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In the bright Thanksgiving morning kitchen, Maya stands on a stool stirring batter in a glass bowl while smiling Ms. Red Cloud sets patterned plates along the wooden table; sunlight streams through the window over fall decorations.
Thanksgiving morning, Maya stirred batter. Her family welcomed Ms. Red Cloud from Lakota Nation. 'What makes today special?' Maya asked. 'Sharing and gratitude,' Ms. Red Cloud replied. They set the table together.
Afternoon light fills the living room as Maya traces orange paper leaves at a craft table, marker poised, while Ms. Red Cloud ties finished gratitude leaves onto a bare branch vase; scissors, colored paper, and glue scatter across the tabletop.
Maya traced leaves from colored paper. 'We write thanks on each leaf,' Ms. Red Cloud said. Maya wrote, 'Grandma's hugs.' They hung leaves on a branch. Kindness filled the room.
Under midday sun in the backyard, Ms. Red Cloud kneels beside a tall oak sprinkling yellow corn from a small pouch, while Maya listens to the rustling leaves, palms open in quiet thanks; fallen leaves carpet the grass around them.
After lunch, they walked outside. Ms. Red Cloud whispered, 'We thank the land's gifts.' Maya listened to wind in trees. 'I hear it,' she said. They left corn for birds.
Warm evening lamplight bathes the dining room where Maya, hands clasped, smiles at bowls of food as Ms. Red Cloud passes a platter of roasted vegetables across the table; dishes of corn, bread, and cranberry sauce glow amid family silhouettes.
Back inside, dinner steamed. They passed dishes, naming thanks before each bite. 'I'm grateful for family and stories,' Maya said. Ms. Red Cloud nodded. They promised to keep these traditions shining.