Thanksgiving

I have spent every Thanksgiving of my life with family. That’s a 25 year tradition. No matter where we were, or what the circumstances, we always spent it together. I won’t say that this year was the same, but it wasn’t really different either.

This 26th year, I did spend with family. It was a makeshift, haphazard, grumpy, genki (cheerful), and young family, but a family all the same. I was so thankful for the jet program people. They welcomed our little Tyler crew into their realm of ordered abroadness and made us feel pretty cozy.

Angela did most of the cooking, I helped like I always do. Other people brought food or threw things together as well. We had everything from Turkey to cranberry sauce! I made two pecan pies, including the CRUSTS!! One was a little messed, but still oishi (delicious). I also made my mom’s macaroni salad, a holiday staple for my family to be sure.

From left to right, Shelby, Lauren, Bryan in the green shirt, ME, Kristen, and Cameron. We is makin’ mashed taters!

I’ve always enjoyed the morbidity of cleaning the turkey…its seems like a funeral rite to me. Hahaha!

Jenny was feeding me Rum Raisin Haagendazs! I hadn’t eaten anything but an onigiri all day but I get in the zone when cooking apparently. I’m glad she was watching out for me!

The pretty one!

The skirted one…eh heh…

Our merry group sitting down to dinner. Please ignore my thumb…

I ate until I thought I was going to pop, like I always do. I laughed, like I always do. I got frustrated, like I always do. I got tired, like I always do. I enjoyed every minute of the day, like I always do. I came home to an empty house…like I never do.

I pulled up White Christmas and have been watching it while I eat left overs, like I always do, but with one very real thing missing: my family. My mom’s laugh. My dad’s favorite part. My brothers complaining about having to watch this “dumb movie” every year. I won’t tell you I’m crying, but I guess I probably don’t have to.

Thanksgiving was the same as it always is, but this year, I am so much more thankful for you all. More than I think you can ever know.

“I’m dreaming…”