the introvert’s dream thanksgiving…
November 27, 2011
“You mean NO one is coming over?” he asked.
“Yep!” I replied.
“And we aren’t going anywhere?” he said, clarifying the entire plan.
“Nope!” I answered.
“It’s going to be just us! Niiccceeee.” my dear introverted child said. Some times I wonder how that poor child survives in this family.
I have to admit part of me was sad, I missed cooking with my mom and sisters, being with friends, but there was this kind of deep relief also. This was the Thanksgiving when:
When your mate helps you make the turkey (and the entire meal) and for the first time in Thanksgiving history the bird was juicy, done on time with zero stress. He made Thanksgiving dreams come true with the togetherness.
When your child decides 2 minutes before dinner that he must come to dinner as a pilgrim and is rifling through boxes in the basement to turn halloween capes and a pirate hat into a suitable and proper costume.
When you have to tell little girls that they can not slurp the very exciting treat of blue Gatorade served in vintage green goblets with spoons and straws at the dinner table.
When you got ding dong ditched the most amazing pumpkin spice cake which sort of saved the day because the pumpkin pie you bought molded and you were already bummed you had to buy one in the first place. This cake dominated 73% of conversation the rest of the weekend just trying to figure out what was in it.
When laziness rules.
When you all go to see the Muppet Movie and cry over endearing Muppets and your childhood.
When you realize the amazing and very beautiful family love and connection you hold was born and has grown from an old and deep pain, and you feel kind of grateful and sad for this all at the same time. …and how you can always count on the holidays to bring such epiphanies.
When you know how deeply you are blessed and loved.
Oh, please share your holiday with us…what were your highs and lows? even better, give a link or a picture. This extrovert would love to know in the comments…
Kindnessgirl 
November 27, 2011 at 12:31 pm
There was no hitch with our Thanksgiving dinner either – a day to let yesterday go, and live in the moment, the now…
November 27, 2011 at 1:15 pm
sounds perfect j!
November 27, 2011 at 12:53 pm
The high was being with people who made me laugh and amazing food. It was Delish! I’ve gone to friends houses and have had dried turkey but not this time. The low was wishing I was someone else, someone who was happily married at 42 instead of someone who was wishing she was married. This feeling can come in waves like cravings for chocolate can during the holiday season. We all have our different cravings, I guess.
November 27, 2011 at 1:17 pm
oh, i can relate to that soul longing and craving for something or someone…hoping it is fulfilled friend. xo …and glad you had juicy turkey too, honestly, I don’t even care, it’s all about the side dishes anyway! 🙂
November 27, 2011 at 2:02 pm
Sounds wonderful! I had a nice T-day, just me and my boyfriend. Although I missed my family, I didn’t miss the hectic-ness and stress of trying to get everything done at a certain time and perfect.
Our turkey was a little dry – the thermometer had popped earlier than expected – we were out taking a lovely walk with our dog in some new fallen, fluffy snow. Aww well, it was still delicious. We kept the rest fairly basic. It was a relaxing day and I loved it that way!
Not sure if the link to photo will work but will paste below.
I enjoy reading your blog! Happy holidays.
November 27, 2011 at 2:07 pm
sorry, guess the link to photo didn’t work 😦
I’m still learning how word press goes.
November 27, 2011 at 2:39 pm
Our Thanksgiving week was filled with lots of family and food, still trying to process it all.
LOVE the poster in your 1st pic – Breathe it all in, Love it all out! Gonna have to use that! 🙂
November 27, 2011 at 8:24 pm
Sounds like a perfect Thanksgiving. My only only low was that my dad couldn’t join us. My mom and 2 sisters and their families drove in from out of state to be with us on Thanksgiving. The ultimate highlight was the incredible sunset we were able to use as a backdrop for pictures together. Special ordered just for the holiday.
November 27, 2011 at 9:05 pm
My Thanksgiving memories revolve around over-sized family gatherings at my parents’ house with 20-25 people always in attendance. There are always so many people that you really don’t have the opportunity to pause and appreciate each individual before it’s time to say goodbye.
This may sound awful, but my favorite Thanksgiving EVER was about 10 years ago… our 8-year old son came down with croup on Thanksgiving morning and we had to cancel going to my parents’ celebration. My mom wanted us to bring him and put him in a bedroom so we could be with them and not have him infect all of the old folks in attendance; his dad and I agreed to stay home with our boy and have our very own, personal, private Thanksgiving family time.
I’m eternally thankful that one store in our town was open for a few hours that day… the turkeys were all frozen, so that wasn’t about to happen! Little boy didn’t feel like eating much other than my roasted garlic mashed potatoes that I’d made for the big gathering, and my husband and I ended up having a crab feed! It was the most wonderful day of cuddles on the sofa, watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, truly appreciating each other with open, caring hearts, and being thankful for all of the blessings we have in our lives.
Since that year, each Thanksgiving celebration has been on the crowded scale; but I will never forget that memorable day of thanksgiving and love that will live on in my heart always.
November 27, 2011 at 10:38 pm
My husband and I with our two girls here in Oregon too. Love the sheer joy of solitude! We spent the first part of the week storm watching at the coast! 80mph winds and sheets of heavy rain. No television. Puzzles, card games, board games, time to read by the fire, napping and resting…ahhh!
Chose to work in my studio and rake leaves on the day after Thanksgiving. Peaceful.
November 28, 2011 at 12:03 pm
My Thanksgiving was two days after Thanksgiving when I took my younger animal-loving daughter, Sophie, to a friend’s house and shared thanksgiving with them..with their horses, kittens, dogs, chickens…and loads of kids and friends. It was the loudest Thanksgiving we’ve experienced for awhile.
My low was that our family Thanksgiving is always a little depressed because I’m divorced, my dad died around Thanksgiving several years ago, my cousin who was the life of the party passed away from cancer several years ago, and now my grandpa who was 96 pased away this year. Fewer and fewer are showing up for our used-to-be BIG family meals. That’s a little sad.
New pumkin cookie recipe that is sooooo over the moon good was another high!!! 🙂
November 29, 2011 at 8:51 am
love reading all your moments…the beautiful, hard and everything in between…thank you for sharing with me!!!
November 25, 2012 at 4:02 am
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