Thanksgiving 2010

It's been an interesting Thanksgiving. Oh don't worry, nothing too earth shaking, but it did involve a trip to the hospital which these days doesn't seem to be that out of the ordinary. Chris had his appendix taken out late Wednesday night and I insisted on staying with him (hopelessly devoted, I am). So, for the big Turkey Day I was sleep deprived and hungry and Chris was recovering and barely coherent. But regardless, we made our way over to my brother's house for a Thanksgiving feast. The boys were shamelessly starved for attention and enthusiastic about the prospect of a turkey dinner. So, it goes.

I have no pictures of the occasion because I was less than on top of it. No pies did I end up baking. No special recipes attempted, only me showing up at the door of my sister-in-laws house empty-handed and humble. Yes, grateful for my family and hopeful of a little entertainment for the boys and refuge for the holiday. It was wonderful, the whole lot of it. The food was wonderful and the company was comfortable. I loved it.

Thanksgiving has become a tender holiday for me since my mother's passing. She passed on the 20th of November, so soon follows Thanksgiving which has been a wonderful opportunity to reflect a little especially in the presence of my family....her family. Now that I'm home and still not sleeping tonight because of my poor husband's need for tending and my lack of sleep skills...I'm a little reflective. I'm thinking of each family member, our complicated and passionate whole and it makes me a little proud. I think I have a touch of her spirit with me tonight, thinking of them as she would've and I'm a little in awe. We are all the sum total of my parents which was solid, but at times a lethal and passionate combination. And so it's interesting to see how that shakes out a couple of generations down the line. The lethal part has died down to the occasional sting and the passionate part is alive and well in all the grandchildren (my boys make a good showing in that department). But, most of all we are a solid family making the best of whatever comes our way. I enjoyed talking with each family member individually and loved the group interaction just as much. Every once in awhile I would have impressions of my mother nearby as she always was during these occasions.

My father was also there probably missing her a little more than we were, but holding his own and weaving his influence over our heads. He slipped out early, which is his nature and as he did so he slipped me a crisp new hundred dollar bill which he hasn't done in awhile, but is a signature move on his part. He was born in the year 1929 which means "cash is king" for him and he really does think any other gift would be wasteful and useless. Honestly, I can only think of two other gifts other than money that he has ever given me; one being an opal ring I wore at my wedding and the other an electric meat carver that I will probably end up passing on to my children unless it breaks. He is quite a character and we're glad he has reclaimed all his vigor since my mother's passing 2 years ago.

It was a wonderful event and I am blessed to be a part of a family that is stamped in their own individual ways with the impressions of my mother and my father. They are wonderful examples of perseverance and dedication. My mother had a deep and abiding love of her Savior. She was an eternal optimist and a survivor. She always seemed to pull herself back up even when life sometimes leveled her even right up until the end. The last family meal we had with her was around the end of October, she hadn't been feeling well, but she received a special blessing from my brother at some point earlier that had helped immensely. Before the dinner she had gone upstairs, showered and dressed herself and was sitting upright at the table eating a little chicken noodle soup when I arrived. She was smiling and talking with everyone. I naively thought she could be on the mend. A few days later she could no longer make it up the stairs and within a couple of weeks she had passed. Now the thought of that episode reaffirms to me that she was an amazing woman, what a precious memory.

So, we are a great, big American family that enjoyed a day of comfort food and comfortable surroundings and we are blessed to be in the family that we are with a vast and unique cast of characters. Wouldn't trade it for another one, not today, not any day, no thanks. Wish me luck the rest of the weekend and hopefully I can somehow reclaim a little rest in the next few days. Ah, the life of a mother and wife. Another thing I wouldn't trade for anything. Happy Thanksgiving.