Giving Thanks

Every Thanksgiving is kind of the same.  We think about the things for which we are thankful.  We eat just about the exact same food every year.  Once in a while I shake things up by making green beans instead of peas but mostly it's the exact same thing.  Growing up, my brother and I would balk if there were any changes.  My mother wanted sweet potatoes.  No.  That's not okay.  My aunt would make some sort of jello mold.  There was no way in hell either of us would touch that.  (We both boycott Jello.  Always.  It's a forbidden food in our homes.)  Dinner consisted of turkey (white meat only), stuffing (preferably stove top), gravy (on potatoes only), mashed potatoes and peas.  There was also pumpkin and cranberry bread.  Oh, there was cranberry sauce - Ocean Spray in the shape of the can only.  And none of my food can touch.  Ever.

I'm a little more flexible now.  If there's gravy on the stuffing, it's okay.  Salad instead of peas works.  I make banana bread instead of pumpkin bread.  Change is okay.

This year bring a lot of change.  This is the first holiday without any family.  My children are with their dad in Chicago.  This is a year of change for that family, too.  This is the first one without their mom (my mother-in-law).  So if ever we were going to have change, this was the year to do it.  My mother has decided to eat with the other seniors in her apartment building instead of joining me at my boyfriend's parent's house.  So it's just going to be us.

I might let some of the food on my plate touch.  I might try something different this year.  I will remember all the reasons for which I am truly thankful.  Let me list just a few:

• My children still hold my hand, snuggle up with me and clearly love me.
• My boyfriend loves me and shows this to me regularly.
• My friends have become my family and show me how much they care.  The number of invitations to Thanksgiving dinners confirmed that for me.
• I live in a country where I am not in fear of my home being bombed or being killed.
• My life, though far from perfect, is quite good.

So, on this day when I'm reminded of all I have, please know I am quite thankful for you, my friends.  I'm always thankful for my new and returning readers.  And I'm thankful for my fellow bloggers who lead me along this weird way.