Thanksgiving

I have heard a lot of talk about something called "Catholic guilt" and I have always heard about Jewish mothers piling on guilt. However, I think they have nothing on my Perfection-seeking-Wesleyan-Methodist-Mom. She doesn't just send you on guilt trips, the woman packs your bag and books your room for two weeks. (That long is how long you have to be gone to rebuild the trust after you have disappointed her, just ask my sisters!)

I think Moms everywhere tell you to eat your brocolli because there are starving kids in Africa that wish they could have brocoli. Well, my Mom has a prayer/poem about three starving orphans sitting at a wobbly table with unmatched chairs, I think one is sitting on a box and they shared moldy bread and a can of soup with their social worker. They are so happy they have food for Thanksgiving. She always ends the prayer with and Thank God that our middle daughter is alive and here with us for another year. I think it is supposed to make me like brocoli??

Two more great reasons I hate Thanksgiving. My first husband prosposed after that prayer....seriously!! Current-soon-to-be-ex-hubby said I love you for the first time on Thanksgiving on the phone. He took it back 6 hours later in person saying "it was just one of those things you say on the phone--I didn't mean it"

I boycotted Thanksgiving for a few years. I would go serve turkey puree at the Jewish Old Folks Home. But I could just hear my mother saying "See these people would be thankful if the could chew brocoli. Don't you have something to be thankful for on Thanksgiving?"

I do have lots in life to be thankful for. For some reason Thanksgiving just makes me feel guilty for not feeling "thankful enough" I wish yesterday could have been Thanksgiving.

My daughter slept in late and then we had a wonderful time as she played for about an hour in the tub. Then she did NOT cry when we got to the daycare she said "I want to play with my friends now time to go"

Later I went for a wonderful bike ride. (I did fall, but it didn't leave any bruises) I went out to the lake it was such a beautiful day. I really enjoyed the lake, too.

Then I took my daughter to my parents house. My mom made a huge pot roast with two pans of vegetables. I got to have tons of carrots. My hippy and her boyfriend where there (everyone says I am just like her). My Grandmother was there, then in came my sister with her hubby and three boys. We ate, we laughed and we talked.

I sat on the bottom of the stairs holding my youngest nephew. I call him the tickle box because he just sits in my lap and giggles. Then my next nephew came and sat in my lap so I tickled him. Then my daughter started laughing and jumped in my lap. Then my oldest nephew jumped in. I had all four of them dogpiling me and I was tickling them and we were just all laughing and shrieking. My sister was laughing and called me the Tickle Monster.

The whole evening was so fun. This is what I wish Thanksgiving could be. Happy, fun and family everywhere.