Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day

What a great day to be thankful, even though I am thankful every day of the year.

Since my blogging community has grown, I have chosen this Thanksgiving Day to share with you why I am thankful.

Now where to begin.?.?.?

In October of 2009 I lost my job of twenty-two years (I could go back farther and tell you about my mishaps with my children and grandchildren, and the loss of my father, but that is for another time), so 2009 sounds like good starting point.

My job in automotive came to an end when the Big Three (maybe I shouldn't put the blame on the Big Three; it was Chrysler) decided to take their business overseas, which left many in my job and community without work. One thing that we can be thankful for is, our displacement benefits (now why would someone be thankful about losing their job?). With the jobs going overseas we all fall into the Trade Adjustment Act (TAA). The government has to provide us with education and direction to better ourselves.

So, that is just a brief explanation of where I am today.

The way I see it, God has a plan for me along with all of my ex-coworkers (whom I miss very much). I think that is expected though, I spent twenty-two years with my working family.

In January of 2009 I placed myself in online school through the University of Phoenix (I noticed the hardship coming a year in advance). I spent a year and nine months with them, and listen to this: I am now a graduate with an Associate Degree in business management, and I ended my education route with a 3.78 GPA. Ha, and I have been out of school for 24 years.... Did I think I would be attending school at the age of 42? Of course not. God works in mysterious ways.

I will be starting school again in January of 2011 at Defiance College working on a major in Organizational Supervision and Leadership. I will be working toward my BA. I can't wait!!

So, this all leads me to why I am thankful. No matter the hardships, the losses, and the stresses that I have been through, there is always someone else that has been through more.

I am thankful for God in my life, the wonderful man in my life, my health, my family, the roof over my head, my children, and that we are not hungry.

My thankfulness also leads me to this person, Marsha Baker (She is a God-send). She operates the Better Baker Blog over there <------- at the left of my screen. Marsha has walked into my life through blogging and emails. She is the author of this amazing cookbook Recipes & Recollections, which she sells from her blog (make sure you grab one).

Marsha invited me to a book signing that she put together through the Christian Book store in Wauseon.

Marsha is such an inspiration, and I am thankful to have her in my life. There is a reason God chose our paths (He brought us together) to cross. And I'm thinking the crossed paths have something to do with Marsha helping me with producing a cookbook of my own. I could be wrong, but that is what I'm thinking.

Marsha did a really good job putting together this cookbook. She has inspirational messages on almost every page and her own personal notes about each recipe.

I have swiped this recipe to create for my Thanksgiving meal (so see Marsha, you are going to be with me, I am truly thankful for you).

It is on page 89 of Marsha's cookbook, but I am going to step it up another notch.

Here it is:

Paula Deen's: Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

Cake

1 - 18 1/4 oz. package Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe/Caramel cake mix (the original calls for a yellow cake mix)

1 egg

8 TBS butter, melted

Filling

1 - 15 oz. can of pumpkin

1 - 8 oz. pkg cream cheese, softened

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

8 TBS butter, melted

1 - 16 oz. box powdered sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

Chopped walnuts for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the cake, combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Pat the mixture into a lightly greased 13 x 9 inch baking pan.

Prepare filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter and beat together.

Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well.

Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter, sprinkle with walnut pieces, and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to over bake as the center should be a little gooey.

Serve with fresh whipped cream.

Servings: 6 to 8

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Recipe Type: Easy

Good Luck~Happy Eating~Enjoy

Happy Thanksgiving from my kitchen to yours. May your day be filled with thanks, sweet aromas, family and friends, and the misery of overeating.

"Giving thanks unto the father, which hath made us meet to be partakers o the inheritance of the saints in light." Col. 1:12