...pretty much anything! But especially when it comes to holidays. Holidays are for family. And...being greedy (she's a mean one, Mrs. Grinch). UGH, but I am forced to share my family this Thanksgiving with OTHER families. That's what happens when your Things get married. I reluctantly have to relinquish my iron fist. I have to share my Things. On alternating holidays. Or so I've been informed and I've acquiesced.
But regardless, this Thanksgiving I AM thankful. I'm thankful that I'll have all my Things to myself for CHRISTMAS (and her heart grew three sizes that day)! I'm thankful. Yep. That's what I'll be reminding myself on Wednesday, when I cook Thanksgiving dinner ALL BY MYSELF for the first time without Thing #2's help. And that will be my mantra on Thanksgiving day, when I sit down at a table with my traditional meal prepared for the masses...with only 7 of us. Yay, I'll be thankful for turkey tettrazini in June! And that's what I'll be "gently reminding" the Better Half of Thanksgiving evening...when he has waaaaay less dishes to wash, but the same amount of food to find tupperware for...with no matching lids. And that's what I'll be telling myself when I lament the pitiful fact that to add insult to injury, my birthday this year just happens to fall on Thanksgiving too. Oh well. More stuffing and birthday pumpkin pie for Moi. Gobble, gobble.
So with Thing #1 eating Thanksgiving dinner with Thing #1.1's family, and Thing #2 in Cincy with Thing #2.1's family...we all gathered last weekend on middle ground (that's how I define driving 3 hours for MOI, vs. 7 hours for Thing #2. Oh well, that's is what she gets for living so far away from Moi). Penn State. Where Thing #3 is a freshman. Where Penn State wound up losing to Michigan on the gridiron (but I am thankful because....OHIO STATE LOST TOO! Yep, this Thanksgiving I am grateful to have things to be grateful for!). And where we packed up Thing #3 to bring her home for the first time since she hunkered down in her dorm room in August. (When I asked Thing #2 WHAT her li'l sis's dorm room looked like when she ventured into uncharted territory she said...imagine 'Hoarders', but not quite as bad). I am thankful I didn't see it.
A good time was had by all. I am grateful. I have love. I have family. AND...I have Thing #3 who I can bestow ALL my undivided attention upon Thanksgiving until she returns to that dorm room I didn't see....yep, I am confident she is grateful for that too! And Christmas? It's gonna be AMAAAAAAZING! Because I WON'T HAVE TO SHARE, fa-la-la-la!
So, from the Better Half and Moi...
And ALL my Things...
We wish you a very healthy, happy Thanksgiving from all the different locations we will be spending this holiday. But SHARING? It's for the birds (insert favorite turkey joke). Bah humbug.
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Here's where I "link up" today
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That's why I've been telling my kids their whole lives to marry orphans. No luck with the first one. Holding out hope that the second one will have listened. Enjoy your day....and then start decorating for the REAL holiday ;-)
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving, and I know how you feel.
ReplyDeleteOh gosh -- mine are still all way too young and I did not think of this possibility at all. My spouse family all live far away, so I always get to be with my Things! It's just how it is, I didn't plan it. but now, I got some planning to do!! LOL
ReplyDeleteenjoy your holidays!
Being away from family most holidays I know what that is like but I'm glad you'll get to spend Christmas together. I'm believe that I'll be away from family yet again this year. Family really is something to be thankful for.
ReplyDeleteWishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving and I hope that your sink recovered?
ReplyDeleteOur Thanksgiving is also divided...my husband is in the USA with our older daughter while Eden and I are stuck in Saudi AND since his C-mas vacation wasn't approved (never dwelt with this before) Eden and I will be in the USA with Eliza, but without him. This year is for the birds!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful family. The black and white portraits are lovely. I wish for all of you a happy and blessed Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteI grow to appreciate my mom's frustration with me the year I failed to take a vacation day after Christmas and had to return home 4 hours away as soon as I finished the dinner dishes. I can still hear her "why bother" lecture. It is hard to share and even harder to accept that your offspring could conceivably be somewhere other than home for the holidays. The birds have cornered this market.
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving.
Happy birthday and Happy Thanksgiving! I think the firsts are always the hardest. I've been spending Thanksgivings with my husband's family for the last several years...I used to go to MO to visit with my family but my grandma doesn't remember me anymore, and it's an 11 hour drive. So I'll go at Christmas with my mom when she flies in, ad then we'll spend Christmas at our house with the husband's family. It's a good thing.
ReplyDeletethank you for sharing with us at Photo Friday!
Happy belated bday and Thanksgiving!!! I'm sure a Christmas al together will be so special!!!
ReplyDeleteI am almost certain that you made the very best out of the day (birthday AND Thanksgiving - hard to imagine...) with 'only' seven attendants and enjoyed every second of it. Christmas 2015 will be insane around your house, I bet :)
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving to you and all your lovely Things
ReplyDeletemollyxxx
Oh Kathy, You bring joy to my day! xoxo
ReplyDeleteSharing is so hard that way. As a product of divorce, I was always shuffled around on holidays when all I really wanted to do was park my butterbeans in one location and enjoy the peace. When we got married, I vowed to never shuffle again, dag nab it. But, your post reminds me to think about those who may be missing us, too. We actually did travel this year for our first Thanksgiving away from home in 8 years. Progress!
ReplyDeleteHi Kath, yup; I don't like sharing either; but just gotta do it! lol! This was our year to have everyone and it was wonderful. Next year I will be feeling like you. Although last year we went to our oldest son's home. First time for doing that. It was super nice! Hope you had a wonderful holiday! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
ReplyDeletehugs,
Jann