Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite days of the year. I've been trying to determine today why that is. It lead me down a path of remembering so many of the Thanksgiving celebrations I've been a part of throughout my life. When I was growing up, Thanksgiving meant Bozeman and my cousins. We would all cram into Grandma and Grandpa's little farm house on the hill. The wood stove would be roaring and the ranch dressing free flowing. After dinner we would take our sleds and tubes to the draw and spend hours flying down the hill. There was usually a football game or two in the snow and then cocoa by the fire. At the time I believed it was the only way I would ever enjoy Thanksgiving.

I still miss those days. Life was so much simpler then and it meant a whole day with some of my favorite people. But, today I've had a slide show of Thanksgivings running through my head. One year I was in Scotland teaching and the family I lived with surprised me with a Thanksgiving feast when I arrived home from school. Complete with neighbors, party crackers and Christmas pudding with rum sauce. Pretty highly untraditional, but so wonderful and thoughtful. One year we spent it with my sister-in-law's family feeling oh-so-thankful that my brother made it through a significant brain surgery and also for a healthy little nephew's arrival. One in Scott and Cori's little condo in Denver, that one with two cute little nephews to cuddle and love. The next year Thanksgiving was spent with a ragtag group from the Handle Bar and Grill. I spent about two hours sitting on the floor of someone's kitchen with Joel and Chad O while we waited for the second turkey to finish cooking and then laughed and enjoyed a great meal with a group of people who I would have never imagined would become such good friends. I never imaged that day that my next Thanksgiving would be spent in Alaska at the home of the Felixes and that I would see two people, who would later become some of my dearest friends, get engaged. And that after leaving that feast I would spend the evening playing games and eating half of a peanut butter pie, the other half being devoured by someone I hardly knew, but now consider one of my many best friends. Another was spent at the home of the Ayers and involved much chaos and laughter. Two years ago the Thanksgiving celebration was combined with a wedding celebration for the aforementioned peanut butter pie friend and a trip home to Alaska after a traumatic move to Tennessee. Just what the doctor ordered. Today I spent the day with my wonderful roommate and a friend from here in Tennessee and her extended family. It was warm and we sat in the sunshine eating and getting to know one another.

Now I'm sitting in front of the fire with a glass of wine contemplating how much I would have missed if I had only allowed myself Bozeman Thanksgivings. There are many days I wish I could have one more of those, especially now that one of the key players is missing, but mostly I'm just overwhelmingly grateful for all the different Thanksgivings I've experienced. I wouldn't trade the relationships gained for anything. The relationships in my life have gained a new importance over the last few years and so tonight I'm thankful for every one of them and what they brought to my life. and in particular for each of you who I've shared a Thanksgiving feast with. Thank you for opening your homes and your lives to me. Hopefully we'll be spending one together again soon.

Happy Thanksgiving!