Jean woke up when the sun's rays came in her window.
She could hear the fire crackling in the fire place and could smell the pie just beginning to bake in their oven.
Jean laid under three quilts for a while and thought about the nice words Miss Marberg told her after sharing her Thanksgiving list with the class.
Making the list took more than an hour after school and another half-hour before bedtime Tuesday night. She asked mom and dad the kind of things they were thankful for this year. Dad said the good weather and abundant harvest. Mom gave thanks for the family's health and food in the house.
Jean found a verse in the large family King James version of the Bible, "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ..." that her father read after supper and decided it would be a good place to start her list:
- Thankful for my friends, classmates, and Miss Marberg
- Thankful Daddy has a big crop to harvest and I don't have to help
The next morning, when she read her list while standing next to her desk, the room was very quiet and she could feel 22 pairs of eyes looking at her while she gripped the paper tightly so it couldn't fly away from her.
Miss Marberg had to remind her to speak up as she started, but as she reached the last line her voice was almost a whisper as she felt a small tear trace down her cheek. Finished, she quickly sat back down. When she looked up at the front of the class, Miss Marberg was looking at her with a nice smile, "Thank you, Jean. I think you did a wonderful job."
Jean smiled a big smile for the rest of the school day and felt like she floated home instead of walked.
There wasn't any homework, so she and her brothers helped Dad outside while Mary helped Mom in the kitchen with packing up some canned goods for the trip to Grandpa and Grandma's house.
As her feet hit the floor, Jean realized an advantage to sleeping later than usual is a warm floor. Daddy re-kindled the fire each morning when he got up, but it took a while to warm up the place. After she dressed, she climbed down the ladder and found a little breakfast Mom saved for her.
Less than an hour later, the wagon was packed and they were on their way to Grandpa and Grandma's house. The five of them sang songs for a while then the kids either read or took a nap while Mom and Dad talked quietly up front.
Jean heard her Grandpa before she could see him. He was singing while he carried wood toward the house. "Hi, Grandpa!" the kids shouted together.
"Hello!" Grandpa shouted back as the two horse team brought the wagon to a stop by the side of the house.
The kids hugged and kissed Grandpa before charging inside to greet Grandma. Dad and Grandpa tended to the horses, then carried their portion of the dinner inside.
The grown-ups talked about the recent election which put James Garfield in line to replace President Hayes. Jean knew who President Rutherford was, but she didn't have much to add to the conversation and read her book.
Later, when Grandma, Mommy, and Mary announced it was time to eat - Jean found her place at the corner of the table between Mary and Grandpa. When she looked at Grandpa he gave her a wink and his special smile. He leaned over and told her to wait until after she was done eating to look under her plate.
Jean thought that was curious, but it was time to pray, so they joined hands around the table as Grandpa said Grace. "Father in heaven, we thank you for your bountiful mercy. For good health, safe travels, and an abundant crop to feed your servants. We thank you for this magnificent country and the new lives we have in these United States. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Let's eat."
Grandma gave instructions on the way she wanted food served and soon everybody was busy enjoying one of the best meals of the year.
Before dessert, Dad asked everyone to share something they were thankful for this year, but when he got to Jean he asked her to share the list she took to school.
Jean was surprised how quiet the room was all of a sudden. As she looked around, she wondered what got in Grandpa's eye and why Grandma was pulling her handkerchief out of her sleeve.
She looked at Dad. "Very nice, Jean. Very nice, indeed. I think that covers things very well. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone."
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