The tables are set, the stuffing and cranberry are sauce are made, and the star of the show is brining in the fridge.
It’s Thanksgiving morning and I wake up to a house that’s quiet, but not “too” quiet, if you know what I mean. Three out of four of my kids are home (my law student didn’t feel like she could get away, darnit!) and asleep in their beds. My husband Rob too, will opt to sleep in a little; something he almost never gets to do. What a blessing.
As much as I appreciate my newly discovered independence now that my kids are older, I love that “full house” feeling when they’re home.
Because of that newly discovered independence, I’m headed to yoga this morning for an early morning zen-fix that will get my very busy day off to a good start. Giving myself a little TLC and getting focused before the craziness sets in is a good way to flex my “self-care” muscles, as I call them. I’ll be trying to tap into some of that serenity when I’m in the throes of the last-minute preparations this afternoon.
Maybe it’s because I’m starting to push the upper-limits of middle-age (my children’s assessment) that I get all sentimental about these kinds of celebrations nowadays. But at some point you come to the realization that this isn’t a dress rehearsal. Despite what we think when we’re younger, this really isn’t going to last forever. People move away, or die. Kids grow up and then have a partner’s family celebrations they must make allowances for. Personally I won’t mind handing someone else the basting brush at some point down the road, but for now I’m just so grateful that it’s my roof they’re soundly sleeping under this morning. I am keenly aware that it won’t last forever.
In the meantime I want to pass along my wish to you for a very happy Thanksgiving with your loved ones. Hug them tight, tell them you love them and bask in the warm glow of the celebration. Time with our families is precious and fleeting. And unlike pumpkin pie, you cannot have too much.
Take your fill.
Thanksgiving, 2013
