11/24/10: I love Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is, to me, the best holiday of all that we celebrate.  It brings family and friends together just for the sake of being together and being thankful of each other.  It is fun to set up for, it is fun to cook for, it is fun to be together for - and the best part is it's all so that we can say thank you.

Thank you for our lives.
Thank you for the best husband on the planet (sorry, but he is.)  :)
Thank you for the major turn-around this year has been for me - taking charge of my health and my eating and even learning that I CAN get pregnant.
Thank you for our friends.
Thank you for our family.
Thank you for our health.
Thank you for our friends' and family's health.
Thank you for the fact that we have jobs.
Thank you for the fact that we have a home and we can heat it (or cool it) and stock it with food and we can fill it with love and memories every day.
Thank you for our many blessings which include, so far, lifetimes of health and happiness.
Thank you for the thought of what's to come.
Thank you for four perfect, healthy and happy pets that make coming home that much more special.
Thank you for everything.

I love my life.  I have struggles and sadness on occasion and pleasures and happiness all around.  I was blessed with a great upbringing in which my parents, amidst all their "screw ups" kept my happiness at the forefront.  And it worked.  I can get through most anything with a smile on my face.

Thanksgiving, to me, is the best holiday of all.  I have 28 years of wonderful memories in which my mom and I cleaned and prepped and shopped and prepped and cooked a wonderful meal meant only to bring together people who loved each other.  It was always such a special day.  Most of the time, Thanksgiving was at our house.  A few years, my mom, an RN (at the time) had to work on Thanksgiving and so my dad and I would join her at the hospital cafeteria for our Thanksgiving meal.  It never mattered.  It was always a special day, to me.

Since I lost my mom, I've vowed to carry on what she taught me.  To fill my house with loved ones and all cook a special meal together.

We sit down to a family style meal and start with singing "We Gather Together".  As new people join in this tradition with me, they are always touched by that simple (beautiful) song.  I love that this little song, and that it's so important in my family, brings tears to my MIL's eyes.

At some point in the meal, we all take turns stating our thanks, round-robin style.  I love that, too.  It's always so special, to me, to be able to hear exactly what it is my friends and family are most thankful for.

We all enjoy a fabulous feast.  This year I am cooking:

• Three turkeys (1 fried (11lb), 1 oven-roasted(13.5lb) and 1 on the barbeque (23lb))
• Stuffing (and yes, I put what will fit in the bird...IN THE BIRD)
• Mashed Taters
• Gravy
• Sweet Potatoes
• Cranberry Sauce (only canned item on the menu)
• Cranberry Relish
• Waldorf Salad
• Cauliflower Gratin
• Green Bean Casserole
• Broccoli Rice Casserole
• I made homemade cream of mushroom, cream of chicken, and cream of celery soups for the green beans and broccoli rice this year.  Those homemade renditions are amazing and super easy!
• Pumpkin Custard Pie
• Banana Cream Pie
• Pecan Pie

A neighbor is bringing creamed corn and something else.  Another neighbor may or may not bring oyster stuffing.  And we'll see if anyone shows up with anything else...

And once we eat all that, we'll all work together to get the kitchen cleaned back up.  Although my husband prides himself on helping me in the kitchen (and it's really not him helping me, it's a joint effort) but when he's between tasks, he always starts to clean and works on the dishwasher and whatnot.  Last year, after dinner, we literally had just dishes to do...

Once the cleaning is done, it's time for football.  And I'm so thankful that the Aggies have decided to try and be the Aggies again!  I have found my love of football being revived as this season has progressed!  It's a big game on Thursday against UT-Austin and this year is huge.  If A&M wins...UT-Austin, a national champion contender last year, will find themselves not even bowl eligible.  (heart breaking)  On the other hand, if the Aggies win, we take a share of the Big XII south.  Who ever coulda thunk it!  I love me some exciting football and I love the tradition and rivalry involved in this game.  Even as a California girl growing up, I was still impressed by this game.  My love for A&M started when I was 8 years old and I saw the bonfire burning just before the start of a game (footage from the previous evening) as the broadcasters talked a bit about the traditions of A&M.  I vowed to myself I'd go to A&M...and then forgot.  And surprise surprise, guess where I ended up 17 years later. 

Thanksgiving is always a marvelous day.  Even in the years when we've had "disasters" - clogged garbage disposals, dead ovens, missing dogs, flat tires, stuck on the freeway in traffic - it has always turned out wonderfully.

Now isn't that proof positive of how wonderful a positive attitude can be?

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!