Thanks

If it seems like this week has only been about eating...well, that's only half of the story.  The other half I was shopping for food and cooking it. Or maybe it just felt that way. But truly, I didn't mind.  Thanksgiving is usually the beginning of my love affair with holiday cooking, and with guests arriving from Spain and a full house for dinner on Thanksgiving, I figured there was no better time than now to pull out the stops. On Sunday, I delivered a pumpkin cheesecake to a friend's Thanksgiving potluck.  On Tuesday I made pumpkin muffins for Elisa to take to school the next day. And on Wednesday, I prepped and made two pies--a delicious decadent pumpkin pie with rum, and a chocolate-pecan pie--so there would be less to do on the big day.  For Thursday morning, I made my favorite breakfast casserole and some cinnamon rolls to accompany our parade watching.  Elisa got somewhat excited about the spectacle of it all, but I forgot how the first hour is really just a platform to pimp some Broadway shows. By the time the character balloons started drifting through, she was on to something else and to be honest, so was I.  The day was just beginning and there was lots more to do to get ready for our feast.  

I had the turkey primed and ready early and started working on the other dishes of the day (roasted brussel sprouts with apple, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole).  My friend Carmen was making the cranberry relish, sweet potatoes and an apple pie which made it easier on me.  Thanksgiving Day always feels special no matter where I am, but being at home and getting ready to host friends was really nice this year.  As the turkey roasted and the scent wafted through the apartment, I was reminded many times of the family gatherings at my Grandma and Grandpa Mitchell's house.  Something about their place and that smell instantly takes me back to being a kid again and running through their tiny little kitchen on the way out to the garage and down the steps to the basement. That was always where we had the most fun jumping on the guest bed and dancing away to the "Peppermint Twist." There were cousins to play with and so many people filling the house that it was impossible to mistake it for any other day. It was a special time, and we were surrounded by good food and good company. And that's really all I could hope for as an adult too.

As a mother now making new traditions, I know we may not have family near by, but we have friends who help fill that void. We are very lucky to live where we do and to know such amazing people.  It wasn't my mother's table or tradition of making everyone say what they are thankful for. I wouldn't force it. But I gave thanks all the same and I took a minute to watch my husband and my daughters from afar and let the joy and pride they give me take hold. It's so simple to say thanks and yet it takes us all year to sit down and do it.  Maybe that's why I love Thanksgiving. It feels like no other day, and the food is pretty good too.