ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE to you Stella, Edwin and Ellie—the three who may well have had the finest time of all when we gathered for a family Thanksgiving atop beautiful Cats Mountain.

Stella, or “Lella,” as sweet 19-month-old Posey calls her, belongs with Tim and me. Edwin and Ellie are part of clan Doyle, the family unit that consists of my offspring, Eliza, and her precious husband, Preston, who are parents to Posey Catherine—the first grandchild for Tim and me.

Let me be clear we all live very near each other in the flatlands of Columbia, SC. But getting “the kids” to join us on the mountain? Where we woke up in the same house THREE MORNINGS IN A ROW together? Where we sipped coffee, long and leisurely, together? Where we prepared meals and went for walks and obsessed over the weather all together? Where the very second dinner was done we gals ran to wash our faces and we all put on soft clothes and Tim stoked the fire (which had most often been going all day) and we piled up to watch a movie or (more) football or whathaveyou, together.

It was glorious, it really was glorious, and we ate and ate and laughed and laughed, mostly at Posey who was forever doing something darling. (That child is smart and hilarious.) It was cold, really cold—the lowest temperature in waking hours a mighty brisk 11 degrees. (As her grandmother I spent every moment waking and sleeping worrying if she was warm enough. I am so good at being a grandmother!) And we let the dogs have the run of the place—no surprise there—as they played and barked and chased each other until collapsing together on the very long couch which suddenly had only just barely enough room for 6’5″ Preston and me to squeeze between, doing our very best not to disturb a single pup.

Here’s a closing shot that sums up the giddy joy that was my Thanksgiving 2025:

How thankful I am for this beautiful family.

XXOO

30 Days of Joy

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