Thankful

This was the first holiday in our six years together that Corey and I have had to spend a holiday apart. I insisted that I stay in Cincinnati, but Corey was wise enough to know that that would not be a good idea. He was scheduled to work up to 50 hours in one holiday weekend. So, Thursday morning I left heading to Knoxville, happy to have a home full of people I love waiting, but sad it'd be without the person I love the most. 

My mom called me as soon as I was getting on the interstate and over the next 30 minutes with the distraction of us catching up over the week I realized with the jerk of the car that I was running out of gas. I was in a panic. It was Thanksgiving. The next exit was well over a mile away which is not far for a car, but terribly far for a girl walking in jeans and Danskos. Since I had topped a hill I realized after coasting in the shoulder for a bit that the car had just enough gas to get me another mile to the next exit. And, here's where I met him. The man who made the entire incidence worth it. 

I walked into the Shell and asked them if they had a gas can. The woman working there explained that they did not have any I could borrow, but instead could buy one...a cheap, plastic, gallon gas can for only $11.99. I was so stunned at the price I just stood there and stared at the little white sticker. Are we for sure it's not supposed to say $1.99??!!? Although there were very few people out that day, there was a man in the gas station who came around the corner and said to me, "Ma'am, do you need a gas can?" "Yes, I do", I stated. "Well, I've got one for you." I explained to him that my car was just right there sitting on the exit ramp - if I could just borrow it for a few moments I would be so grateful. But, instead he just kept saying, "No, no...it's for you. It's for you." So, we walked outside and there in the bed of his simple truck was absolutely nothing, but a gas can....filled with gas. He handed it over and got into his truck to drive away. I was so stunned by this simple act of kindness that I just stood there for a second trying to make my brain make sense of it all. 

After I got back onto the interstate I realized just how marvelous that little occurrence was. I felt an overwhelmingness of divine intervention. 

And, so I drove with a little bit of a lighter heart...a gratefulness for it all...

And, so it was...a good Thanksgiving day. It was definitely still hard looking around only to remember that my husband was not there, but it was nice looking around and seeing nothing but family that I love. 

{excuse my photos. they are incredibly unsystematc as I only picked up my camera on random incidences.}

Why I love the holidays...everybody just relaxing and doing their own thing...

...except for Petie who's on the lookout for that new dog that just joined the family...

Isaac (the "baby" of the family at age 15)

pausing for a quick text. ;)

...the new addition: Huey Cudzilo

Double shot. My mother-in-law who happens to hate cameras as much as her son (my husband).

My father-in-law who first got me started in photography ... and Zach (the 2nd brother)

Natalie (Zach's wife) intensely counting up her score...

My board. I think I did pretty good....Vade....Woy....new words to our language as of 9:00 Thanksgiving evening...

My "normal" dog hiding because there were new people in the house. 

More of Huey (and Zach pre-Friday-haircut).

Huey catching up on TV...