Amazing Grace

We've been trying to eat as a family together more often now whenever possible. Before, I tended to pick up the kids, drive home, and get dinner for them ASAP before they turned into these awful dragons breathing fire all over me while they literally passed out from exhaustion and starvation since not eating in the last hour or so! Luckily, Darrell's work schedule has become much more reliable (thanks to the U.S. Government), so it's been working out that we can eat together. I just have to be really on my toes and have dinner on the table in a short amount of time. This is when I wish I were Rachael Ray- you know-- 30 minutes or less. Actually, I don't ever wish I were her because her voice just kills me, being a speech pathologist and all. Plus, I would never say "sammy" or "EVOO". I digress...

We've been trying to say grace every night and the only version that Darrell and I have ever used is the one we grew up with as Catholics (Bless us, oh Lord, for these thy gifts, which we are about to receive from thou bounty through Christ, our Lord. Amen.). A little wordy for our tastes now. I didn't want to say something too formal, but then not too informal that it wouldn't be taken seriously. So, where did I turn for inspiration? Well, Hallmark, of course! I was there shopping for Christmas gifts when I saw on the clearance table a big platter for Thanksgiving. It had the cutest prayer on it: "Thankful for the world so sweet, thankful for the food we eat, thankful for the birds that sing, thankful for everything." Well, we changed "thankful" to "Thank you, God". After about a week or so of doing this, I was so surprised that Libby and Drew were catching on and even remembering the words. It's so cute because Drew always replaces "everything" at the end to "everywhere". And Libby will often complain if we are too slow or repeat it or start over or anything during the middle. "No, Mama, NO MORE GRACE," she demands. So, it may not be the perfect grace, but for me, it's certainly Amazing Grace.