A few days before Thanksgiving, 10 of us gathered to celebrate our second annual Friendsgiving at Angela’s Villa. Janie led a prayer to begin the night and Nicole, turkey connoisseur, served the main dish. It was so fun to see what sides and desserts everyone brought to share.
Even better than the food was the conversation and laughter. As Marta said, we are SO good at Thanksgiving.
After dinner, we spent time listening to Christmas music and decorating the house. We put up the tree, strung the lights, and hung ornaments. A few ornaments left from last year were made by Melissa, Jenne and I when we were little, which gave the tree a sentimental touch.
Marta, who couldn’t get over the ornaments that featured pictures of Melissa and Jenne in elementary school, insisted that we make similar ornaments of us now, which led to her taking pictures of everyone there to print and use for the tree.
I find this celebration to be one of the most fitting for this group of young women -- because they have some of the most giving hearts I know. Their generosity has no limits, and I am so grateful we get to share in one another’s lives.
They are constantly inspiring me with their dedication to our community, their compassion to the individuals we serve through the Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown ministries, and their fun-loving personalities that make spending time together so fun.
Whether it was the music, tree or food, this evening officially put me in the Christmas spirit. The season of Advent is such a precious time for us to grow in community and support one another in faith -- this gathering was just the beginning.