Thanksgiving

Matt and I have been married 9 months now and we are spending our first Holiday season as a married couple away from family. Although we are both a little bit homesick we decided to not dwell in the fact that we are away from relatives and give thanks for the friends and family we have in our current community. We hosted Thanksgiving 2012 at our house this year and we had around 20 people over to cook, tell stories, sing and play music, play card games and baseball, etc. It was truly an amazing Thanksgiving. Matt and I are so thankful to have such amazing friends and family here on the island who take such great care of us and are willing to help us without question. 

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays for many reasons, but there was something extra special about this Thanksgiving. It felt as though I was able to celebrate twice but in very different ways. I was very much apart of the traditional Thanksgiving I am used to through phone conversations with my family and picture updates that were sent to me by my Father. Sunday was more of our unconventional Thanksgiving but it held the same meaning because I was surrounding with love and people I am thankful for, especially a husband who is patient, loving and kind to me and everyone else he meets. History aside, the true meaning of Thanksgiving is about surrounding yourself with people you love and feel blessed by. I think our first Thanksgiving as a married couple was a complete success!

The food we prepared consisted of: 4 chickens, chapatis, ugali (sort of like bland corn bread), eggplant ratatouille, kale, ginger tea, mangos, bananas, oranges and avocados. It was quite a feast!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We are thankful for all of you :)

Fruit basket and freshly grown eggplant!

Matt with the family and our EK intern Tony

Our dear friend Gabby starting a fire for the chicken

Tony and Gabby jammin' out next to the fire

The serious cooking begins...

Chapti rollin' and eggplant cookin'

Servin' up the grub. Elida looks skeptical of the eggplant...it was a hit though :)

George, Lizzy and baby Mackey playing guitar and singing.  Love these kids.

Da' boyz (Matt, Olambo, Tony, Elijah)

Da' other boyz ( Moses and Tony)

Olambo reaaaally likes chicken 

Gabby's daughter Faith led us in a song to end the night where we went around the table and sang goodnight to everyone to bless everyone as we all depart... it was amazing. I held percussion with a rattle and Faith and Gabby led us on guitar. It was a beautiful moment that Matt and I are truly grateful for.