This weekend I am in Canada with my family. We are here visiting with my son, Ryan, who is in boarding school at Trinity College School in Port Hope, Ontario. This weekend is Canadian Thanksgiving, and we really do have much to be thankful for.

The past six weeks have been particularly hard on my wife. She has been good about keeping her emotion on Ryan leaving for school under the wraps, but it is the little things that leave her teary eyed, and I can tell its hard. Little things like no bass coming from his stereo turned up too high in the morning. Little things like the daily, “Whats for dinner, mommy?”

But an instant takes that all away, or at least puts it in perspective. And in that instant we were so thankful for the ability to support our son in his education and growth from a boy to a man. That instant happened with the wonderful reunion of mom and son at the school on Thursday, followed by all of us chatting with several of his new friends. I think you have to be a parent to fully appreciate the feeling you get watching your son hug his mom and all the love that conveys. I believe you must have the memories of a baby held in arms to fully sense the maturity that has accelerated so much in the past six weeks as we chatted with such a diverse and wonderfully confident group of young people who are now friends at Trinity. This really is something to give thanks for.

Yesterday we enjoyed an early thanksgiving family dinner with two of my wife’s cousins. To say the meal was incredible would be an absolute understatement. What was even more amazing was to sit back and watch as another generation of cousins, separated by great distance were able to play and bounce on the trampoline, and get to know each other. Family is so important, and to be able to connect with distant family across generations is such a precious thing. Today we visit wonderful friends of our family for (I know) another thanksgiving meal. I know there will be good food, and warm company. But more than that I know that we will be the recipients of a friendship between families that now extends three generations. These times with family and close friends really are something to give thanks for.

Today we visited a church in Barrie, Ontario, called the Connexus Church. It is affiliated with Andy Stanley’s North Point Church. I had previously met the lead pastor, Carey Nieuwhof, and really wanted to attend a service. What I failed to mention to the family was that the church meets at a local cinema complex. The sermon was on relationships, and, while it was just the introduction of a four-part series, the kids loved it! Christina and I came away totally inspired. Chatting with Pastor Carey after I was so happy to recount my daughters comment as service started and the rock band jammed on stage. “Daddy,” said Taylor, “I thought they would play church music.” Visiting a church service and having your kids love the experience is something to give thanks for.

Our time with Ryan during this break is short with school out for only a four-day break. But the visit has been good in so many ways. It has healed the hearts that greatly missed their son and brother. It has renewed and extended family connections. And it has given us time at church together to take a moment to give thanks for all the opportunities we have been given as a family.

We are so thankful this, our first Canadian Thanksgiving.