantry is stocked. There are hair appointments, endless errands and lots of last minute thinking to do.

Every year I do my best to be as prepared for this big, glorious day as humanly possible. The tables are already set for the 16 adults and 2 littles that we host on Thursday. The turkey is in the fridge and my two big shopping runs are finished. I will make a last, small list visit in the wee hours of Wednesday morning before I set to cooking. Family, and friends will travel to this old farmhouse from Baltimore and Pennsylvania to share our day.

After we lift a prayer of gratitude for the day we will, like a million other families across our country, commence to eating the biggest meal of the year. Some will take more than they can eat, others will go back for seconds. All will be filled to the brim.

We will play games, and if the weather holds, go for a walk across the fields, down our country road and take pictures to mark the day. Food will be divided and sent home with each family to stretch the good eats for the weekend. Dishes will be washed, dried and put away and Finding Nemo will be watched.

With or without the littles.

The real mojo of Thanksgiving is, of course, being thankful to God for another year of His goodness. His faithfulness to love us and to be present in our lives, especially on the dark days is great motivation for our thankfulness. This year as my family gathers in Maryland, Georgia and Arizona-one of us is a long, long way from home, serving all of us. We added a new family member this year, our dear great nephew, Jackson, now 9 months old and in March -I will become MaMae for the first time.

That is some great Thanksgiving mojo.

Kindest wishes to all of you and yours for a Blessed Thanksgiving!