Thanksgiving 2010

Like I said yesterday, our Thanksgiving turned out wonderful.  I had a hard time getting started though.  I was feeling inexplicably sad at first.  Mr. Hubs kept asking me what was wrong, but I couldn't even answer.  I didn't know exactly.  I was missing family.  I was missing friends.  I was missing tradition.  I just kept feeling like something was missing.  I wanted my mom, my sister and her family, and my grandparents here.  I wanted all the kids running around and having fun while they waited for dinner.  I wanted a dozen different sides and pies to choose from.  I wanted the constant chatter and laughter.  I even missed the background noise of the football game (and we don't even like football!) 

Simply put, I wanted what I had when I was a kid, and I wanted my kids to have it, too. 

Eventually, after I put Baby D down for a nap, I did get started.  We chose an easy meal:  Chickpea Cutlets and Spiced Mashed Sweet Potatoes (both from Veganomicon,) green bean casserole (my favorite,) mashed potatoes (Mr. Hub's favorite,) gravy, rolls, and cherry pie for dessert (which Miss Dainty chose.)  Everything came together easily and generally at the same time, so we weren't even in the kitchen for very long (maybe an hour and a half.)  Mr. Hubs helped out a lot in the kitchen in his normal role of Sous Chef.  (I made the messes and he cleaned them up!)  We made a great team. 

Instead of the football game, we had classic rock music going, and the girls were happily playing together.  It was nice to spend that time with my husband, working together, enjoying eachother's company.  When the smell of the cooking food filled the house, I breathed in deeply.  It smelled like Thanksgiving, and that made me happy.  And even though my kids were not experiencing the type of Thanksgiving I had growing up, this was their Thanksgiving, and I decided to make it great for them.

After the food was finished cooking, we all sat down at the table, and Mr. Hubs led us in prayer.  It was a wonderful moment of reflection for me as I looked around the table.  It was like something was telling me, "Look at what you have.  Look at how far your family has come.  Look at how amazing this is.  Look at everything you have to be grateful for."  And I was grateful, so very, very grateful. 

Afterward, we relaxed.  Mr. Hubs and the kids played Xbox, and I happily spent my time knitting (and cuddling,) and reflecting on our amazing Thanksgiving, our awesome family, and our many blessings. 

As I was tucking Miss Dainty in to bed, she said, "This was the best Thanksgiving ever, Mom.  I loved it." 

And I went to bed later with my heart completely filled, feeling content, and inexplicably happy.