Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Thanksgiving Thoughts



Gee, but it's good to be back home.
Our vacation was wonderful.  I feel relaxed and refreshed, but it is always nice to return home once again.  Home to your own bed, your favorite reading chair & favorite coffee mug with the coffee prepared just the way you like it.  No more planes to catch or airport bathrooms to use :).  On Sunday we had two flights to catch and they were both delayed.  The second one was delayed due to a mechanical problem with the plane.  They had to decide whether to use that plane or switch to another.  May I just say my prayers were answered when they put us on a different one.  All this made for a looooong day.  I don't think I was ever so glad to lay my head on my comfy, cozy pillow at 2:00 Monday morning.  


When we left for our trip it seemed as though Fall was just beginning.  Although I knew the date on the calendar, these past two weeks in tropical climates just didn't feel at all like Thanksgiving time.  Now that I'm home it feels like Christmas.  The tv commercials, the carols on the radio, the decorations.  Yikes, I'm still getting over jet lag and wish I could hit the pause button for a week or so.  But, since that isn't possible, it's time to jump into fast forward mode and get busy. 
While we were gone my oldest son was in charge of plant watering.  I wasn't sure I had his full attention when I was giving instructions, but as you can see by the Christmas cactus above, he must have been paying more attention than he appeared to be.  It was an awesome sight to behold when we walked in the door late Sunday night.


As I was running errands today the topic of conversation everywhere I went was "What are you doing for Thanksgiving?"  As I listened to the different answers to this question I noticed there was a variety of ways that people would be celebrating.  Some were having a houseful.  They talked of many generations getting together.  This reminded me of the Thanksgiving celebrations of my childhood.  Every year my family of five would gather with my mom's five siblings and all of their spouses and children.  There were so many of us that we sat around a ping pong table and every seat was full.  Before dinner the men went to watch the Detroit Lions play football.  You can guess what the women were doing.  My job in those days was to make the placecards and fill the relish tray.  The bonus was sticking black olives on my little fingers and then eating them.


One person talked of going to grandma's house.  Even though grandma is 85 she insists on having the holiday because that is tradition.  This same grandma just bowled a 200 game.  Dang, I want to be doing that at 85 :).  Hmm, I've never bowled even close to 200 so that's not too likely, but maybe I can still bake pies at that age. 


One lady I spoke to told me that her children were going out of state to be with their dad.  She was going to go out for dinner with her daughter's friend and her young daughter.  Afterwards they were going to make pie together.


Several people talked of getting together with their immediate family or neighbors.

One lady said "just the two of us this year."

When our family celebrated Thanksgiving around that big ping pong table I thought that would be our tradition for ever and ever.  Now I know that circumstances change and it's best to create new traditions to suit those circumstances.  This year there will be eight of us around the table.  While it is a much smaller gathering than the ping pong table days, there are a lot less dishes to be done, a lot more leftovers to be had, but still many things to be thankful for.

This year I am particularly thankful for:

  • my sister-in-law offering to host Thanksgiving dinner.
  • receiving a Thanksgiving card written by my sister.  She has sent a few cards since her stroke, but on this one she was able to write several sentences.  I am always so thankful to see any amount of improvement in her abilities as I know recovery from a stroke is a long process.
  • you.  yes, each and every one of you who take the time to visit me here.  My life has changed in so many ways since I entered the land of blog and you all have added so very much to this experience. 
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you and wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!!




25 comments:

  1. And Happy Thanksgiving to you Kim. Thanks for sharing those warm memories and pictures...I love this holiday too! :D

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  2. Enjoy your special day, Kim! I am thankful to you, too! Happy Thanksgiving! ♥

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  3. So glad you're home safe and sound. What an amazing trip you took. Sounds wonderful. We have talked about going there but haven't yet.
    Have a wonderful day with family! Happy Thanksgiving.

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  4. I know that feeling of being so happy to be home again. I hope you have a wonderful and happy Thanksgiving Kim. Kathi

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  5. Ah, Kim, what a wonderful trip you had! I looked at your prior posts. My husband and I hope to be able to visit Australia one day!

    Wishing you and your fmaily a very happy Thanksgiving!

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  6. Beautiful graphics you've selected to complement your words... Eight? That's just the number we shall have around our table. I liked how you said that when you were seated around a ping-pong table (great idea by the way) you felt it would always be that way. I have just reached that place with so many changes in our lives. I know you'll cherish the day and the family gathered around as will I. Blessings to you...

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  7. Dear Kim...Thanksgiving blessings to you and your family!

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  8. Happy Thanksgiving, Kim!
    I'm so glad your sister's health is improving!
    Take care!
    PS. Did you get my e-mail about the interviews? no pressure

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  9. Oh Kim, this was such a beautiful post. ((hugs)) Blessings to you and yours this Thanksgiving my sweet American neighbor.

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  10. Welcome back! I certainly enjoyed your vacation too, with all the pictures and documenting you did. I agree with you, there is not any place as special as home.

    Happy Thanksgiving to you! You are right, traditions do change.
    This year we started the day as empty nesters. We will go to a Thanksgiving meal for my husband's family without any of our daughters or their families. Different, but still special. Your post was beautiful!

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  11. And Happy Thanksgiving to you!

    Welcome home! I love the blooming Christmas cactus.

    You are so right about traditions changing as circumstances dictate. We can never go back...but we can make the memories of today be the 'best ever'.

    Blessings, Judy

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  12. It's so good to hear that you made it home safe and sound. Australia is so far away, and it sure takes a long time to return home...... and like you said.... there's no place like home.

    Your childhood Thanksgiving and your grandmother sound amazing.

    Good to hear that your sister is improving.

    Hoping your Thanksgiving was delicious and wonderful!

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  13. Kim,

    It sounds like you had a nice vacation, but I agree, there is no place like home. However, sometimes we don't tend to notice this until we are in a "strange place" for several days.

    I hope that you had a nice Thanksgiving with your family. Also, I enjoyed visting your blog today for the first time. You seem to have a very nice place here. :) You are welcomed to visit my blog if you desire.

    Blessings,

    -Lady Rose

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  14. I know what you mean about getting home again. Glad to hear Norma is still improving.
    Just me and Ken this year but I am thankful he is here. :-)
    Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, my friend!

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  15. Sounds like you were going to have a wonderful Thanksgiving after enjoying a great vacation! Thanksgiving was fun here! We've already eaten the "leftover" turkey. :)

    Your cactus is beautiful!
    ~JG

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  16. Welcome home and Happy belated Thanksgiving wishes to you! I am so glad to hear that you had a great time. I am sure you must be thrilled to be home though!

    Happy Sunday,
    Natasha.

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  17. Kim, I am so happy to have found your blog. I remember my sister Sharon telling me about it about a year ago and I must have lost the link to it. I read some of your older posts and enjoyed them very much. I am so sorry about your sister's stroke. I just re-read this current post and was glad to see that she is making progress and was able to write to you. God bless you and your family. Kathi

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  18. Hi, Kim - what a lovely post! Many things to be thankful for, indeed! Thought that I would stop by to let you know that I am hosting Christmas Giveaway of handmade jewelry. Stop by .... Would love to have you enter!

    Blessings,
    Jenny

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  19. Welcome home.....glad you had a wonderful time!

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  20. Hi Kim, my sister, Kathi, said that you tried to leave a comment on my blog and couldn't. I don't know why that happened, but I never did get anything from you. It should be working, I don't have any special settings, so maybe you can try again. It sounds like you had a nice Thanksgiving! I hope you have a lovely Christmas season too!

    Hugs, Sharon

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  21. Welcome back, Kim! So glad to hear you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. It's always good to be home, I know.

    Hugs,
    Donna

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  22. Hi Kim, Welcome home and I hope your Thanksgiving was filled with many blessings, I so enjoyed reading your thankful list. Your cactus is so pretty and I too am enjoying mine.
    I throughly enjoyed reading about your Thanksgiving memories and you pics., thank you for sharing.
    Hugs,
    Sue

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  23. Kim, what a lovely post with such beautiful illustrations. You are so right, things change all the time and what we took for granted when young is barely to be believed or else it is to be wished for once again. C'est la vie! :-)
    (I will be in touch for the 'interview' - lots going on here at present!)

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  24. Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas. Glad you made it home safe and sound.

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