Thanksgiving Weekend
We had a fabulous Thanksgiving. My parents came from Oregon, and my husband's mom left the side of her hospital-bound husband for long enough to join us for dinner. My sister's family and Fidel, my niece's boyfriend, were here, as well. I love to cook the turkey and dressing and cranberry salad and pumpkin pies. My sister's side brought the killer sweet potato dishes, mashed potatoes, a pecan pie, and a seriously artery-clogging Paula Dean frozen chocolate pie. Oh. My. Gosh.
The day began in jammies in front of the TV watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. Then I spent a few hours in the kitchen--though I did set the table on Wednesday night, which helped.
My oven malfunctioned, so we started eating about the time the Cowboys kicked off. My brother-in-law, Mark, read a T-giving meditation he had written that morning inspired by the magnets and photos on his refrigerator door full of blessings. Then we prayed and dug in. After the feast, my husband shoo-ed me to the living room to catch the football game while he and my sis did the dishes. (I, not he, am the football fan in this household.)
My nieces brought Charlie Brown's two Christmas shows, so we watched them (I love them!), followed by three of us watching "Miracle on 34th Street" upstairs while A&M fans watched the aggies get stomped downstairs on the large-screen livingroom TV. Simultaneous to all this was the 1,000-piece Snoopy puzzle going on in the breakfast nook. And a niece napping on a couch here and there. And everyone snacking on leftovers. And another slice of pie. Or two.
Friday morning my mom, sis, two nieces, daughter and I went out for coffee (or rather, hot beverages) for some girl-time to celebrate Devin's birthday. That night Dad took us all out for a big dinner at Texas Road House. Then we came back here and our friends the Wagoners joined us for leftover pie. (Are you picking up on the food theme, here?)
Yesterday, my sis and I drove my parents to Waco, where we met up with my brother, who plans to spend a few days with them and then bring them back here on Monday. He treated us to lunch at Pei Wei. I had never heard of it but loved eating some good, tasty healthful stuff. I enjoyed the hours driving with my beloved sis, too. We don't get a lot of time together, even though we live only seven blocks apart.
I love hosting the dinner, having loved ones sleep on my couch, hanging in front of the TV, working a puzzle, drinking wassail and snacking. I love the holiday crowd of loved ones. I love the noise. The laughter. The teasing. I love it all because I believe the people in my life are my greatest sources of wealth. Congress can't destroy that. Nor can a lousy economy. I may not have a lot in the bank. Nevertheless, I am exceedingly, lavishly, decadently, abundantly rich, rich, rich, rich, rich. And I had nothing to do with it. So I am thankful, thankful, thankful, thankful, thankful.