Gobble Up Gratitude
Thanksgiving has never really been a thing in our family. At some point we celebrated with our extended family, but as everyone got a little bit older, that seemed to stop. Once I got married I would usually cook dinner for my husband and myself at our house, but not a big production. I honestly dreaded the holiday because it seemed like so much work for an hour long dinner followed by what felt like 6 hours of cleaning and doing dishes.
When we had children, we still didn’t feel the need to do anything big. One year we actually went on vacation, that was wonderful. We went to Jamaica and had a blast, no cooking required, drinking and swimming optional. I may need to add that back to my to do list for future Thanksgivings.
So 2021…… meh. It is my first year of holidays without my momma, and somehow, I am even LESS motivated to celebrate this holiday than ever before.
My overall mood and feeling is: I DON’T WANNA!!!!!
This seems to be a theme in my life currently that goes beyond just Thanksgiving. We won’t even get into my desire to fast forward through Christmas.
So this year I am cheating. I ordered a fried turkey, smoked spiral ham, and a million quarts of cornbread dressing from a yummy little place called Jasmines on the Bayou . I have never ordered a holiday meal from here, but I have eaten lunch there a few times and it has been excellent! I have my husband lined up to go to Popeyes on his way home Wednesday and get mashed potatoes with sides of gravy, my mother-in-law is bringing rice dressing, my brother-in-law is handling dessert, and my dad has drinks and beer under control. Wanna know what I am bringing? The fact that I coordinated all of the above, and I guess I will make a green bean casserole. You’re welcome fam.
You know what’s even motivating me to do any of those things?
Seeing how excited my kiddos will be to have all of their grandparents and their Uncle together for the day.
All the beer I plan on drinking, since I am not cooking, on my Dad’s amazing back patio.
I can recognize that even though I am not in the holiday mood, it is a blessing that I have the opportunity to spend quality time with my family. It is okay that I wish like hell that my mom and sister were here to enjoy the kids and make memories with us, it doesn’t take away from how special these moments are. But it does make them a little bit harder. What I have right now may not be what I wanted, an only child and motherless because of stupid death, but its still somehow enough.
So in the spirit of doing what I say and not what I do; enjoy your Thanksgiving spent with your family, or however you are spending it, take advantage of the time you get to spend with your weird drunk uncle, or eating that one aunts sketchy mac and cheese, or hollering at your favorite sports team on the big screen.
I wholeheartedly intend to have a much better Thanksgiving next year, where I’m not so emotionally raw, and my smile goes deep enough to make it to my eyes.
